High Country Magazine July 2017 by High Country Press

Volume 12 • Issue 6 July 2017

ECRS

Brings The 21ST Century To Boone

Greene Construction – 70 Years of Building Our Town Helping with Meals | Two Local Artists | Golf Course Upgrade July 2017

High Country Magazine

DI A N N E DAVA N T & A S S O C I AT E S EXCELLENCE BY DESIGN SINCE 1979

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B A N N E R E L K , N O RT H C A R O L I N A P O RT S A I N T L U C I E , F L O R I D A

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High Country Magazine

July 2017

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Linville Ridge | 828.898.5151

Charlotte | 704.248.0243

Uwharrie Lakes | 336.461.1044

Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity. Property information herein is derived from various sources including, but not limited to, county records and multiple listing services, and may include approximations. All information is deemed accurate. July 2017 High Country Magazine

People’s Choice

WINNER In Recognition of Excellence

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Hwy. 105 in Linville at the foot of Grandfather Mountain 828.733.3726 | %FTJHO t *OTUBMMBUJPO t .BJOUBJOBODF Member: NC Nursery & Landscaping Association 4

High Country Magazine

July 2017

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E L E VAT E YO U R L I V I N G Linville Ridge, a luxury country club community near Blowing Rock, boasts award-winning golf, tennis, sophisticated dining venues and social events to ﬁll every calendar. With home opportunities ranging from cottages to custom estates, at The Ridge the possibilities are endless. Models open daily | From $890,000 to over $4,000,000

linvilleridge.com | 828.898.5151 Home and community information, including pricing, included features, terms, availability and amenities, are subject to change, prior sale or withdrawal at any time without notice or obligation. Drawings, photographs, renderings, video, scale models, square footages, ﬂoor plans, elevations, features, colors and sizes are approximate for presentation purposes only and may vary from the homes as built. Home prices refer to the base price of the house and do not include options or premiums, unless otherwise indicated for a speciﬁc home. Nothing on our website should be construed as legal, accounting or tax advice. Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.

July 2017

High Country Magazine

July 2017

High Country Magazine

C O N T E N T S Our Greene Home Green Construction, Inc. has played a larger role in our home than one might originally think. Having been in business in the High Country for 70 years, Greene Construction has contributed greatly to ASU, Boone and other surrounding towns.

Taking Care of Our Community

Home Delivered Meals right here in Boone has made a huge impact on the senior citizen population. With a daily free meal, and interactions with volunteers, the Home Delivered Meals program strives to improve the seniors’ quality of life.

Homegrown Tech in the High Country One of the most innovative tech companies in the state has its home right here in the High Country. While it is oftentimes overlooked in downtown Boone, ECR Software is a leading company in retail automation.

Leap of Faith A few years ago, Jason Drake was working a desk job, while painting on the weekends and at nights. Now, he paints for a living. Jason Drake is an American Realist Painter.

Rooted in the Ground Blowing Rock Country Club has gone through a lot since it was originally built. With the construction of the original golf course to the burning down of the clubhouse to the construction of the new holes, Blowing Rock Country Club has quite the history.

Pipes Dreams Murals and Artwork John Pipes, a Meat Camp native, traveled the world painting murals before returning back to the High Country six months ago. Here, he has used his artistic talents to create art in various restaurants and venues throughout our home.

62 on the cover Scott Pearson – This month’s

cover comes from Scott Pearson’s photo shoot at ECR Software. Scott is an internationally known photographer living outside of Blowing Rock, who’s work appears in hundreds of magazines, books and periodicals published worldwide. His work can be seen at www.scottpearsonphoto.com and is available for local photography projects. 8

High Country Magazine

July 2017

READER SERVICES ABOUT US

The first High Country Press newspaper was published on May 5, 2005, and the first issue of High Country Magazine went to press in fall 2005. In March of 2012 the newspaper made the transformation to an online newspaper at our new website: www.HCPress.com. Our new “webpaper” is still packed with information that we present and package in easy-to-read formats with visually appealing layouts. Our magazine represents our shared love of our history, our landscape and our people. It celebrates our pioneers, our lifestyles, our differences and the remarkable advantages we enjoy living in the mountains. Our guiding principles are twofold: quality journalism makes a difference and customer care at every level is of the greatest importance. Our offices are located in Boone, and our doors are always open to welcome visitors.

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Our magazine is a wonderful way for businesses to advertise to our readers. Our magazines tend to stay around for a long time, on coffee tables and bed stands, and shared with family and friends. To find out about advertising, call our offices at 828264-2262.

BACK ISSUES

Back issues of our magazines are available from our office for $5 per issue. Some issues are already sold out and are no longer available.

Herb Jackson

“Paintings & Drawings” June 29 - July 29 Artist Talk & Book Signing Sunday, July 2, 2-4pm

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography and page reprints are available for purchase. For sizing, prices and usage terms, please call our office. Some photos may not be available and some restrictions may apply.

FREELANCE OPPORTUNITIES

Writers and photographers may send queries and samples to the editor at hcmag@highcountrypress.com.

High Country Press/Magazine P.O. Box 152 1600 Highway 105 Boone, NC 28607 www.hcpress.com info@highcountrypress.com 828-264-2262

Tony Griffin

“20 Years in Review Retrospective” July 13 - August 12 Artist Reception July 15, 4-6pm WWW.ARTCELLARONLINE.COM | 828-898-5175 HWY 184. Banner Elk July 2017

High Country Magazine

FRO M T HE PUB L ISH ER

A Publication Of High Country Press Publications Editor & Publisher Ken Ketchie Art Director Debbie Carter Advertising Director Jeffrey Green

The 21st Century is Here

Ken Ketchie

here’s no doubt in my mind that ever since students began attending Appalachian State University, many of them have stuck around the Boone area to start their own business. I’ve heard it said many a time that, considering the lack of job opportunities in the area, post-graduate students have been forced to leave the High Country in order to pursue careers. That is, unless there is an alternative, and sometimes, the only alternative to relocating is staying right here and starting up a business. All across the High Country are prime examples of start up businesses by college students who wanted to stay in the mountains, a place they all came to love during their college years. In this issue, we feature a business that began 28 years ago, just as computers were being established as part of our lives. 1989 marked the time that Microsoft Windows was making its debut; it was also the year that ASU student Pete Catoe began wondering what would happen if you hooked a computer up to a cash register. Jump ahead to 2017, and Pete’s company that was begun right out of college is now the essence of a 21st century business. ECRS (Electronic Cash Register Software) is at the top of the industry. Finding its home in a beautiful building in Downtown Boone that has a contemporary interior with high-end technological equipment, ECRS employs over 120 people, 80% of them being hired right out of ASU, a fact that Pete is very proud of. The company pushes 15 to 20 million dollars a year into the local economy through employee wages and local vendor services. The employees hired, especially ASU graduates, are not always computer science and technology majors, but also designers, marketers and engineers. ECRS is the perfect example of what small communities today are looking for to provide its citizens with well-paying jobs. Today, Pete is also involved with local entrepreneur groups in the hopes of inspiring other start ups in the High Country. He states that he is impressed with the quality of ideas occurring and the quantity of intelligent entrepreneurs who are pursuing their business dreams within the community. When asked what his main challenge at ECRS is, Pete will respond with the fact that the company doesn’t thrive on only finding smart, dedicated people to fill his workforce, but it’s also about keeping these same people in Boone. He makes an interesting point about keeping his employees – the way to do that is for the Boone area to continue to expand its cultural and nightlife opportunities. Folks in their 20s and 30s not only want interesting and stimulating work, but they also want to live in an area that provides fun things to do when they aren’t working. As Pete said, the best thing that happened for him in the Boone area is the amount of new brew pubs that are popping up as they are great gathering places for the younger generations to have fun and hang out with one another. So let’s raise a beer and cheer to the continued success of ECRS! 10

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July 2017

Contributing Writers Katie Benfield Jesse Wood Bailey Faulkner Jan Todd Jason Reagan Harris Prevost Contributing Photographers Todd Bush Frederica Georgia Jan Todd Scott Pearson High Country Magazine is produced by the staff and contributors of High Country Press Publications, which serves Watauga and Avery counties of North Carolina

HIGH COUNTRY MAGAZINE P.O. Box 152, Boone, NC 28607 828-264-2262 Follow our magazine online where each issue is presented in a flip-through format. Check it out at:

HighCountryMagazine.com Reproduction or use in whole or part of the contents of this magazine without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Issues are FREE throughout the High Country. © 2017 by High Country Press. All Rights Reserved.

WE SUPPORT

SHOP LOCAL

M EA

Warm Sun LOTS OF

July 2017

High Country Magazine

Business Anniversaries IN FOSCOE T

Toni Carlton and Her Gallery Celebrates 35 Years This July

oni Carlton began her gallery in 1982, marking this year as the 35th Anniversary of the Gallery began holding workshops for local artists, and through these workshops, Carlton Carlton Gallery here in Boone. Celebrating 35 years of being a renowned artistic presence herself was able to gain more expertise in multiple artistic fields. While she began with within the High Country can highlight not only community support but all the changes that looming and fibers, she is now skilled in painting, drawing and calligraphy as well. Regardless of the different venues and artistic media, Carlton is constantly excited and have occurred as well. grateful for the amount of support and love that “I’m so grateful that we’ve made it to 35 years the community shows her and the gallery. – grateful towards artists, employees, commu“I just really want to thank the whole comnity members and our friends,” Toni Carlton said. munity, especially all of our clients and friends,” “Things have changed, grown and evolved since Carlton said. “The amount of support for the arts I first began. It’s exciting to have a business and this gallery has been amazing.” this long and watch it grow always and forever Carlton currently focuses on calligraphy changing. It’s really exciting.” and painting, and her works have been shown When Carlton first started her gallery, her all over the globe, being featured in places like main focus was on looms and fiber-work, reChina, Korea, Switzerland and Italy. flected in her studio’s title Woven Works. HowOn Saturday, July 22, there will be a 35th ever, as the years passed, and Carlton began Anniversary Celebration at the Carlton Gallery experimenting in other media, she realized she at 10360 Highway 105 South. The event will last needed a larger venue and some change in order from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. with an artist reception to accommodate new projects and new artists. from 2-5 p.m. Throughout the day, there will be “After a couple of years, the gallery became Toni Carlton with musical instruments that she uses in her workshops. music, artist demonstrations by Egi Antonaccio more of a fine art and handmade gallery, and it and Linda Apriletti and other activities. There will also be a special highlight feature of has just kept growing,” Carlton said. “I’ve been in the current building for nine years now.” With the change in buildings and names came a change in art and media. The Carlton Andrew Braitman, Kevin Beck and Egi Antonaccio.

Grandview Restaurant Turned 40 Years Old on July 2

hen Greg and Debbie Cairns moved to the High Country in the mid-1970s, Foscoe was still largely off the beaten path. If you wanted a bite to eat or a cup of coffee, you would have had to drive miles to reach the nearest restaurant or diner. But Debbie’s father Don had an idea to fix that. Realizing US Hwy 105 in Foscoe was little more than a two-lane road, Don asked his newlywed daughter and son-in-law, “why don’t you guys open your own place?” Over 40 years has passed since that fateful question was first posed. “There was nothing up here. People thought we were insane,” said Debbie, owner of the Grandview Restaurant. The Cairnes first met while working at a Miami IHOP during their teens. “I was waiting tables and he was cooking. And I fell madly in love with him,” Debbie fondly remembered. At the time, Debbie and Greg were 15 and 16, respectively. But the couple didn’t waste any time wondering if they were a destined pair, sealing the deal a few years later. “We got married on Independence Day. We were working in Miami, and we had to go to work that day, so we got married at our neighbor’s house. After work that night, we got on Greg’s mom’s roof and watched the fireworks for our honeymoon,” Debbie said as her face brightened. Moving to the High Country to work for Debbie’s parents, the Cairnses were given a stroke of 12

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luck when a car accident landed the still-fresh couple some much-needed insurance money. Using the money to purchase the plot of land where the Grandview now sits, the couple saw the stars align again when a canoe rental business and home were purchased by the state during the U.S. Route 321 lane expansion. Purchasing and moving the buildings to Foscoe, the Cairnses opened their restaurant on July 2, 1977.

The Grandview Restaurant is located in Foscoe with a grand view of Grandfather Mountain

Celebrating

20 Years! 1997 – 2017

Greg and Debbie Cairns on opening day, July 2, 1977 Only 23 at that time, Debbie would be the first to tell you that she is grateful for all the help she has received, especially in those early years. “My mom and dad used to come in every night from Blowing Rock, eat dinner, hang around until we were closed and help us clean up. They knew we were exhausted.” Although the Cairnses were eventually forced to hire more hands, that didn’t stop the couple from doing what they loved. For Greg, that was being the “King of the Grill”; for Debbie, that was helping folks in the front of the house. “40 years later, we were still doing the same thing,” Debbie reflected on the couple’s career in the food industry. But before the Cairnses could reach that magical 40th year together, tragedy struck. On his birthday on September 19, 2013, Greg passed away while doing what he loved — working in the kitchen. Now, Debbie has filled the added responsibilities at the restaurant. Thankfully, the employees at the Grandview were able to help keep things running smoothly at the restaurant. “I never in a million years thought I would be doing this by myself. If it wasn’t for my employees, I would not be here,” Debbie said. Another reason the restaurant has remained successful is its loyal customers. In particular, the Breakfast Club eats nearly every morning at the restaurant, coming back for what they have grown to love over 40 years. “You know, it’s nothing extraordinary. It’s just 40 years of the same Southern classics, really. The consistency of the food is what brings people in,” Debbie humbly said about her years alongside some of the most recognizable figures in the community. Although Greg is no longer with us, the Cairnses are honored to keep his legacy (or as they lovingly call it, his “eggacy”) alive and well. “I miss him everyday. I really do.”

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High Country Magazine

Calendarof Events

JULY 2016

15-16

Studio Sculpture Garden & Gallery: Garden Party Linville Falls, 828-756-6626

Banner Elk Concerts in the Park: “The Extraordinaires” Tate Evans Park, 828-898-8395

Todd Summer Music: “Melissa Reaves” Cook Memorial Park, 828-263-6173

Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, 828-733-1333, gmhg.org

Banner Elk Concerts in the Park: “Jocassee” Tate Evans Park, 828-898-8395

First Friday Art Crawl, Downtown Boone, 828-268-6280

Summer Exhibition Celebration, An Appalachian Summer Festival, appsummer.org

MOMIX: “Opus Cactus” An Appalachian Summer Festival, appsummer.org

Concerts on the Lawn: “Tellico & Amantha Mill” Jones House, Boone, 828-268-6280

Concerts on the Lawn: “Josh Daniels, Mark Schimick and Shelby Rae Moore” Jones House, Boone, 828-268-6280

Music on the Lawn: “Lucky Strikes” The Best Cellar, Blowing Rock, 828-295-3466

Music on the Lawn: “Soul Benefactor” The Best Cellar, Blowing Rock, 828-295-3466

Music in the Valle: “Soul Benefactor” Valle Crucis Park, 828-963-9239

Music in the Valle: “Lucky Strikes” Valle Crucis Park, 828-963-9239

Live Music at 5506’ SkyBar: “Parker Urban Band” Beech Mountain Resort, 828-387-2011

Chris Botti, An Appalachian Summer Festival, appsummer.org

Todd Summer Music: “Wayne Henderson & Helen White” Cook Memorial Park, 828-263-6173

Live Music at 5506’ SkyBar: “Dr. Bacon” Beech Mountain Resort, 828-387-2011

Alta Vista Gallery Reception for Joan Sporn, Valle Crucis, 828-963-5247

6 6-9

7-9

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at Tweetsie, Tweetsie Railroad, 828-264-9061

22-30

7-15

Ensemble Stage Presents: “Mary & Myra” Historic Banner Elk School, 828-414-1844

K9s in Flight: Frisbee Dogs, Tweetsie Railroad, 828-264-9061

22-23

An Evening with Sutton Foster, An Appalachian Summer Festival, appsummer.org

High Country Pet Fest, Banner Elk Elementary School, 828-898-5625

25-30

Eastern Festival Orchestra featuring Midori, An Appalachian Summer Festival, appsummer.org

Charity Horse Show: Hunter & Jumper Division, Broyhill Equestrian Preserve, 828-295-4700

12-16

Lees-McRae Summer Theatre: “Million Dollar Quartet” Hayes Auditorium, 828-898-5241

Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, An Appalachian Summer Festival, appsummer.org

Symphony by the Lake, Chetola, 828-295-7851

13-14

The National Black Theatre Festival presents: “Maid’s Door” An Appalachian Summer Festival, appsummer.org

28-8/4

Lees-McRae Summer Theatre: “Legally Blonde: The Musical” Hayes Auditorium, 828-898-524

28-30

Ashe County Fiddlers Convention, Ashe County Park, 336-846-2787

29-8/6

Ensemble Stage Presents: “Switzerland” Historic Banner Elk School, 828-414-1844

Concerts on the Lawn: “Jazzfest” Jones House, Boone, 828-268-6280

Music on the Lawn: “Jonathan Birchfield Band” The Best Cellar, Blowing Rock, 828-295-3466

Music in the Valle: “Worthless Sons-in-Law” Valle Crucis Park, 828-963-9239

Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, An Appalachian Summer Festival, appsummer.org

14-16

Fine Arts and Master Crafts Festival, Historic Banner Elk School, 828-898-5605

Banner Elk Concerts in the Park: “The Flying Saucers” Tate Evans Park, 828-898-8395

14-15

BBQ Boot Camp, Sugar Mountain Resort, 828-898-4521

Concerts on the Lawn: “Jon Shain, Angela Easterling & Earleine” Jones House, Boone, 828-268-6280

Music on the Lawn: “The Harris Brothers” The Best Cellar, Blowing Rock, 828-295-3466

Music in the Valle: “The Neighbors” Valle Crucis Park, 828-963-9239

Todd Summer Music: “Lucky Strikes” Cook Memorial Park, 828-263-6173

Jennifer Nettles, An Appalachian Summer Festival, appsummer.org

Art in the Park, Park Ave., Blowing Rock, 828-295-7851

Live Music at 5506’ SkyBar: “Sweet Sweet” Beech Mountain Resort, 828-387-2011

High Country Magazine

July 2017

DON’T FORGET

f lo��l

EVENTS

s��s��io�

You may find yourself questioning, what’s the best thing about Horn in the West and why should I go? Is it the fact that it’s the nation’s oldest outdoor Revolutionary War drama? Is it that the Daniel Boone Theatre is the best outdoor theatre in the East? Or is it the fact that the outdoor drama takes place six nights a week, providing ample opportunities for people throughout the High Country to get out and see new things? Whether you plan in advance or realize one evening that you’re just itching to do something in the community, Horn in the West offers a oneof-a-kind experience for people of all ages. With the actors bringing Daniel Boone and his cohorts to life from Tuesday through Sunday, starting at 8:00 p.m., the only real question you should be asking is – why should I not go?

2017 Blowing Rock Tour of Homes Blowing Rock is known for its stunning architecture that catches the eyes of visitors and residents alike. On July 28, anyone and everyone will have the opportunity to get as up close as possible to some of this architecture through St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church’s 58th Annual Blowing Rock Tour of Homes. The entire event will focus around touring four exceptional and beautiful homes – both inside and out – in the village of Blowing Rock. The tours begin at 9 a.m. at St. Mary’s and last until 4 p.m. with a shuttle service provided from the church on Main Street until 3 p.m. The tickets purchased also include lunch and refreshments, which are going to be catered for the event, and all the proceeds benefit St. Mary of the Hills. Tickets can be bought at the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce; call 828-295-7851 for more information and tickets.

july 28

Horn in the West

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High Country Magazine

mountain

echoes

YES - A Blast From The Past

rog powerhouse of the ’70s Yes will make the second stop of its summer “Yestival” tour at Appalachian State University’s Holmes Convocation Center on August 5 this year. Joining the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees will be internationallyfamous Todd Rundgren and Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy. The English-born band, which broke through to fans on both sides of the Atlantic with classics “Roundabout” and “I’ve Seen All Good People,” among others, will perform hits from the band’s golden years, ranging from Yes’ beginnings in 1968 through the 1978 release of Tormato, “We are looking forward to presenting songs from each of the first nine studio albums, including some surprises,” said guitarist Steve Howe, who originally joined the outfit in 1970. While Yes continued in later decades to record hits like the 1983 release “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” most fans agree that the period roughly between

1968 and 1978 proved most influential in establishing progressive rock as its own distinct genre. Propelled to stardom by historic performances like opening for Cream’s farewell

concert in 1968 and Janis Joplin’s 1969 appearance at the Royal Albert Hall, the band is now seen by most in the know as the quintessential prog rock group of the era. Todd Rundgren made a name for himself around the world with the release of the 1972 gold solo double album Something/Anything? Since the album’s release, Rundgren has toured extensively as both a solo artist and as a member of Utopia. During the ’70s and ’80s, Rundgren also produced albums for The Band, Grand

YES today: (L to R) Billy Sherwood, Jon Davison, Steve Howe, Alan White and Geoff Downes 16

High Country Magazine

July 2017

Funk Railroad, Badfinger, Meat Loaf, Hall & Oates and many others. Carl Palmer shared the prog rock spotlight with Yes and other bands of the ’70s and ’80s as the wildly-respected drummer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Auditioning for the band alongside other world-class drummers like Mitch Mitchell, Palmer beat out the competition, cementing his place in one of the most famous bands of the era. Yes’ August 5 performance at the Holmes Convocation Center is set for 7 – 10 p.m. Tickets for the show start at $40 for students and $55 for adults and are on sale now at theholmescenter. appstate.edu. Meet and greet packages are also available. For more information, contact the Holmes Convocation Center at (828) 262-7890. Whether you want to relive the glory days of yesterday or — for the younger folks in the High Country — catch the band for the first time, Yes’ August 5 show is a must see! By Bailey Faulkner

Why Fly TRI?

ave time and forget the hassle of traffic by flying Tri-Cities Airport (TRI). Perfectly situated between Bristol, Johnson City and Kingsport, TN, the airport serves as the gateway to an unspoiled Appalachian paradise, all less than two hours from Boone, NC. Tri-Cities Airport is a full-service commercial airport offering flights through Allegiant, American and Delta. Serving Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Western North Carolina and Southeastern Kentucky TRI offers service to Atlanta, GA; Charlotte, NC; Orlando/Sanford and St. Petersburg/Clearwater/Tampa, FL. With non-stop flights to some of the nation’s top beaches, why would you start your vacation any other way? Countless connecting flights mean TRI can help you reach your destination no matter where your travels take you. The Airport’s 23,000-sq-ft. concourse provides comfort and convenience for travelers with seven spacious gates, restaurant, bar, gift shop, business center and free Wi-Fi. Convenient resources are easily accessible at the airport including taxi, limo and rental car services, and incredibly knowledgeable staff at the airport’s information desk. TRI’s personnel are prepared to serve your every need as you travel to or from Northeast Tennessee. Visit TRIflight.com today to learn more about Tri-Cities Airport or to book your next vacation. More than an hour-and-a-half away from Boone, the Tri-Cities Airport in Blountville, Tenn., is accessed via I-81. Exit right at exit 63 and turn right onto Airport Parkway. After three miles, this road will bring you directly in front of the terminal building. Also consider plugging in “Tri-Cities Airport” into Google Maps for live directions as you drive.

MOUNTAIN LAND

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336-973-8640 July 2017

High Country Magazine

echoes

mountain Lost Province Brews Up Cottonwood Tribute Beer

Kinney Baughman holds the recipe from his Cottonwood days that they are using to brew the 200th batch of beer at the Lost Province Brewing facilities.

hen the Tumbleweed brewpub, which would later be named Cottonwood Brewery, opened up in the early ‘90s in Boone, only five other breweries existed in the entire state of North Carolina. Fifteen years later, however, at least seven breweries in the High Country are bottling, canning and pouring beers. To celebrate our local and legal brewing history, Andy Mason, co-owner and director of brewing at Lost Province Brewing Co., invited Kinney Baughman, a legend in Boone’s craft brew scene, to help Lost Province brew its 200th batch since opening in 2014. Baughman first came into contact with craft beer while playing basketball professionally in Belgium in the late ‘70s. When he returned to the states for graduate school in the early ‘80s, Baughman began brewing because that’s what you had to do if you wanted a craft brew back then. “It was great fun. We felt like pioneers rediscovering the craft that had been lost in the United States. All the brewing recipe books came from England and we were always converting imperial gallons to U.S. gallons and trying to find the hops they were talking about.” That would slowly but surely change. While he was overseas, President Jimmy Carter essentially legalized homebrew, and then in the ‘80s and ‘90s, prohibition-era laws started changing around the country to make it financially feasible for craft brewers to sell their beer and open brewpubs. In 1993, Baughman took over the brewing operations at Tumbleweed. He said the establishment was struggling to make good beer at the time and was “basically a failing brewing operation.” After cleaning up the place and “applying scientifically proven techniques,” Baughman said Tumbleweed went from brewing 10 gallons to 120 gallons per batch in a couple of months – with only a $1,000 investment into the new brewing operation. 18

High Country Magazine

July 2017

Educating the public about Cottonwood’s Appalachian Amber, Grandfather Gold, Black Bear Stout and seasonal brews was a priority back then. Since they were initially skeptical of craft beer in general, imagine what they thought when Baughman brewed a pumpkin-spiced ale. “The staff at Cottonwood thought I had lost my mind,” Baughman said. In 1995, a year before he left Cottonwood Brewery, Baughman put the local brewpub on the map by medaling in the Great American Beer Festival with a sour Belgian-style ale. This was a big deal for the smallest brewery in the country. Originally operating near the former Parthenon Café, Cottonwood Brewery would later move to Howard Street. Foothills Brewing Company in Winston-Salem currently brews the Cottonwood line. Just as Mason noted Baughman’s impact on the local brewing industry, Baughman reciprocated the praise. “Andy is one of the best brewers in the country for sure,” he said. Mason has medaled in the American Homebrewers Association’s National Homebrew Competition, the world’s largest beer competition. He’s also won countless medals for Lost Province Brewing Co. For this 200th batch, Baughman dug up his old Black Bear Stout recipe. “I would enhance our stout recipe with black malt and chocolate malt to round out the flavors and make it a little more sweeter and what I thought was a more approachable stout beer for the masses back in the early ‘90s,” Baughman laughed. The tribute beer, which is pretty similar to the old Black Bear Stout, should be ready to drink at Lost Province Brewing Co. come mid July. Kinney and Cam Hedrick in the Cottonwood By Jesse Wood brewing room in 1993

The brewing facilities at Lost Proving Brewery where they just finished their 200th batch of beer

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High Country Magazine

mountain

echoes

19th Annual Blood Sweat and Gears Raises $85,000 T

he Blood Sweat and Gears ride just concluded another successful event in late June, and organizers are already planning next year’s 20th anniversary charity ride as they send out surveys to participants. “There’s no rest for the weary,” BSG Ride Director Scott Nelson said. Nelson said this year’s event was arguably the most successful ride in terms of execution and preliminary feedback from the riders. He noted that he’s already received more than 100 positive emails following the ride, which is the most he’s received following the event. “I’ve been doing this for 17 years, and I think probably across the board, what I saw, how the volunteers executed at a high level at all the different functional areas we have, and we try as hard as we can to reach that high level of standard,” Nelson said. “Not sure we could beat this one or not. It was really that good. I am very pleased and impressed with the 300-plus volunteers working on Friday and Saturday.” Two major reasons the event has been so successful is the dedication of the volunteers and the organization striving to make each ride a better experience for participants than the previous BSG event – even if the last ride was a booming success. “Our philosophy is and always will be that it wasn’t our best,” Nelson said. “Complacency is our biggest enemy. Without wearing ourselves out, we’ve got to stay on top of it.” While the top male finisher, Peter Jasnoch, in the 90-miler came in at 4:06:16.15 and top female finisher, Sarah Matchett, in the 90-miler came in at 4:18:35.10, organizers stress that this event is a ride not a race. In fact, Blood Sweat and Gears began as an American Red Cross fundraiser nearly two decades ago before becoming its own nonprofit charity event several years ago. In the six years since becoming an independent nonprofit, the Blood Sweat and Gears main event in Valle Crucis has raised over $600,000. This year nearly $85,000 was raised in all. As usual, donations were given to various organizations that help make the event happen such as all the volunteer fire, rescue and sheriff departments in the area and the Watauga High School football team. Proceeds were given to sponsor local police department personnel participating in the Police Unity Tour. More than $20,000 was donated to these groups, and another $10,000 combined was donated to Habitat for Humanity to replace a stolen tool trailer ($3,000), Healing Hunger Farms, which raises cattle and donates meat to food pantries ($2,000), and Spirit Ride, a therapeutic equestrian center that helps children with special needs ($5,000). This year, the Sonny Sweet Honorary Grant recipient was Western Youth Network for $20,000, and the Jim Harmon Honorary Grant recipient was Hunger & Health Coalition for $15,000. Sweet and Harmon are co-founders of BSG. Already announced but included in the $85,000 raised this year are a $15,000 donation to the Winter Warmer Project, which a drive for warm clothes and payment of utility bills for those in need during the winter months, and $8,000 to Watauga, Avery and Ashe schools to pay for student meal accounts that were in arrears. Blood Sweat and Gears charity rides include the Beech Mountain Metric and the Fall Classic in Blowing Rock. Along with the flagship Blood Sweat and Gears ride in Valle Crucis, these three rides make up the BSG hat trick. By Jesse Wood 20

High Country Magazine

July 2017

Blood Sweat and Gears board members Scott Nelson, Bill Carr, JoLynn Mahoney and Jim Harmon stand with recipients

Healing Hunger Farm owners Shelley and Doug Helms and their two children, Sydney and Ellie

Allison Jennings of the Habitat for Humanity

Patty and Craig Adams, representatives of Spirit Ride

Teddy and Ginger Watson, volunteers at Hunger and Health Coalition

representatives of Western Youth Network, including Executive Director Jennifer Warren (third from right)

July 2017

High Country Magazine

The Town that

Greene Built

Four generations of Greenes. Baby Skip with (L to R) great-grandfather Nathan, father Perry, & grandfather Clyde

Celebrating seventy years in business, this company has witnessed and played a contributing role in the growth of Appalachian State University, Boone, and many of the surrounding towns in our area.

n any given day, if you are wandering about in the town five general contractors, a small Teachers College, and few (if of Boone, it is quite likely that your feet are treading on any!) tourists, Greene Construction grew with the town and college, leaving its imprint on many of the most recognizsomething built by Greene Construction, Inc. able structures in the High Country. Celebrating seventy years in business, this comThe Greene family came to the Boone pany has witnessed and played a contribarea long ago. George Perry “Skip” uting role in the growth of Appalachian Greene, second generation president of State University, Boone, and many of the Greene Construction, Inc., said, “My surrounding towns in our area. grandfather, Clyde Greene went to Like the town of Boone, Greene TR 4 work in the Department of Agriculture Construction has evolved over the years, 9 UC E1 T URA C in 1950’s, under the Eisenhower adminchanging to reflect the needs of the area. N I S L I N T E G RI T Y istration. He was in charge of the Eastern From a time when there were just four or 2

CONSTRUCTION, IN

6 4 - 2 6 11

High Country Magazine

July 2017

ENE G RE

This building, still found on King Street, was the home of the first office of Greene Construction Company, in the late 1940’s.

By Jan Todd United States, and traveled a lot. He was interested in genealogy. During his travels, he traced our family from Boone over to Alamance County, up to Virginia and Rhode Island, and all the way back to England.” Skip continued, “There were five brothers that came to the Boone area from Alamance county, I think around the time of the Revolutionary War. The five families settled all over this area, one in Blowing Rock, one in Stoney Fork, one in Meat

Camp, and a couple of other places. My branch came from the Meat Camp Greenes.” “My great grandfather was Nathan Greene, who was one of the early pastors of Meat Camp Baptist Church. Both my great grandfather and my grandfather are buried in the front of that church. Nathan had two sons, my grandfather Clyde, and George Greene. That’s where I get my name, George Perry Greene. Now George was a wheeler-dealer! He had a several stores in Boone,

July 2017

High Country Magazine

and the Gateway Restaurant, which operated many years. He had a Buick dealership, in the building that is now the Mellow Mushroom in Boone. My dad built that building for his dealership.” Clyde Greene, Skip’s grandfather, was very prominent in the Boone community as well. He opened Farmer’s Hardware with Russell Hodges in Boone in 1924, served as Boone’s mayor for 8 years, was a leader in the local Farm Bureau, and was elected to the state legislature, leading to his service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. When he returned to Boone, Clyde started the Watauga Building Supply Company with Johnson Wellborn in 1964. Undoubtedly, Clyde’s activities and influence paved the way for his son, Perry, who founded Greene Construction.

Birth of the Company

It could be said that Greene Construction, Inc. sprung from a spring. When Perry Greene Sr., Skip’s father, was a teenager, the spring race in his grandmother’s house sprung a leak. A spring race, Skip explained, consists of a pipe coming down a concrete trough, allowing water from a spring water to continuously run through the house, serving as the water source. To repair the deteriorating spring race, Perry’s grandmother called on Walter C. Greene’s (no relation) construction company for repairs. Young Perry was so fascinated by the process of the repairs that he fostered a relationship with Walter Greene, and got a summer job at the company after his freshman year at NC State, where he was studying civil engineering. That summer, Perry fetched supplies for carpenters, Skip and Dee Greene, at the GCI office

High Country Magazine

July 2017

LEFT: Home built by Greene Construction for Constance & Bernard Stallings. Constance worked to open the Daniel Boone Native Gardens. Greene Construction created the stone walls, walkway and pond in the garden. RIGHT: The same house today, now owned by Andy Stallings. hauled lumber, and developed a soft spot for a girl named Theresa Brown, who brought him lemonade during his lunch breaks. Perry’s path of education was interrupted in December, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He joined the U.S. Navy Seabees, the Naval construction battalion, through the V7 Program so that he could finish school before serving. Through this program, he was transferred to Duke University, where he graduated before being sent to active duty in the South Pacific. Perry was stationed in Guam, and was assigned to build a breakwater levee to create a calm water port. He poured concrete and built bases for Quonset huts and utility buildings, and helped build a bridge on the main road of the

Perry Greene (right) makes point with town leaders regarding the opening of The Horn in the West, May 1952

July 2017

High Country Magazine

Chandler Concrete on Highway 105 in Boone displays the original concrete truck owned by Watauga Ready Mix.

island. His wartime experience proved invaluable in his construction career, and in his life, when he returned home from the war. Perry was eager to make a difference. After the war ended, Perry returned to Boone and married Theresa. He returned to work for Walter Greene, and then purchased the construction company from Walter a couple of years later. The post-war years were busy ones, building stores and homes, and celebrating the births of their three children, George Perry “Skip” Jr., Ted, and Nancy. Skip remembers his childhood as a simple time. “Everything was very family oriented. My uncle George lived right near us, and my grandfather lived straight across the road. So all my world was within a few blocks. We’d walk to school, walk everywhere. Church was a big part of our community. Every Sunday we gathered together for a meal after church, and spend all afternoon together.” As he grew up, Skip liked to ride with his father and see the progress on his building projects. Spending time with his dad and learning about the construction business developed an early interest in the industry for Skip. Some of Greene Construction’s early projects included government buildings in downtown Boone, various homes, and work on the kraut factory. Skip remembered this factory as a major employer in Boone. “During the years that I was growing up, the two main agricultural growth crops in Watauga County were tobacco and cabbage. Farmers would bring their cabbage into to the kraut plant. Workers would cut the heads off the cabbage, dump it into wheelbarrows, and put it into big wooden vats. They’d add salt and water, and then people would get in there wearing waders and boots, and they’d stomp around in it. They’d let it ferment, drain the liquid out of the bottom, and then can it. When they’d wash the floor down, all that juice would run down into the creek, and that’s why some people still call it Kraut Creek. You always knew when they were making kraut, because it would smell!” Greene Construction built a large metal building for the kraut factory, and a warehouse that could store the canned kraut until it was sold. Skip reflected, “The kraut factory was a complete canning facility: the cabbage came in straight from the farm, and it went out the door in cans. As far as I know, that was the only complete canning facility in the area, other than moonshine!”

Growth in Boone

The early 1950’s brought something very exciting to Boone, something that launched tourism to a new level. Along with architects 26

High Country Magazine

July 2017

and designers from the NC State School of Design, Perry Green worked “around the clock” building the Horn in the West theater. Skip described the impact of The Horn in the West on Boone. “Before then, tourism wasn’t really a part of Boone. Down 421, where the parkway bridge is, there used to be a little motel on the Wilkesboro side, owned by the Grant Greene family. I say it was a motel, but it was really a home and about five little cabins that overlooked the gorge there. It was called the Grandview Motel.” “In the mid-1950’s, after Horn in the West got going, Grant Greene wanted to build a motel in Boone, and he worked with Dad and bought the property that is now the CVS in Boone. They built the Cardinal Motel, and over the years it was added on to, sold and became a restaurant, and it was there until ’88 or ’89. Somewhere around the same time as the Cardinal, Dad built the Longview Motel for the Edminstons, and the Winklers started the Plaza Motel.” “So we had roads opening, a college, the Horn in the West attraction, and now some motels, so those were the ingredients for a tourist resort. It was the early ’50’s

Boone Saloon - Greene Construction built the building that is now Mountaineer Mania under Perry Greene’s leadership, and Skip Greene built the adjacent building, now housing the Boone Saloon. when Grandfather Mountain opened, the late 50’s when we got our first golf course in Boone, the mid ’60’s before we got our first ski slope.” Greene Construction Company did not jump on the bandwagon of resort development, but expanded their business

in other ways. Skip described, “In the late ’50’s, Dad got tired of mixing concrete in wheelbarrows. So they built the first Transmix concrete plant in Boone, right where Wood Masonry Supply is on Farthing Street in Boone. We kept growing that business, called Watauga Ready

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Mix, until we had six concrete plants, from Boone to West Jefferson, and in Mountain City in Tennessee.” Skip Greene and his younger brother Ted began working for their father’s company while in high school. Skip graduated from Appalachian High in 1965. He entered the Appalachian State Teachers College, with the plan of transferring to NC State to obtain a degree in construction. He ended up staying when the college became Appalachian State University, and a new program allowed Skip to study the commercial side of construction. Remaining at Appalachian gave Skip a claim that is shared by very few. “I went to school for sixteen years and never left campus. I started at Appalachian Elementary School, went to Appalachian High School, and then Appalachian State Teacher’s College. Then it became Appalachian State College for one year, then became Appalachian State University. So I went to five different schools, all on the same campus.” During Skip’s senior year at A.S.U., his father’s company was working on expanding the Greene’s Motel, owned by Grant Greene. “That spring, while still in school, Dad turned that project over to me,” Skip recalled. “I got my feet wet in a hurry!” Skip was working on the 2-story section of the motel, his first construction project with a leadership role. “We had just a floorplan to work from,” said Skip. “Nowadays, you have a thick plan with all the specs, outlining plumbing details, electrical, everything page by page. Back then, we worked from a floor plan, one page per floor. That’s the way it was.”

Following in Their Father’s Footsteps

While Skip was attending Appalachian, his younger brother Ted graduated from high school and went on to NC State to study engineering. Skip married Dee Goodman, from Concord, North Carolina, whom he’d met as his lab partner in chemistry class. World events once again interrupted the Greene’s life in Boone, as the war in Vietnam began to escalate. Skip enlisted in the U.S. Naval Construction “Seabees”, and Ted followed a month later into the U.S. Marines. Skip was discharged during the final physical before deployment, due to a head injury he’d sustained from an accident during high school. When Skip returned to Boone, he was able to return to the Greene’s Motel project and see that to completion. When Ted returned and completed his degree at NC 28

High Country Magazine

July 2017

State, both sons worked with their father at Greene Construction. Skip recalled one of the early projects they worked on with their father. “We redesigned the building downtown that became the PNC Bank, next to Farmer’s Hardware. It used to be two businesses, a Western Auto and the Watauga Savings & Loan, and we combined it to make it look like it does today. Back then, I drove a ’65 yellow Mustang. During the Grand Opening of this building, Dad borrowed my car and parked it across the street at the post office, and left the keys in it. Everybody trusted everybody. He came out after the Grand Opening, and that car was gone. They found it two weeks later, over in East Tennessee, wrecked.” Boone was booming in the 1960’s, with new motels, shopping, and major growth at Appalachian. Under the leadership of Dr. Bill Plemmons, the college was evolving from a small college to a regional university, with over 25 major construction projects during his tenure. The first high rise dorm opened in 1963, with others following almost yearly for the next few years. GCI poured concrete and worked on many of the new masonry buildings and other projects at Appalachian.

The Greene family (Perry, Nancy, Theresa, Ted & Skip) at their home on 235 Farthing Street in Boone. the home is now owned by Nancy and used by the pastor of First Baptist Church in Boone. During the late 1960’s, Perry Greene served as a County Commissioner. “He was well respected in the community,” Skip reflected. “He really cared about Boone, and knew how to get things done. During his time as a Commissioner, they brought a hospital to Boone. At the time,

the hospital was a one building on campus, what is now Founders Hall. It was too small for the community, and they envisioned something much better. Dad helped get the hospital moved to where it is now, so it could grow and serve the community. I think Dad always had a vi-

July 2017

High Country Magazine

One of Boone’s tallest structures, GCI built the Lifestore building with a recreational green space on the roof. Photo by Jan Todd

GCI rebuilt the Visitor Center at the top of Grandfather Mountain, installing an elevator, updating bathrooms and making handicap accessible. Photo by Jan Todd sion that was a little bigger for Boone.” In the late 1970’s, the time came for Ted and Skip to take over management for Greene Construction. Skip explained, “In 1976, our father was asked to go to Raleigh to be the State Secretary of Transportation. Jim Holshouser was the Governor, and was from Watauga County. My dad had built a house for Jim, and they were good buddies. Jim knew of Dad’s expertise, and his knowledge of highway engineering, so Jim asked Dad to take on that role. At the time, The Secretary of Transportation handled all highway construction and maintenance, Highway Patrol, all the airports and seaports.” Skip continued, “Taking that job in Raleigh was something Dad always 30

High Country Magazine

July 2017

wanted to do. It was what he studied for in college, and it was a great opportunity for him. That was a pivotal point in our company, because he left it in the hands of Ted and me. Dad came back from Raleigh, and the three of us worked together. He was in a different role, then. Before, he was “the man.” Everything went through him. But when he came back, it was more of a partnership between the three of us.” Ted worked primarily on the concrete side of the business, with Watauga Ready Mix. Greene Construction Inc. sold that portion of the business to Chandler Concrete Company about fifteen years ago, and Ted continued his career with Chandler, until retiring earlier this year.

2 story section of Greene’s Motel, Skip’s first project after graduating from college. About his personal impact on Greene Construction, Skip said, “I think I took the company into a time when we had to competitively bid. Dad did a lot more personal negotiations, where bidding wasn’t a consideration. Back in Dad’s day, everything was a handshake and an agreement. Now we have state laws and go through a longer process. We need rules and regulations, but we need to work together.” Greene is the master of figuring out solutions to building problems. “It’s a matter of sitting down and working with the city. There are ways to work WITH people. Just because something has been done a way for a long time, doesn’t mean that’s the way it needs to be done. It’s

easier to work WITH people than to fight with them. We’re all trying to make the finished product the best possible.” Twyla Smith, who has worked in administration for Greene Construction since the mid-1980’s, spoke about working with the Greenes: “They have the knowledge and experience to look at a project and know what to do. Today everyone maps projects out on computer software, but they can just look at it. It’s experience.” That experience has won some challenging jobs for GCI in recent years. One was at Grandfather Mountain, where they wanted to install a bathroom in the welcome building at the bottom of the mountain. “It had to be handicap acces-

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GCI installed the statue of Yosef in the middle of the night, covering it with a tarp so that it could be “unveiled” the next morning. Photo by Jan Todd

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The present day Ivy Hall on Appalachian Street was originally built as Dr. Perry’s office, where Perry Greene worked on the foundation during the summer that his future wife brought him lemonade during lunch break. Perry Greene was named for Dr. Perry, who rode a horse through a snow storm to deliver Perry as a baby.

Restaurants and stores all over town have been built by Greene.

Broyhill Music Center was one of Greene’s most challenging project, according to Skip. Each sound studio had to be completely soundproof, with separate duct work and systems so that the sound wouldn’t travel. Above photos by Jan Todd. 32

High Country Magazine

July 2017

sible, and meet all codes,” said Skip. “Then there was work at the animal habitat, and then they wanted to put in a solar farm. Now, because of that solar farm, they generate more power than they actually use. Then we started working on the Top Shop. They wanted to put an elevator in, but didn’t have three phase power up there. Now Jim Morton didn’t want to see any power lines, so we had to figure out how to do that. We put a whole new power system in, but you don’t see it from the view points on the mountain. We have it hidden back in the woods. Working on utilities at Grandfather Mountain was interesting. It was all built in the 1950’s, and we had to bring it up to date to be more customer friendly.” Greene Construction had similar challenges at the original Mast General Store. “You look at it now, and it looks like we’ve never been there,” said Skip. “The original building did not have a crawl space. It was sitting on some rocks and the wood was down in the mud. We went in there and literally put a foundation and four foot crawl space underneath it, with people walking up above us the whole time. We got in there with shovels, and built a conveyor to bring the dirt out, shovel by shovel.” “We had to leave every crook and creak in the floor,” Skip continued. “We were limited to the kind of materials we could use, because it is a historical building. We put a commercial sprinkler system in it, even though there is no city water supply out there. You have to really look to see the sprinkler heads. We dug up the parking lot and put a 44,000 gallon tank out there. They have to check and refill it periodically. Jobs like that have been fun, where you start with the “wish” and follow it through until it is done.”

Making a Difference in the World

Church was always an important part of life for the Greene family. In the mid-1980’s, Skip had the opportunity to travel to Togo, a country in West Africa, on a mission trip with the North Carolina Baptist Men. “It really changed my life,” he admitted. Skip was introduced to basic needs in impoverished countries, needs that with his skills and experience in construction, he was able to contribute practical solutions. “In Togo, just like in many parts of Africa, there is a dry season and a wet season,” described Skip. “In wet season, it floods. People on one side of the creek couldn’t get to market, and would try to swim across and many would drown. So they needed a bridge and wanted us to help build it. They also need a mission training center to be built, for local pastors. The project intrigued me, and I felt like God was calling me over there. I went four or five times, for about a month each time.” Skip’s involvement in Togo inspired his father to explore similar opportunities. “My Dad was re-

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High Country Magazine

Skip Greene (lower right) and the staff from Greene Construction, Inc. at their office on George Wilson Road in Boone. ally involved in the First Baptist Church of Boone,” Skip said. “He was a deacon, and was a spiritual leader in the church. When he heard me tell stories about my time in Africa, and what the people needed, he and Mother became a missionaries, spending two years in the bush country of Africa.” “Dad and Mother had always been mission-minded. When they went to Africa, he went to meet people and use his gifts in building. Mother went as a hostess. She was known for her hospitality, never met a stranger. She could take a pot of food and make it feed five, or fifty! She could always add another plate at the table,” Skip remembered. Skip, his wife Dee, and two daughters Alison and Amy visited his parents during their time in Africa. “I wanted my family to have the experience of traveling overseas, and to visit with family. It was really something to see, Dad expressing his abilities in a different light.” Skip has traveled and served extensively with the North Carolina Baptist Men. “I was overseas behind the Iron Curtain in Poland, talking to them about building a theological seminary. I’ve worked on a hospital in North Korea, with Samaritan’s Purse. This year we’re working on an orphanage in South Africa. I go for a couple of weeks about every year, somewhere. I’ve been able to use my experience from here all over the world.” As Skip approaches retirement, he hopes to spend more time in this work. The staff at GCI is accustomed to Skip 34

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July 2017

taking time off to serve in the mission field. Everyone pulls together and covers for him while he is away from work in Boone. Skip did admit, though, that he finds it hard to go anywhere during football season! “We had done a lot of disaster relief trips,” he said. “Once I had to miss a big football game to help out with some hurricane clean-up. Dee called me every time the Mountaineers scored, so I could keep up with the game!”

Always a Mountaineer

At almost every home football game,

Skip can be found in his aisle seat in Section 203 on the home side in Kidd Brewer Stadium. Surrounding fans listen for and answer Skip’s rally cry, delivered in his signature cadence, “Here we go, Mountaineers, here’go!” Skip has been attending Mountaineer football games as long as he can remember. He played high school football at the original Mountaineer stadium, located where Duncan Hall is presently. That stadium was shared by the high school and college. Skip’s pride in the Mountaineers can also be expressed through his professional work all over campus. Greene Construction had a part in the construction of many buildings on campus, as well as some of the “unseen” projects. “We put utilities underground, and installed the red pavers in the sidewalks,” said Skip. “We cut up the concrete sidewalks, buried the utilities, and then put pavers on top. In The Land of Oz, you had the yellow brick road. At ASU, you have the red brick road!” Due to close relationships with A.S.U. administrators over the years, Greene Construction has been called on to handle tricky situations and even emergencies on campus. “I remember one time, I was in church on Sunday morning, and it was pouring down rain,” Skip recalled. “I got a phone call, and with all the rain, the pipe under the bridge had just blown up next to Raley parking lot. A three-story apartment house was about to fall in, if we didn’t get the water under control. They got everyone out of the building, and we

Skip Greene rarely misses a Mountaineer home football game. Fans in his section listen and respond to his signature rally cheer, “Here we go, Mountaineers, here’go!”

The Skip Greene family today: (L toR) Allison, Amy, Dee, Skip, Cordell Huff (Allison’s husband) and grandchildren Cole & Perry Huff worked all day to shore it up and make everything safe. The University always felt they could call us, and we’d get the job done. We’ve worked for the University for a lot of years, and I’m glad to help out anytime. They’ve been good to us, too.” Skip is honored to have done work on several of the landmarks on campus. “We built the foundations and installed the statue of Daniel Boone, Yosef, and all the University presidents. The Aspire sculpture, across from the cafeteria, was a major project. I worked with the artist from Colorado, the University and the engineers, figuring out where we were going to put it, what was needed to support the weight. The artist put it together in Colorado, painted it, and put it on trailers. Then it sat on the trailers for about a year, while we designed and built the plaza. That sculpture really is a central part of the University. You stand in front of it and watch it change color, but it is really just painted one color. The artist swears it is. The way the light hits it, that makes it appear to change color. It’s beautiful.” “The entrance of the campus, the Appalachian sign, was designed somewhere else, but we were doing a landscaping job and we laid it out. Our company had a part of that, building that entrance, which shows up everywhere in pictures of the campus. I’m really proud of that. Our company has grown and evolved along with Appalachian and Boone.” Skip reminisced, “When I was growing up, I loved riding around in the truck with my dad, just to see what he was doing. He’d tell me about his part in building the buildings that we’d drive by.” Skip took a deep breath and paused. “In the last few years of my dad’s life, we’d gone full circle. He was riding around in my truck, with me. He would say, “I built that,” or “We furnished the concrete for that,” or “You built that one.” We could hardly pass a building in Boone where we hadn’t had some experience with it.” t July 2017

High Country Magazine

July 2017

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July 2017

High Country Magazine

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Hope Through

Home Delivered Meals

STORY BY KATIE BENFIELD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY frederica georgia

ight on the outskirts of downtown Boone, the Watauga County Human Services Building stands tall over an expansive parking lot. This building is home to a variety of organizations, including Daymark Recovery. However, it is also the location of the Lois E. Harrill Senior Center, home of the Project on Aging, which has been geared towards serving Watauga County’s elder adult population since 1973. The Project on Aging constantly strives to support the senior citizens of the community in all aspects of their lives. The agency encourages independency, and it is dedicated to promoting health and wellness for the elderly in Watauga County. The original Senior Center was located on King Street. It opened in 1978 when the Watauga County government leased and renovated a building for its purposes. In this building, the nutrition program for

Mae Woodring and Dan Greenfield; “I love seeing people when they come in,” Woodring said. “I look forward to it one hundred percent, and it’s wonderful to know that there are programs out there that I didn’t used to know about. “ 38

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July 2017

Dan Greenfield has been volunteering for Home Delivered Meals for almost three decades. senior citizens was run by WAMY Community Action, Inc. In 1979, WAMY turned over the operations to the Project on Aging and in 1979, the Senior Center was renamed the Lois E. Harrill Senior Center after the tragic death of Lois Harrill, the founder and first Director of the Project on Aging. Almost twenty years later, in 1997, the Lois E. Harrill Center moved to its current location in the Watauga County Human Services Building, Suite A. Through volunteers and local funds and support, the Project on Aging is able to provide for elderly citzends in a variety of different areas including the following: In-Home Aides, Home Delivered Meals, Community Alternative Programs for Disabled Adults, Congregate Nutrition, Transportation Services, Medical Loan Closet and Information and Referral. All of the programs that are initiated and run out of Harrill Senior Center strive to improve the lives and wellness of our

community’s senior citizen population. Whether it’s providing congregate meals or extending in-home aides to help seniors accomplish daily tasks and improve their quality of life, the Project on Aging is constantly working towards encouraging independence and extending support whenever needed. Along with these necessary programs, the Harrill Senior Center hosts arts and crafts events and classes such as a pottery class and computer classes and fun events like Bingo. Not only that, but it also organizes trips, picnics and support groups, holds health screenings and educational opportunities, huge events like the High Country Senior Games and so much more. Through this, the Harrill Senior Center not only opens a space for the elderly to come to receive help and support, but it also invites the senior population to come and enjoy one another through active participation in creative events and

opportunities that will allow them to connect with each other and the community. On certain days of the week, such as Thursdays, there will be musically inclined volunteers that come into the center to play music for the seniors who have stopped by to take part in the Congregate Nutrition Meals or just to hang out and socialize with one another.

A Much Needed Program

Now, everyone is familiar with the Meals on Wheels initiative that is occurring throughout the nation that provides elderly citizens with meals to help maintain nutrition in their daily diets. If you mention seniors getting free meals, someone will automatically assume you’re speaking about Meals on Wheels, an important program but one that senior citizens have to pay to be a part of. Well, there is a program closer to our home, right here in our very commuJuly 2017

High Country Magazine

Linda Norris and Dan Greenfield; The ages of the clients vary greatly throughout the routes. Some clients are 80, whereas one of them is 103 years old. nity, that does the same thing for free but is comparably lesser known throughout the area. That program is Home Delivered Meals through the Project on Aging. “The Meals on Wheels program is a national and federally-funded program where senior citizens have to pay dues to be a part of it,” Wynne Strickland, Home Delivered Meals Coordinator, said. “Whereas, with our Home Delivered Meals initiative, we don’t require any form of payment.” Home Delivered Meals is a program that delivers a meal a day to the elderly in our community who cannot leave their homes due to mental or physical incapacitation. Five days out of the week, volunteers will drive various routes throughout the county to deliver senior citizens a meal. Each of these meals provides them with a minimum of one-third of the daily nutritional requirements that they are supposed to meet regularly. This nutrition helps our senior citizens stay as healthy and active as they possibly can. However, it’s not just about the meals. “Getting these meals to these senior citizens is incredibly important, especially since I figure sometimes it’s the only meal they’re getting a day,” Strickland said, “but it’s so much more than that.” According to Strickland, the socialization aspect of the program is also just as equally, if not more, important as the food the senior citizens are receiving. “I’ve been told before by one of the clients that the visit from the delivery person means more to them than the meals do,” Strickland said. “It really means a lot to these people that there is someone out there in the community that cares about them and that comes by to see them every day.” In order for a senior citizen to become part of the Home Delivered Meals program, they have to be referred. This referral can come from anyone – a friend, a neighbor, a family member, a hospital. Once the referral is received, Strickland then visits the client to assess the needs of the individual. If they are approved, they then become part of the delivery route and the Project on Aging does follow-up visits every so often. “[Strickland] goes out and assesses everyone who has been referred to us,” Dan Greenfield, a volunteer driver for going on 29 years with Home Delivered Meals, said. The number of volunteers that deliver for Home Delivered Meals is constantly fluctuating as people come and go. “It’s either a feast or a famine,” Wynne Strickland, Home Delivered Meals Coordinator, said. 40

High Country Magazine

July 2017

Joe and Georgia Norris with Dan Greenfield; The socialization aspect of the Home Delivered Meals program can sometimes mean more than the actual meal that is being delivered.

The meals through Home Delivered Meals are wholesome and tasty, providing the clients with 1/3 of the daily nutrition that they should have.

The program, operated out of the Harrill Senior Center and the Western Watauga Community Center, covers all of Watauga County with eight routes winding and curving all throughout the community. That means a lot of assessments, visitations and people to deliver to, including routes that go through Sugar Grove and Cove Creek. Along with a referral for the Home Delivered Meals, a senior citizen also has to meet certain requirements in order to be admitted into the initiative. “For a resident to be eligible to be part of the program,” Strickland said, “they have to be 60 years of age or older, unable to prepare a balanced meal and there is nobody else in the home with them to prepare a balanced meal for them.” The volunteers pack out to deliver the meals anywhere between 10:30 and 11:00 a.m. from the kitchens of the Lois E. Harrill Senior Center. Either the meal for the day is hot or cold, but regardless, the food is usually placed in three compartment trays that are delivered directly to the senior citizens, who then return it the next day. Although the program doesn’t get a lot of funding, Strickland highlighted the fact that the Harrill Senior Center would never turn away a senior citizen who was unable to make a monetary contribution to the program. “There are contribution envelopes on the tables during Congregate Nutrition meals, and we emphasize the importance of making donations,” Strickland said, “but we aren’t going to refuse providing a meal for someone if they don’t contribute.” The Project on Aging also offers an in-center nutrition program, Congregate Nutrition, which follows the same idea and standards as Home Delivered Meals. The only difference is that Congregate Nutrition is for senior citizens who are able to leave their homes and go to the senior center for their meals, rather than having the food delivered to their doors. Funding for all of these programs does come from other sources as well. The Home Delivered Meals receives a little bit of funding from state, federal and local sources, although that funding is oftentimes limited and changed based on law and regulations. “We get a little bit of federal funding under the Community Development Block Grant,” Strickland said. “But if that grant gets cut more, that would directly affect all of our services here at the Center.” However, according to Strickland, a major support for the Harrill Senior Center and the Home Delivered Meals program has been the Watauga County Commissioners. “The county commissioners have been very good with funding, and they really have our backs, so to speak,” Strickland said. “They have been incredibly supportive of this program.” Another huge support in the community that the Project on Aging relies heavily on is the volunteers. Without them, the program is unable to run as efficiently and smoothly as necessary.

Although her eyesight is going, Margaret Miller is constantly working to improve her home that was built in 1906.

There are certain rules that delivery volunteers have to follow, such as not leaving a meal at a house if the client isn’t home.

The Missing Piece

It may come as a shock that such an incredible program that helps support and care for so many of our senior residents is greatly lacking in volunteers.

“Someone says, ‘You give up two hours?’ and I say, ‘Wait a minute, give up? What am I giving up?’” Greenfield said. July 2017

High Country Magazine

Pictured at Left: The kitchen staff at the Lois E. Harrill Senior Center prepare somewhere around 200 meals a day. On Right: From left to right: Wynne Strickland, Matt Wiemer and Robert Darcy; “These volunteers experience so much more through this than just picking up meals and delivering them,” Strickland said. “It’s emotional and satisfying. You feel good when you finish a route. It’s a connection with these people that you come to know and care for.” “We don’t really understand why,” Greenfield said. “This is a wonderful service, and you’re doing a good thing that doesn’t take a lot of time.” Regardless of this, the number of volunteers is constantly fluctuating due to changing seasons, people moving and other life changes, without other people coming to fill the empty volunteer positions. “It’s always a feast or a famine kind of thing,” Strickland said. If a delivery driver has to cancel or miss a shift, Strickland is usually able to fill their spot with one of the two volunteers who are familiar with every route. However, that isn’t always the case, and Strickland herself has to fill the slots for the deliveries. “[Strickland] does it if she has to, but it would be nicer if she could devote all of her time to setting up appointments for meeting people,” Greenfield said, “because she has to go out and assess the situations of the clients.” However difficult it is to make happen, it isn’t possible, nor is it an option, to miss a delivery day or not accomplish a route for the day. One client, Strickland said, immediately starts eating when the food is delivered, and it’s assumed that that is the only meal that that client gets a day. Because of this reason, because sometimes the Home Delivered Meal is the only well-balanced meal that some of these clients are getting, not delivering the food won’t even be heard of. “We have to get the routes done,” 42

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July 2017

Strickland said. “It would be more beneficial, however, to have more volunteers who can do the various routes at the various times.” Volunteering for the delivery positions for Home Delivered Meals is incredibly necessary because not only do these delivery drivers bring meals to the senior citizens in our county, but they also have daily check-ins, meaning that these citizens are being looked out for on a regular basis. “There was one time that a lady fell in her home,” Strickland said, “and had the volunteer not been going by to deliver her meal, nobody would have known.” According to Dan Greenfield, there was one time when he walked in on one of the seniors on his routes while he was in the middle of having a stroke. Greenfield, although not medically trained, was at least able to sit with the man and provide him with some comfort while waiting for emergency responders. Because Home Delivered Meals caters to seniors who are incapacitated, either physically or mentally, and unable to provide balanced meals for themselves, it is of the utmost importance to make sure that they are being checked on regularly. “The volunteers are amazing because they see these people all of the time,” Strickland said. “They know these folks, they know when something isn’t right or when something has changed, and that’s very helpful.” According to Strickland, the clients of the Home Delivered Meals aren’t the only

ones who benefit from the program. Volunteers get more out of it than they would expect going in. “These volunteers experience so much more through this than just picking up meals and delivering them,” Strickland said. “It’s emotional and satisfying. You feel good when you finish a route. It’s a connection with these people that you come to know and care for.” Several volunteers view this community involvement as a time to get out and help people, checking in on them and making sure that they’re okay. To volunteers, it’s necessary, and they are happy that they can take the time to help someone in our community that needs it. “I think I get more out of it than the recipient,” Greenfield said. “It’s so rewarding to be a part of. You meet wonderful, wonderful people.”

A Day in the Life

It’s the hustle and bustle of kitchen operations. Voices can be heard laughing, talking, calling to one another. Ovens open and close, containers are snapped shut. Volunteers come in the side entrance, waiting to take the meals to deliver to their respective routes. Around 10:15 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Dan Greenfield is at the Lois E. Harrill Senior Center, preparing to pack up and head out on his Meat Camp route for the Home Delivered Meals program. As he packs everything into a cooler, he has to double check

Hunger Health Coalition The Hunger and Health Coalition is an organization dedicated to assisting those within the community who are struggling to make ends meet. These community members are often faced with the decision – pay for food or pay for medication? With the help from the Hunger and Health Coalition, people are able to become exempt from this decision. Through programs like the Food Pantry, Food Recovery, Free Pharmacy and The Market, people within the community can receive the assistance necessary to live a life where all of their needs are met, especially in regards to food. • The Food Pantry is an initiative that provides a family with a box of food every 14 days. In 2015, 10, 747 food boxes were distributed. 1 in 3 recipients of the Food Pantry were under 18. • The Food Recovery program is where volunteers prepare food into single-serve meals in the Food Recovery Kitchen. In 2015, 33,700 meals were prepared and distributed. • The Market functions in a way that allows the distribution of fresh, local produce, bread and meat items in a “shopping environment.” The purpose is to give clients the freedom to choose the food their family will like the most. In 2015, 12,626 vouchers were given and 154,402 lbs of food was collected from local stores and distributed to community members. • Thanksgiving Dinner is a program that provides a traditional turkey dinner on Thanksgiving Day thanks to volunteers and local businesses. In 2015, the Thanksgiving Sinner served nearly 250 meals. • Snacks for Scholars allots nutritious snacks to school-aged children so that they don’t go hungry. In 2015, 3,088 snack backs were distributed. • Backpack Program is another program that focuses on children, providing a secure food source for children to take home over the weekends and school breaks, ensuring that children do not go hungry even when not at school. In 2015, the Backpack Program distributed 5,550 food packs to local children.

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Starting in January of 1982, the Hunger and Health Coalition has striven to provide support and assistance for those within our community that need it the most. Through various programs, whether they are providing food, cheap medication, firewood or clothing, the Hunger and Health Coalition truly makes a difference within the lives of our community.

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July 2017

High Country Magazine

From left to right: Ruby Havner, Dan Collins, and a volunteer; When packing up for delivery, volunteers have to make sure that the amount of meals they are delivering match up with the amount of people on their list, as well as double checking for diabetic and lactose-free meals.

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High Country Magazine

July 2017

to make sure he has everything that he needs before he leaves. “I have to count the amount of trays I have, the number of milks,” Greenfield said. “If I’m delivering to ten people on my route, I have to make sure I have ten of everything.” On top of this, Greenfield has to make sure that he is equipped with diabetic meals, as well as lactose-free meals, to accommodate the dietary restrictions of the clients he is going to be delivering to. “If I am delivering to a diabetic, I have to make sure that I have the right tray,” Greenfield said. “It’s always marked so that I don’t get it mixed up.” The trays for diabetic clients are marked with the letter “d” to communicate the special meal. This marking helps Greenfield not only count them before he leaves, but it also reassures the fact that he won’t accidentally deliver the diabetic tray to the client who doesn’t have diabetes. When Greenfield gets in the car to prepare to start his adventure, he records his mileage on a sheet of paper, which he will then do again when he returns after he has completed his route. Beneath this paper, Greenfield has a list of his clients. The names of the clients indicate whether they are lactose intolerant or diabetic, so Greenfield can double check right before he delivers to avoid mixing anything up. Also next to the clients’ names are directions to their houses, a helpful but unnecessary addition for Greenfield. Having been delivering for Home Delivered

Meals for going on 29 years, Greenfield has the routes memorized by heart. Greenfield spent most of his adult life in Florida, deciding to move up to the High Country with his wife when he retired. “I’ve been very fortunate in my life, and I cannot ask for things to have gone any better than they have,” Greenfield said. “I retired, we came up here, we loved it. What am I going to do?” Greenfield refused to sit back and relax in his home and become a “doddering old fool” so he decided to become involved, volunteering with Home Delivered Meals three, sometimes more, days out of the week. “These people, they don’t want to go into homes,” Greenfield said. “We are helping them out with that. They are all set in their ways, and their ways aren’t bad. They’re okay.” Throughout his time volunteering with the Project on Aging, Greenfield has, and continues to, meet incredible and unique people that have made constant impacts on his life. “I knew one guy from a route who made it to 99 years old,” Greenfield said. “He had one of the most amazing lives – he sailed around the world, got patents for things he had invented, and we just had the best time talking to one another.” Along with this, when Greenfield visits some of the clients, they always ask him how his family is doing, checking up on his daughter who has advanced diabe-

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“You feel a wonderful appreciation for these people,” Greenfield said. “They have lead lives, for the most part, much harder and tougher than you and I have.” Sometimes, those lives are still tough when the client that he is delivering to is blind, in physical pain or is unable to care for himself or herself. “Either the mind goes or the body goes,” Greenfield said. “Sometimes both.” Some of the clients that are part of the Home Delivered Meals program have close by relatives to care for and visit them, but a lot of them do not, meaning they are alone most of the time. “A lot of the times, I’m the only one who comes by during the day,” Greenfield said. “Thank God for television and the telephone, so they have someone to talk to and something to watch, but a lot of them are kind of alone most of the day.” However, Greenfield doesn’t let this get him down. Of course, he is aware of health issues and loneliness since Not only does the kitchen staff prepare meals for the Lois E. Harrill Center, some of these senior citizens don’t have family to come but they do so for the Western Watauga Community Center as well. take care of them or keep them company. Even with this in mind, Greenfield is still able to focus on the good that he is doing for them, rather than the bad. “You know, I’m sorry that they need the service, but I’m glad that the service is there for them to get,” Greenfield said, “and that takes precedence.” One of the great things about Home Delivered Meals is that the food is actually good and wholesome, providing the clients with the nutrition that they need in tasty meals. According to Greenfield, when his wife had a knee replacement almost a decade ago, the two of them went on the Home Delivered Meals program. They paid for it, of course, as they thought they should, but Greenfield had no complaints about the taste, instead commenting on the fact that they really liked the food. “For these clients, the food is free,” Greenfield said. “It’s wholesome and it’s good, and these people need that.” Congregate Nutrition follows the same idea as Home Delivered Meals, When Greenfield delivers, he sometimes hits a snag but the former is in place for seniors who are able to leave their in the system when a client isn’t home to receive the meal homes and eat meals at the Harrill Senior Center. he is supposed to be leaving. Volunteers are instructed to not leave meals unless the client is at home. tes that creates some medical problems. “If someone isn’t home, it’s their obligation to call and “They will always ask about my daughter,” Greenfield said. let us know so that we don’t pack a meal for delivery,” Greenfield “They are so sweet and so appreciative.” said. “Sometimes they forget or sometimes they call too late to One of the clients, Margaret Miller, presents Greenfield with let us know, but unless we have contact with them or a caretaker, a huge candy bar every single Christmas, and she hasn’t missed we are not allowed to leave a meal at their house.” one yet – and probably won’t! If the door of a client’s home is closed, and they don’t come Although the Meat Camp route that Greenfield drives is a to answer the door when Greenfield knocks, he will walk the pelong one, it isn’t boring or tiring for him at all. He alluded to the rimeter, looking into the windows and knocking on them, just in fact that he loves looking at the scenery, and he will sometimes case something has happened. The daily checks on their health even turn the radio off and ride in silence to simply enjoy the and well-being are just as important as delivering the meal to scenic views and nature that he is experiencing on his drive. their doorstep. A regular route for Greenfield takes approximately two Because Greenfield sees these same people three times a hours, and according to him, this baffles some people. week, he gets to know them on a deeper and more personal level. “Someone says, ‘You give up two hours?’ and I say, ‘Wait a He knows their personalities, their habits, their health issues minute, give up? What am I giving up?’” Greenfield said. and status, familial issues and deaths and the histories of the To Greenfield, being a volunteer through Home Delivered houses and lives that he is always coming into contact with. Meals is a worthy way to spend time, and he doesn’t see it as giv“When you’ve been doing it this long, you get to know ing anything up, but rather gaining something instead. people,” Greenfield said. “You’re going into their homes, you 46

High Country Magazine

July 2017

know.” Greenfield stated that this program is incredibly important because seniors deserve this level of care and dedication. “All society wants to do is put the old people away and shut them away,” Greenfield said, “because everyone is scared of that. This program is doing the opposite, and it’s keeping a good portion of them out of a nursing home.” As Greenfield nears the end of his route, he has to take the temperature of the food that he is serving to make sure that his second to last and last stop are still getting the same high-quality food that the previous clients on the route are getting. The temperatures he takes are usually of foods such as soup or drink selections like milk. Although Greenfield has been volunteering for almost three decades, the Home Delivered Meals program has been running for even longer, providing senior citizens in the High Country with a free, nutritious meal to keep them going. “It’s serving good food, a good, nutritious meal to people who, almost assuredly, would not be getting it. It gives them con-

Green Street Catering Green Street Catering, operating out of the kitchen at Alliance Bible Fellowship Church in Boone, provides anyone in the community who needs it with a free meal every Thursday. Having begun in 2010, the organization has provided over 70,000 weekly meals to community members within the High Country. Even just last year alone, they served about 19,000 meals, which averages out to about 400 per week. It started with only four people, and over the last seven years, it has grown and developed into an initiative that has hundreds of volunteers involved with the cause. Unfortunately, although Green Street Catering is such a beneficial and helpful program throughout the community, the organization will be closing its doors for good on August 17.

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The Lois E. Harrill Senior Center not only provides support programs for its clients, but it also offers an inclusive space for senior citizens to come and relax, whether that means reading a book, socializing or playing games. tact with someone else during the day,” Greenfield said. “A program like this will always be needed.”

A Walk in Their Shoes

Home Delivered Meals serves a wide array of clients, varying in age, gender and health status. While the program serves more women than men, it isn’t as big of a gap as one would expect. According to Dan Greenfield, on most of his runs, it’s been about 35-40% male with the remaining percentage dominated by females. Along with this, the ages of the clients range anywhere from under 80 years of age to over 100 years of age. A male client, aged 103, is on the Meat Camp route that Dan Greenfield drives. Although he is 103, his memory is as sharp as a tack and he can remember things, according to Greenfield, from when he was two years old. “I haven’t seen this man except for maybe 4 or 5 times since I started volunteering,” Greenfield said. “When I first started nearly 29 years ago, he asked me my name and I told him, and that was about it.” Two or three months ago, when Greenfield was doing his route, he stopped by to check on the 103 year old. Keeping in mind that the two men had only encountered each other a couple of times in the last 28 or so years, Greenfield was knocked off of his feet when the elderly man looked at him and said, “Is your name still Dan?” Not only does the 103-year-old man have the memory of an elephant, but he is also in amazing health, not having to use a walker or a wheelchair to get around. However, there are some younger clients who are not in such great health, having to be on oxygen or some even losing their eyesight and several losing their hearing. Regardless of health status, the seniors that are part of the program are all benefitting in the exact same way. Margaret Miller, an elderly woman who currently lives in a house that was constructed in 1906, loves the Home Delivered Meals program more than she can express. “It’s mighty nice for them to take the time to come and bring us food every day,” Miller said. “There’s a big variety, and I don’t have to cook, so that’s really nice for me.” Although she is losing her sight, Miller doesn’t let that slow

her down. All throughout her house, she is organizing, cleaning and decorating. She has recently covered her dining room table with a beautiful, white tablecloth from the Art Gallery in Blowing Rock. “I’ve been saving this table cloth for forty years from the Art Gallery,” Miller said. “It fits my table perfectly.” The tablecloth did, in fact, fit her table perfectly, with all of the corners lining up wonderfully with the design. On top of the cupboard, there was a vase of rose buds made out of seashells, adding a nice, lively touch to the room. The upstairs in Miller’s house looks like a miniature bed and breakfast, with stunning beds made up with beautiful bedspreads and vibrantly blue painted walls. The outside of her house matches the inside, as Miller constantly tends her plants, bushes and blooming trees. According to Miller, the delivery person from Home Delivered Meals is sometimes the only human contact she has during the day. Without the program, she would have nobody to share her decorations with, nobody to admire the beauty of them. “I look forward to it every single day,” Miller said. “I get free food, but I also get to see someone and talk with someone for

a short moment.” Although the delivery drivers are instructed not to stay and chat with the clients, as they are supposed to finish their routes in a timely manner, the five minute visit from the volunteer still means just as much as if the visit lasted an hour and a half. Mae Woodring, another elderly woman on the Meat Camp route, shares the same sentiments as Miller when it comes to the Home Delivered Meals. “The meals mean that I don’t completely starve! They keep me going,” Woodring said. “It’s good food too, it’s for your health. It isn’t just junk food.” Woodring, who has been on the program since about April, used to live with her son who unfortunately passed away within the last couple of months. “I’m much happier now that I’m in the program because I have something to look forward to,” Woodring said. “They came right when I needed them.” Woodring isn’t a fan of having to cook for herself or do the dishes, much like the rest of us, so the program more than benefits her, as it provides her with a nutritional meal and human contact with someone. While she does have a small

dog that sits on her lap or at her feet and waddles around when guests arrive, the company doesn’t compare to that of human conversation and personal contact. “I love seeing people when they come in,” Woodring said. “I look forward to it one hundred percent, and it’s wonderful to know that there are programs out there that I didn’t used to know about.” While the meals are important to those receiving them, they don’t quite compare to the conversation and visits that the delivery people bring to the senior citizens. For one couple, Joe and Georgia Morris, the Home Delivered Meals is an absolute blessing. Because they are homebound, and don’t get out often, it’s the highlight of the day when someone comes in to deliver them meals. “[The program] means a whole lot to us in so many ways,” Georgia Norris said. “We aren’t able to cook, so when they bring us the meal, we don’t usually even need any supper. We just snack.” Norris explained that the food that is delivered is tasty, and they get most of what they need, vegetable-wise and things like that. It provides them with the ability to sit and have a meal together without needing to prepare or think about eating

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Some days, most of the time it’s on Thursdays, there will be musically inclined volunteers at the Harrill Senior Center to provide live entertainment for the other seniors.

another one later on. Not only this, but the human contact it brings is their favorite part. “I really love the conversation it brings, we like to blab to [the volunteer],” Norris said. “I like having personal touch with people, and since I don’t get out often, we look forward to seeing them daily. It’s like family.” Because Norris has bad knees, the delivery person bringing them meals is incredibly helpful for them and it relieves a great amount of stress and pressure to try and figure out how to prepare a meal for themselves. “They sure do help us out a lot,” Norris said. “We are so thankful for them.”

The Oil in the Machine

Finding volunteers to deliver meals for the Home Delivered Meals program, and making sure all of the clients are happy and healthy, is important for the program to run efficiently. However, what is as equally important is what’s going on in the background. The kitchen staff works incredibly diligently to make sure they have prepared, cooked and provided all the meals not only for the Home Delivered Meals, but also for the Congregate Nutrition. Along with this, the kitchen staff at the Harrill Senior 50

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Center prepares the meals for both the Harrill Senior Center and the Western Watauga Community Center. “They all prepare about 200 meals a day, between the Home Delivered Meals and the Congregate Nutrition,” Strickland said. The Lois E. Harrill Senior Center has two fulltime paid cooks that are constantly working towards making sure all the seniors in the county are receiving the nutrition that they need. There is also a part-time person that helps with washing dishes and serving the food. Without the kitchen staff, it would be impossible for the Home Delivered Meals and Congregate Nutrition, both in the Harrill Senior Center and at the Western Watauga Community Center, to function the way it currently is. For these programs through the Project on Aging, it is important for everyone to work together. Each part of the team, each person and each job, functions as part of a well-oiled machine, and if one piece were to be missing, the entire machine would more than likely malfunction.

The senior citizen population in a community is just as important as everyone else within the community. Regardless of age or health status, each senior deserves to be taken care of, checked in on, respected and supported. The Project on Aging is focusing on doing just that. Through several programs held at the Lois E. Harrill Senior Center, the Project on Aging is able to support seniors all throughout the county. The Harrill Senior Center encourages health, independence, wellness and the thriving of our senior citizen population. However, the Project on Aging cannot run programs like Home Delivered Meals, Congregate Nutrition and other types of initiatives without the help of the community. Although it is currently receiving funding, that may not always be the case, and even that funding is limited. Other resources for the organization are limited as well in regards to volunteers and helping hands. Volunteering to be a delivery driver for Home Delivered Meals doesn’t take much out of any individual’s day. For example, Dan Greenfield spends two hours at most doing daily deliveries three days a week. Not only this, but it’s actually enjoyable for him. So not only do the seniors benefit immensely, both because of the meals and because of the social interactions, but the volunteers do as well because they are doing a good thing for someone in need and they are experiencing another facet of life that can change them for the better. The seniors on the delivery route, although some are quiet, are some of the most amazing people that anyone could meet. With life experiences, stories and connections wanting to be made, these people can, and have, changed the lives of all of the volunteers who have come through Home Delivered Meals. With programs like the ones through the Project on Aging, the senior citizen population is continuing to thrive, able to remain in their own homes and is receiving the kind of care that it deserves. These kinds of programs, the programs that are improving the quality of life for our oldest community members, should be supported and developed in any and every way possible. t

While Watauga County has organizations like the Project on Aging with the Home Delivered Meals program, it isn’t the only county within the High Country that is working to provide food assistance to those who are hungry and in need. Avery County has a variety of different food ministries, including Reaching Avery Ministry and Feeding Avery Families.

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For over thirty years, Reaching Avery Ministry has worked hard to provide for families within Avery County. Whether this involves support through clothing items, furniture, crisis situations, emergency financial assistance or food, RAM’s Rack has constantly tried to help families and people in need in every aspect of their lives. With a food pantry located in Newland to provide for the hungry community within Avery County, RAM’s Rack is a wonderful ministry whose goal is to feed those in need.

Feeding Avery Families is a nonprofit Christian organization that is focused on working towards eliminating hunger within Avery County. The organization does so through monetary or food donations and volunteers. Feeding Avery Families provided 60% of the food assistance in Avery County in 2012, and the boxes of food distributed to those in need reached approximately 500 with 1000 individuals receiving food support on the last Wednesday of every month at the distribution store in Newland.

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THE

Pete Catoe

Raptor

Pete Catoe, ECRS Founder & CEO, stands beside the proprietary RAPTOR Accelerated Checkout solution.

ECR Software

Homegrown Tech Startup Story by Jason Reagan | Photography by Scott Pearson

hen it comes to things to see and do in downtown statement. For example, ECRS develops turnkey automated Boone, High Country visitors are quite familiar with point of sale solutions (i.e. that nice self-checkout robot lady “must-see” locations like Mast General Store, the who rings up your groceries), as well as all other aspects that whimsical Doc Watson statue and the iconic Appalachian The- retailers rely on for business operations. Things like inventory atre. However, few who amble down King and Howard Streets management, loyalty programs, e-commerce, and decision suprealize that one of the most innovative tech companies in the port tools are all built into the main ECRS retail automation suite: CATAPULT®. state is literally steps The downtown away. Boone-based firm has Housed in what over 5,000 checkout was once the historic lanes across North downtown Ford dealAmerica and the Caership,, ECR Softribbean, working with ware Corporation independent grocers, (ECRS) has emerged health-food retailers, as an industry leader beer and wine stores, in the growing arena nutritional suppleof retail automation, ment distributors, gas bringing together “restations, convenience tail software, hardstores, and healthware, and services to care systems. create the only truly In 2016, the RIS holistic, unified retail Software Leaderautomation platform board, an established on the market,” acscorecard cording to a company Located behind Footsloggers, ECRS Headquarters at 277 Howard Street in Downtown Boone. industry 52

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based on retailer evaluations, named ECRS the #1 Grocery Vendor Leader. The company has been noted as one of Silicon Review’s “50 Most Admired Companies of the Year,” and Inc. Magazine has ranked the Boone-based company among 5,000 of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies for the last two years.

The top of ECRS Headquarters is where research and development combine to create powerful retail technology.

a new startup based on his core vision – retail automation software. While working the phones to locate potential retail customers, Pete found the Cash Register Dealers Association (ICRDA) in an industry directory (those were these paper Serendipity and Desperation books that existed before Google, kids). Despite the company’s meteoric ride, ECRS’ story began like “At that moment, it occurred to me that connecting a personso many tech-startup al computer (PC) to tales, peppered with a cash register might an equal mix of desbe a more reliable peration, serendipity and less expensive and hope – not to way to bring PC aumention a $7,000 tomation into retail question mark. stores,” Pete said in In 1989, Pete’s a recent essay. first business – “I thought ‘what launched while still the heck’ and called an Appalachian the number to find State University stuout more about what dent – “died with a was known then as whimper.” He and an ECR (Electronic his high-school and Cash Register).” college sweetheart And that fateful had recently marphone call led him ried (Kim is both to Curt Kennington. ECRS’ Award-Winning Support Department has remained in the ECRS co-founder The owner of Cash Top 5 RIS rankings for support and service for 8 years in a row. and Executive VP) Register Systems of and were facing a $7,000 note due soon (about $13,000 in 2017 Charlotte, Kennington served as the ICRDA secretary in 1989. bucks). Recognizing a golden opportunity, Pete shared his vision with As the due date drew near on the note, Pete was pursuing Kennington. Appreciating the opportunity to be found in reJuly 2017

High Country Magazine

tail software, Kennington agreed to pay Pete’s $7,000 debt and, in exchange for guidance, contacts, and a few introductions, accepted a 50 percent stake in the newly-formed ECRS. The rest is startup history. “Between his wisdom and my ambition, we built ECRS from the ground up, completely self-funded, as it remains to this day,” Pete says in a recent tribute following Kennington’s death. Many years after his investment, as ECRS had begun to grow by leaps and bounds, Kennington would sell back all of his shares to Pete. Pete nostalgically reflected, “Though he was known as the toughest of negotiators, he took my first offer with a smile.” “I will never be able to repay him for believing in me, at the very moment when I doubted myself most,” he added. Justin Hodges, POS Configuration Specialist, prepares a point of sale before it is shipped to one of over 5,000 retail customers

ECRS support department employees are ranked among the top in the industry

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July 2017

A Community Leader

Over the decades, ECRS grew into not only an industry-leading tech company, but also a powerful presence in the local economy. Eventually moving into the company’s current headquarters on Howard Street, ECRS now maintains a manufacturing and shipping facility on State Farm Road and recently acquired their third location, which houses their showroom, sales and administration teams, near New Market Center. The Catoes have never forgotten the University’s importance in growing their success and recognized their strong ties in 2015 by establishing the ECRS Computer Science Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The ECRS Deployment and SCO Teams reside at the State Farm location where hardware is built and shipped to their over 5000 retail customers.

The Early Years - Top Center: Developer, Steve Smith, looks on as CATAPULT is being created. Bottom Left: Founders Kim and Pete Catoe hold up a panel of the first-ever RAPTOR that is signed by the entire ECRS team. Bottom Right: COO David Sprague (who has been with the company since it’s inception) hard at work in the mid-90’s. Scholarship – a $90,000 scholarship fund awarded over a four-year term to freshmen who intend to major in computer science. But it doesn’t end with the founder. ECRS employees are involved in many local projects and often incorporate ECRS into their community involvement. Employees raise money for youth charities of their choice selling parking spaces at the Howard St office during ASU football games. They also join in on several successful habitat for humanity projects throughout the year, sponsoring foster children each Christmas, and take turns participating in Meals on Wheels. The company annually sponsors the famous Hospitality House Turkey Trot and

The strength of the ECRS team is built upon it’s 9 core values harnessing the creative energy of all its employees. July 2017

High Country Magazine

All Work and Some Play! ECRS team members may seem like they are working around the clock but they also enjoy plenty of fun times together. Whether joining in on the monthly “beer Friday” company gathering or taking part in a free afternoon yoga class in the brand new in-office yoga studio, team members find plenty of ways to unwind and recharge. Back 2 School Festival, and has recently gotten involved with the Boone Film Festival (“Boonff”). Recognizing the company’s quiet but steady contribution to the region’s success, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce awarded ECRS as the Business of the Year in 2013. “ECRS is deeply committed to the High Country and to our hometown of Boone,” Pete said in accepting the award. He noted that many prominent, local clients had helped build the company’s solid foundation over the decades -- Ben Henderson of Bare Essentials, John Stacy of Boone Drug, Peabody’s Wine and Beer Merchants, Moretz family of Appalachian Ski Mountain and Hanes Boren, former owner of Footsloggers.

Abundant Creativity ECRS loves to to be involved around town, from local fundraising to community events, like the Howard Street Block Party

“ECRS has always been about making our customers’ lives better, but we are also intent on making our work environment better,” Pete emphasizes. “To ensure that we have excellent products, services and client relations, we must have outstanding employees. To attract and retain outstanding employees, we must reward them and create an environment where they can innovate, learn, grow and enjoy their careers immensely.” There are 9 primary values at ECRS, consistent with one another and fully integrated. The company’s focus on these values grows from the belief that ideas matter and that an individual’s character is of critical significance to a corporation’s overall character and ability to achieve its mission. Among these values are empowering independence, rejecting negativity, recognizing and rewarding, reducing friction, meaECRS Team participating in one of several annual Habitat for Humanity Saturday builds

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July 2017

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ECRS is making a significant dent in the self-checkout market with solutions including the RAPTOR, Flex Market, and Super Market product lines.

Are You Curious About “Accelerated Checkout?”

CRS has developed a retail automation solution called RAPTOR, which stands for Retail Application Prototype Testing of Operational Robotics - whew! RAPTOR™ is not self-checkout and it’s not traditional point of sale. It is a new technology that’s changing the game of grocery retail. RAPTOR automatically scans each item robotically using an advanced, high-performance 360-degree tunnel scanning technology, dramatically speeding up the checkout process. “The role of the cashier has changed. They’re no longer spending 99 percent of their time scanning the items,” says Pete Catoe. “They’re spending their time bagging the items… correctly and enhancing the overall consumer experience. You’ve probably experienced times where your meat products were bagged with household chemicals. That won’t happen with our system.”

suring up, and making your job meaningful. By incorporating a “Good Guys Finish First” philosophy, ECRS strives to create strong and lasting relationships with its teammates and customers. One of the most important of these values is to “Be Creative. Be Bold.” ECRS believes that great ideas can only come to fruition when the work environment offers the trust and freedom to fully explore them. As such, ECRS aspires to create a space where the status-quo is questioned, an open dialogue is promoted, and all ideas are given fair consideration. Harnessing the creative energy of all employees and promoting the spirit of fun fosters their continued ability to not only do something different, but to focus on doing something much better. ECRS’ employee values clear the path for the company to proudly hire a lion’s share of ASU graduates to fill the many tech-heavy positions required to fuel their success.

“Check Out” Their Success

Fast forward to 2017 – ECRS has traveled far beyond the bounds of the “Electronic Cash Register.” The company holds a solid standing among larger businesses now leads the field in solutions that empower small businesses, from the receiving dock to the front door -- automated point of sale transactions, product data, inventory management, loyalty programs, bookkeeping, customer interactions, in-store marketing and more. Perhaps as a lasting reminder of how ECRS has launched and risen through the tumultu58

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It’s very exciting and heart-warming for an old tech entrepreneur, such as myself, to see so many young entrepreneurs coming together within our community, and being excited about building great products and great companies.” Pete Catoe ous retail software battlefield, the company’s keystone software system is known as CATAPULT. The revolutionary point of sale platform allows retailers to automate multiple tasks across all commerce channels - web, traditional checkout, self-checkout, mobile POS, and accelerated checkout. The system also allows store owners to seamlessly manage loyalty, rewards and membership programs; build universal product databases, track inventory in real time, implement promotion programs and handle several types of secure payment options. Most important for ECRS customers is that the CATAPULT suite empowers them, as retailers, to take a step back from the mountains of data, produced by thousands of daily transactions, and capture important insights that allow them to compete in an ever-crowded marketplace.

Looking Ahead

Even as ECRS continues to climb new peaks of success across the North American retail landscape, the company takes its per-

ECRS’ patent-pending Secure OneTouch technology, currently available at BE Natural in Boone, allows retail consumers to checkout and pay with the touch of a finger.

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ception as a regional role model for other tech startups seriously – young dreamers fresh from college carrying the same load of debt, despair and enthusiasm Pete experienced back in the day. As such, the company provides resources and feedback to Startup High Country, a hybrid incubator, startup accelerator and consultancy group located just down the street from ECRS in the Greenhouse. SHC provides mentorship, software and web development services, physical space, and, in some cases, seed investments to local entrepreneurs who have a startup concept, a dream and a plan. The group’s goal is to establish the High Country as “Silicon Hollar” (website: siliconhollar.org). “When I was first approached by the core team at SHC, I was struck by their level of energy, optimism, passion and entrepreneurial vision they have for our community,” Pete said. “In addition, I’ve also really enjoyed observing the Silicon Hollar meetings. It’s very exciting and heart-warming for an old tech entrepreneur, such as myself, to see so many young entrepreneurs coming together within our community, and being excited about building great products and great companies,” he added. ECRS helps sponsor SHC events such as monthly socials and outreach programs for young programmers. “When you put it all together you can see that SHC is filling a void that was present, because free enterprise can only be transformative within a community when entrepreneurship is valued and, most of all, nurtured,” Pete said. Taking a metaphor from the retail space that ECRS inhabits: when you tag, scan and bag what it means to be ECRS, the company can boil it all down to one thing – investing back into the community that helped create it. t

Industry Awards & Recognition 2013 – 2017

RIS Software LeaderBoard #1 Overall Category and Top 20 LeaderBoard #1 Leaders in Quality of Support #1 Leaders in Customer Satisfaction by Grocery Retailers #1 Overall Leaders in Grocery #1 Mid-Size Vendor Leaders #1 Broad Suite Vendor Leaders #1 Leaders in Quality of Support by Tier One & Mid-Size Retailers Watauga County Business of the Year Top 20 Most Promising Retail Technology Solution “Vity” Award Winner for Best Computerized Point of Sale System (Vitamin Retailer Magazine) – 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 Progressive Grocer Tech Award Winner for Rollin’ Oats implementation of automated inventory & replenishment Inc. 5000 recipient - an exclusive ranking of the nation’s 5000 fastest - growing private companies - 2015, 2016 RIS Software LeaderBoard - #1 Leader in Grocery Vendor - 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 Watauga County Business of the Year - 2013 Silicon Review - Top 50 Most Admired Companies of the Year - 2016

The ribbon-cutting for ECRS’ new showroom and training facility, located behind New Market Center in Boone, was held on June 30th. 60

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“Vity” Award Winner for Best Computerized Point of Sale System (Vitamin Retailer Magazine) - 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

July 2017

High Country Magazine

Jason Drake

An American Realist Painter

BY JESSE WOOD

everal months after his oldest son, a professional BASE jumper and videographer, died in a wingsuit crash in Switzerland in early 2014, Jason Drake decided to take a leap of faith of his own. Drake, now in his early 60s, was working a desk job – much like his son, Brian, before the latter moved to Europe to film human flight. At the time, Drake was employed as an Internet communications director for Samaritan’s Purse in Boone. He painted at nights and on the weekends. Though Drake, who lives in Todd with his wife, Holly, had already sold his work 62

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in galleries and at art shows as a “parttime” artist, Drake realized that to fulfill his dream, he needed to absorb himself into his craft. With confidence from these early sales and the understanding of the brevity of life, Drake quit his job to become an American realist painter. “That led me to think very hard about whether or not – because life is short – I wanted to get going on this pursuit, whether it was time for me to launch, for me to take a leap of faith like he would,” said Drake. “That helped prompt me to say, ‘This is time.’”

As a kid and perhaps like many budding artists of his generation, Drake was copying the “Peanuts” comic strip and other cartoons. “I suppose Charles Schulz launched an awful lot of artists,” Drake joked. Later as he prepared for life as an adult, Drake came to a crossroads. “It was like this boyhood dream. Should I paint or fly airplanes? And I went to fly airplanes,” he said, choosing to major in aeronautical engineering and enlist in the military. Fast forward a few decades – brushing past his military career and website development with a large agency in Los Ange-

Under the Porch by Jason Drake

July 2017

High Country Magazine

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July 2017

les – Drake arrived in the High Country in 1999 to work for the Christian nonprofit Samaritan’s Purse. Steadily through the years, though, he’d been honing his creative skills in illustration, graphic design, sketching and painting. He furthered his painting studies by watching videos, taking online tutorials and attending workshops. About a decade ago, Drake took his evolution as an artist one step further. He decided to create a lasting body of work to brand himself as a fine artist. He wanted to give art collectors and gallery owners a reason to hang his art on their walls. “I felt at that point, ‘I think I can make it.’ I can produce work that is certainly sellable and comparable,” Drake said. “And, of course, we all dream, ‘I want to be as good as …’ You see the masters out there you idolize, and yes, that’s something for me, too.” Several years ago, Drake started taking his paintings to the Blowing Rock Frameworks and Art Gallery to be framed. At first, Tim Miller, the owner of the art gallery, mistook his paintings for the work of a great American artist of the middle 20th century. “When I figured out he had painted them, I was immediately impressed. Jason is not one to boast. He’s really modest and I really, really thought I could sell his paintings,” Miller said. “I kept framing paintings for him, and I think finally in 2012, I couldn’t resist any longer.” Miller asked Drake to be in a group show that summer. “Almost as soon as we hung them up, we sold them,” Miller mentioned. For Miller, who has been an art gallery owner for more than two decades, Drake’s paintings evoke a bygone peacefulness and hark back to when “everything was a little

“People love his work and can relate to the realism. Jason strives.” – Tim Miller, owner of Blowing Rock Frameworks and Art Gallery

Watauga County Barn (above) and Upstream (below) are two of Jason Drake’s works featured in his 2017 book, Jason Drake: American Realist Painter. A watercolor on paper, Watauga County Barn will be featured in Drake’s “Close to Home” exhibit in August.

simpler and the world wasn’t as crazy.” Miller said that Drake’s work, which features landscapes, animals and people of the High Country, puts him at ease. “People love his work and can really relate to the realism,” Miller said. “Jason strives. He works hard at his craft, and he’s developed quite a following around here. We are fortunate to have Jason.” Since that first show in Blowing Rock, Drake has sold about 70 paintings, and he has collectors waiting in the wings to buy more Jason Drake originals. His paintings have sold and been accepted into galleries, exhibits and museum auctions across the country. His images are now also circulating in national fine art magazines, such as Fine Art Connoisseur, “the premiere magazine for informed collectors.” This past February, The Bennington Center for the Arts in Vermont invited Drake to submit representational paintings for its Artists of the Century show that is held every five years. This exhibit, which features roughly 80 artists, will open in September and run through most of December in Bennington, Vt. In March, Drake sold his egg tempera piece, The End of Summer, in the C.M. Russell Museum’s annual art auction in Great Falls, Montana. Drake’s painting sold for $5,000 in the auction that was attended by more than 500 collectors. After auction weekend concluded, the museum event grossed $6.3 million in painting sales. A collector from Arizona, Doug Cardon put in the winning bid for Drake’s The End of Summer. In a testimonial for the painting and Drake’s talent, Cardon wrote: “I love the lighting in “The End of Summer” and the radiance of the young girl’s face. The lines of the Canada Geese, the trees, and the shades of grass give movement to the work that, for the moment, seems to be on ‘pause.’ The colors are so pleasant. Those were the elements that caught my eye and kept me bidding. At age 67, I welcome all the pauses I can come by and I am sure that I will spend many hours enjoying this painting. The painting arrived over a week ago … I am so happy that I was able to get it. You have obviously done something special here.” When Drake was younger, he was influenced by Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth and Howard Pyle. Later, he was drawn to masters such as Sargent, Winslow Homer and Andrew Wyeth. As he developed his painting talents, Drake said he learned from these masters and copied July 2017

High Country Magazine

The above egg tempera painting, The End of Summer, sold at C.M. Russell Museum’s annual auction in Great Falls, Montana for $5,000 in March 2017.

Photo by Todd Bush Jason Drake paints in his studio at his home in Todd. 66

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them in the beginning. Along the way, he began painting on his terms and developing his style. Still though, as talented as he’s become, he hasn’t stopped perfecting his craft. “I am always learning in my work and not just about how to paint, I really enjoy learning about the materials of painting, even chemistry of painting and the techniques of painting,” Drake said. “I am always tying to learn and develop and better the skills I have.” Drake said he’s “slowly moving over to” the egg tempera medium. Currently, oil and watercolor dominate his portfolio, but his recent egg tempera pieces, such as The End of Summer, which was sold at the Montana museum and The Promise of Spring, which sold through a gallery in Charleston, S.C., are stunning images, powerful and graceful. In fact, egg tempera master Koo Schadler praised Jason’s foray into this medium and described his work as “beautiful and accomplished; his tonal sense is excellent.” Egg tempera, which consists of egg yolks bound to color pigments, has been around for thousands of years and was the popular painting method used until oil came on the scene in the 1500s. As Drake noted, the great Michelangelo has egg tempera pieces in existence as he painted during this transition in the 16th century. Drake’s pieces in this medium have a harmonizing glow to them, which is attributed to the translucency and multiple layers of paint used with the egg tempera medium. For Drake, there is also the satisfaction of partaking in the entire process of crafting a painting – from making the paint, the canvass, the concept, the sketches and finally a finished composition ready to be framed. In addition to creating some of his paints, he also makes some of his own primed canvasses and boards. “That part of the craftsmanship I enjoy,” Drake said. “It gives me

Photo by Todd Bush Holding Max, artist Jason Drake is flanked by his youngest son, Jordan, and wife, Holly.

Drake’s painting of St. John’s of the Lower Watauga Episcopal Church in Valle Crucis will be featured in his “Close to Home” exhibit in August.

a sense of being able to provide something as a product that I’ve worked on from the very beginning and my work goes into making it better and better.” Each of Drake’s paintings begins with a concept. He doesn’t just see a beautiful hillside, sunset or meandering stream around the bend and decide to paint that scene. “I don’t do that. I’m more inclined to want to have a real concept when I sit down with a real idea for the composition. That makes my work have a better focus,” Drake said. “I believe that art communicates. It

communicates what the artist wants to say. I need to have purpose and a concept before I start my paintings.” For example, The Promise of Spring painting came about because the gallery, Robert Lange Studios in Charleston, S.C., requested entries that depicted nature’s resiliency in the face of decaying man-made objects. What Drake composed was an image of a young girl holding a daffodil. She was standing on a meadow as an old dilapidated farmhouse sat on the horizon in the background. In his 2017 book, Jason Drake: American Realist Painter, Drake wrote of

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the image: “As the old decays and returns to nature, the new emerges and the promise of life is experienced again. ‘Hope springs eternal in the human breast,’ resounds from the poet’s hand.” Another painting featured in that book is titled, Upstream, a 35-by-42 inch oil on linen. In this painting, a young woman stands on a boulder, staring at the bend in the river. Drake said this woman had recently graduated high school and the image is symbolic of her looking toward the future. The rock represented a sturdy foundation around a moving river. “I called the painting Upstream because she’s looking kind of against the flow, and there were a lot of things in that young girl’s life

that I knew at the time that were represented by the painting,” Drake said. Once he has a concept, characters and a setting in mind, Drake will snap photos of settings and characters – not necessarily in the same place – for reference. Then he’ll perform pencil and paint sketches before painting the final composition. Though his work is beginning to circulate nationally, all of his paintings are set in the High Country and the characters are local folks he happens to know. This is partly why his upcoming show at Blowing Rock Frameworks and Art Gallery is titled, “Close to Home.” “So often people see my work and they will think of maybe someone else in

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July 2017

Jason Drake stands in his art studio in Todd with works completed and in progress in the background. Photo by Todd Bush

their family or they’ll think of some place they’ve been or of a simpler way of life,” Drake said. “I want my work to be something that people identify with, something that evokes a sense of feeling and emotion from them, and I also want my work to be something that even evokes [and latches onto] a memory or a thought or an experience they have.” The exhibit runs from Aug. 14 to 26, and a reception will be held on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. The way Drake generally sells his work is by setting aside a year’s worth of paintings to be shown and sold at his annual shows at Tim Miller’s gallery in Blowing Rock. Drake’s shows, Miller said, are – by a significant margin – the most anticipated of the year. Nearly 20 of Drake’s newest paintings will be on display. For more information, click to www.jasondrake.com or www.blowingrockgalleries.com. t

Jason Drake’s Exhibit at Blowing Rock in August What: Jason Drake: Close To Home Where: Blowing Rock Frameworks and Art Gallery, Aug. 14-26 When: Reception: Saturday, Aug. 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. & Exhibition: Aug. 14-26 Presenting a solo exhibition of work by American realist painter Jason Drake, Aug. 14-26. Jason lives and paints in the Appalachian Mountains near Boone and his new pieces represent the theme “Close to Home.” They feature watercolor, egg tempera, and oil compositions depicting the landscapes, figures and still life, subjects that emerge from the mountain community where he lives. He is a penetrating observer of the quiet, simple, framework that makes up life in this region and his compositions evoke the emotion he suffuses into each painting. A reception will be held on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 5 to 8 pm where you can meet the artist.

Tim Miller Blowing Rock Frameworks and Art Gallery

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4th of July Sports Shop Sale Saturday, July 1 - Tuesday, July 4

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High Country Magazine

Welcome Back SUMMER GUIDE

High Country Magazine

July 2017

PLACES TO DINE THIS SUMMER

Six Pence

It’s the height of the summer dining season in the High Country, and there’s no better time to enjoy a casual lunch, a relaxing brunch or a romantic dinner. For your culinary inspiration, you’ll find dozens of fine establishments in the following pages.

A Taste of England here in Blowing Rock

Restaurant & Pub

BANNER ELK CAFÉ banner elk. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Great food, ranging from eggs benedict to big, juicy burgers. For the healthy and weight conscience we offer grilled mahi and chicken sandwiches, salad bar, and homemade daily specials. Dinner nightly offering: Ribs, Steaks, Fish and always fresh and creative specials! n 828.898-4040. www.bannerelkcafe.com. See ad on page 76

Featuring British & American Fare

Inside Our Dining Room or Outside on our Beautiful Patio

Dining: Sunday - Thursday , 11:30 am - 10:30 pm Friday and Saturday until Midnight

BOONE BAGELRY BOONE. Boone’s oldest bagel shop locally owned and operated since 1988, serves 14 types of freshly baked bagels and a wide variety of menu items including vegetarian and gluten free. Boone Bagelry is a full-service restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch all day. We are conveniently located on King Street in downtown Boone with patio dining available. Delivery service available. Support local. Taste local. Enjoy local. n 828.262-5585. www.boonebagelry.com. See ad on page 79

Full Bar (open until 2am)

20 Beers on Draught focused on Imports and Micro Brews

Courteous and Friendly Staff

CAFÉ PORTOFINO BOONE. A local favorite, Café Portofino is the place to meet, eat and enjoy a good time with friends. It’s located in a 100-year-old railroad repair station, used by none other than Tweetsie Railroad. Completely modernized, with a friendly open kitchen, cozy dining room, bar and outdoor seating, this is the place to chow down on 5-star meals, without the 5-star price. The menu is an eclectic mix of sandwiches, pastas and steaks. Café Portofino offers daily culinary specials and fresh seafood as well. (“Like” us on Facebook to see daily specials.) Their extensive wine & beer list and all

828.295.3155 } } 1121 Main Street, Blowing Rock, N.C. July 2017

High Country Magazine

ABC permits compliment any dining experience. Come see what the Boonies already know! n 828-264-7772. www.cafeportofino.net. See ad on page 80

Canyons

E N J O Y L O C A L Q U A L I T Y, F L AV O R & F R E S H N E S S Since 1981 we have pledged an ongoing commitment to serve local farm fresh foods and support our beloved community. We are honored to call the High Country our home.

www.CRCateringCo.com | 828.406.7721 www.CasaRustica1981.com | 828.262.5128

FAIRWAY CAFE & VENUE

High Country Magazine

July 2017

Blowing Rock. Located just off of the scenic, winding highway 321 in Blowing Rock, this historic restaurant and bar is well known all over the High Country for its spectacular and breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, its scrumptious southwestern choices and unique takes on classic American food or dishes. All dishes on the menu are freshly prepared in house with the finest ingredients available. Canyons in Blowing Rock regularly offers a wide variety of seasonally fresh items, so ask about the fantastic nightly specials in addition to the daily menu selections. Every Sunday, enjoy a delicious brunch accompanied by live jazz music. Canyons also offers a diverse selection of domestic and imported wines and a large selection of beers chosen to complement the items on the menu. Just ask a member of the friendly staff for a recommendation, or try something new. n 828-295-7661. www.CanyonsBR.com. See ad on this page

CASA RUSTICA BOONE. Conveniently located right off of Highway 105, Casa Rustica offers some of the finest Northern Italian-American cuisine in the High Country accentuated by a cozy, fireside atmosphere. Dishes on the menu from the crisp salads to the scrumptious pastas are adapted from old family recipes that have been handed down for generations. The chefs and owners at Casa Rustica are also committed to offering local beef in their cuisine and proudly offer homestyle meals made with love and meticulous care. Casa Rustica’s extensive wine list is updated every 30 days FAIRWAY CAFE & VENUE

to include interesting vintages and new organics for guests to try. Enjoy live jazz every Thursday night and classical guitar every Sunday. The restaurant also features a full bar and fantastic drink selections to delight even the pickiest patron. n 828-262-5128. www.casarustica1981.com. See ad on page 72

CHESTNUT GRILLE AT GREEN PARK INN BLOWING ROCK. Taking local and sustainable to new heights, the Chestnut Grille restaurant maintains its own 1/3 acre garden on site, which supplies the kitchen with a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs throughout the summer and fall seasons. We offer contemporary American fare that’s unique, yet familiar, in a warm, and casual setting. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free guests will find the menu, and our chef very accommodating. We offer an extensive and thoughtful wine list along with a selection of seasonal and local craft beers. Located just inside the Green Park Inn. Listed on the National Historic Register. Patio dining is offered seasonally. Live piano music in our lobby Friday and Saturday nights, year round, and live music on the Veranda, seasonally. n 828-414-9230. www.greenparkinn. com. See ad on this page

C.R. Catering boone. C.R. Catering Co. is Casa Rustica Restaurant’s sister company. We are pleased to offer the High Country’s finest gourmet catering for events on and off site. We provide fresh, distinctive food and quality service for each and every event. We are happy to accommodate dietary restrictions, and regularly prepare vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan meals. North Carolina’s freshest seafood and the finest locally grown vegetables appear regularly on our custom designed cater-

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Sweet tea brined and buttermilk battered chicken breast, mashed Yukon potatoes, pan gravy

Herb sauteed shrimp over a bed of cheddar grits, lemon-butter pan sauce, bacon crumble

From the Tavern…

Watauga County grown Cascade hops-rubbed & grilled rib eye, bourbonpeppercorn demi-glaze

THE CUBAN SANDWICH

MAC-N-CHICKEN

FISH & CHIPS

Roast pork, ham, Swiss

Macaroni pasta, house cheese sauce, roasted chicken, bacon & sriracha

Batter-fried cod, house cut chips, tartar sauce, lemon & malt vinegar

cheese, house pickles, and mustard on ciabatta bread

www.greenparkinn.com 828.414.9230 9329 Valley Boulevard, Blowing Rock

High Country Magazine

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ing menus. Want a family favorite included in your menu? No problem! We can customize any item for your special event. Need the perfect space to accommodate your catering needs? We can serve 25 to 150 guests on-site with ease. Give us a call. n 828-406-7721. www.CRCateringCo. com. See ad on page 72

DIVIDE TAVERN & RESTAURANT BLOWING ROCK. Located in the lobby of the Historic Green Park Inn, the Divide Tavern sits directly astride the Eastern Continental Divide. Long a gathering place for Captains of Industry, Heads of State, and celebrities from authors to actors, the Tavern offers unique pub fare, as well as chef designed pub classics. Experience a less formal dining alternative while still enjoying delicious fare, all set in the ambiance of a bygone era. Local, craft and draft beers, seasonal and specialty cocktails offer guests a tempting twist alongside classic cocktails. We also offer an impressive selection of wine by the glass, or the bottle. Enjoy live Sunday music on the veranda (seasonally) and live piano in the lobby Friday and Saturday nights, year round. n 825414.9230. www.greenparkinn.com. See ad on page 73

EAT CROW BANNER ELK. Eat Crow is a wonderful little cafe specializing in fresh baked, delicious goods including a large variety of baked pies and cakes. These delectables are offered by the slice, or you have the option to order a whole one to take home and enjoy. We also offer fresh made sandwiches at lunch time that can not be compared to any other “sandwich shop” in the area.   Since we know life can be very hectic, for your convenience we prepare whole meals and fresh soups daily that are ready for you to 74

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take home and heat up for your family. These entrees vary daily. We are always creating something delicious! All sandwiches are served on farmhouse or whole wheat bread. Choices of sides include fresh fruit, firecracker coleslaw or chips. We are open Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and are located near Foscoe on Hwy. 105 between Boone and Banner Elk. n 828-963-8228. See ad on this page

The Eseeola Lodge linville. Guests enjoy breakfast and dinner daily as part of their accommodations package, but all High Country visitors are welcome to enjoy the finest cuisine. Spend a leisurely morning with us, or grab a quick bite on your way out for the day. Either way, an outstanding breakfast awaits you each morning in our dining room. Then enjoy lunch at the Grill Room in the Linville Golf Club, where resort casual wear is appropriate for daytime meals. For the evening meal, select your choice of seven meticulously prepared entrees crafted by Chef Patrick Maisonhaute at the helm of your culinary experience. The menu changes daily, and also offers an extraordinary seafood buffet every Thursday evening with seatings at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Reservations are required, and gentlemen are required to wear a coat for the evening meal. n 800-742-6717. www.eseeola.com. See ad on page 77

fairway cafe & venue boone. Not just for golfers! The Fairway café is located at the Boone Golf Course with a beautiful view of the course with an inside dining room or outdoor patio seating. The public is welcome to come enjoy the local fare. The menu is extensive with an array of salad selections, a half of dozen sandwich choices, hot FAIRWAY dogs anyway you CAFE & like them and hamVENUE burgers from the classic to the fancy.

The spacious indoor area features a beautiful 32 foot handcrafted maple bar. Our venue is also perfect for any of life’s memorable moments. Ideal for cocktail parties, fundraisers, wedding events and anniversary parties. The Fairway Venue features clean minimal lines, stunning floor-to-ceiling windows, and views of the beautiful North Carolina Mountains. We have full ABC permits and can seat about 100 inside and roughly 40 on the outside patio. Looking to accommodate even more? A tent can be set up if needed. Come check us out! n 828-264-0233. www.CRCateringCo.com. See ad on page 72

F.A.R.M. CAFÉ boone. In May 2012, F.A.R.M. Cafe opened its doors with our mission to build a healthy and inclusive community by providing high quality & delicious meals produced from local sources, served in a restaurant where everybody eats, regardless of means. Our meals are nutritious and delicious! Some meals include items with meat, some are vegetarian and/ Feed All Regardless of Means or vegan. Our menu changes daily and REAL. GOOD. FOOD. is served by our volunteers and staff. F.A.R.M. Cafe tries to have something for everybody each day, so we also always have gluten free and dairy free items. Our daily menu can be viewed at www.farmcafe.org/menu or on Facebook

or Twitter. We are located in beautiful Downtown Boone. n 828-386.1000. www.farmcafe.org. See ad on page 78

Gamekeeper Blowing Rock. You haven’t fully experienced the region until you’ve dined at The Gamekeeper. It’s a true gourmet restaurant, with the perfect blend of upscale elegance and simple mountain charm. The Gamekeeper is famous for Southern favorites - ultimate in comfort food - prepared with creativity and originality, offered through an evolving seasonal menu that blends the traditional with the exotic, satisfying both the meat lover and the vegetarian. Housed in a 1950s stone cottage, The Gamekeeper is an upscale restaurant that offers an eclectic mix of Southern foods and mountain cuisine, offering a selection of unique meat dishes including mountain trout, buffalo rib eye, ostrich, duck and beef tenderloin. The friendly staff literally waits on you hand and foot, assuring that you’ll leave happy and satisfied. The restaurant is located off Shulls Mill Road near Yonahlossee Resort. n 828-963-7400. www.Gamekeeper-NC.com. See ad on page 76

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July 2017

High Country Magazine

The Banner Elk Cafe &

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The Banner Elk Cafe & Lodge offer a truly unique dining experience. The two restaurants are connected by beautiful outdoor and covered patios. We offer our guests so many choices with the ability to order from both menus not matter where you sit. Complete with coffee shop, full bar and the largest outdoor dining pavilion in the high country. Great setting for large groups and family gatherings. Ice Cream Parlor is open seasonally May–October.

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High Country Magazine

July 2017

The INN AT CRESTWOOD BOONE. Here at The Inn at Crestwood Restaurant and Spa, fresh is always in season! To maintain the freshest cuisine, our eclectic menu is updated seasonally by our talented chef. Our goal is to create southern inspired dishes and an unforgettable atmosphere. Enjoy the highest quality food and beverages, while admiring one of the most spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country. The bar opens at 4pm, with dinner service beginning at 5:30 pm every Wednesday-Sunday. Please call 828-963-6646 for reservations. n (828) 963-6646. www.crestwoodnc.com. See ad on page 80

THE LOCAL BOONE. a place to enjoy a fresh meal, crafted in-house from local High Country ingredients. Serving traditional southern favorites, she-crab soup and shrimp & grits, as well as grass-fed beef burgers, specialty sandwiches, unique tacos, woodfired flatbreads & pizzas, quinoa bowls, steaks, seafood and plenty of gluten-free and vegan choices. The Local also features 20 taps, serving mostly local and regional beers, as well as national favorites. At The Local you can enjoy drinks & appetizers while relaxing on comfortable leather couches in the lounge, play a game of billiards, or watch your favorite sports event on large flat screen TVs. The Local is also the place to be for Live music performances on Friday and Saturday nights. Experience Local. Open Daily 11am. Sunday Brunch 11am-4pm. n 828-2662179. www.TheLocalBoone.com. See ad on page 79

Proper BOONE. Located in an old jailhouse build in the late 1800s, Proper of-

One Nibble and You’re Hooked.

he winds are fair, so plot a course for our famous seafood buffet every Thursday evening. If you haven’t made this scrumptious feast one of your weekly traditions, it’s high tide—er, time—you did so. Ř (VHHROD FRP July 2017

High Country Magazine

Homestyle Southern Cooking with a modern, seasonal slant

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Trip Advisor Review

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High Country Magazine

July 2017

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fers a charming atmosphere both inside and out. Featuring one of the best brunches in the High Country, guests can enjoy freshly made desserts, locally-sourced ingredients and souther comfort cuisine. Collard greens, sweet potato casserole and homemade meatloaf are only a few of the wonderfully comfortable foods one can enjoy at Proper. n 828-865-5000. www.propermeal.com. See ad on this page

Red Onion Café Boone. Established in 1985 as one of the classic restaurants in Boone NC, the Red Onion Café opens daily at 11am and serves continuously to hungry guests well into the evening. The Red Onion Café has created its niche in the High Country for more than 30 years by offering customers a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere and an extensive menu at affordable prices. The café has something for every member of the family, including burgers, sandwiches, wraps, pizza, pasta, fish, steak and delicious homemade desserts. Look for weekly dinner specials and the kid’s menu items as well. The Red Onion Café also offers several of the region’s top beer and wines to compliment any meal as well as friendly staff on hand to assist with your choices from the extensive menu. The outside patio is perfect for a comfortable outdoor lunch or for a cozy dinner on warm evenings. n 828-264-5470. www.theredonioncafe.com. See ad on page 73

LOUISIANA PURCHASE FOOD & SPIRITS BANNER ELK. Louisiana Purchase has been Banner Elk’s premier restaurant and wine bar since 1984. Made to order elegance. Chef owner Patrick Bagbey’s menu evolves with the changing seasons, and will always include all the favorites. All ABC permits and the largest wine list in the area. Open Monday to Sunday 5:30 p.m. until…

Reservations suggested. n 828-9635087 or 828-898-5656. www.louisianapurchasefoodandspirits.com. See ad on page 75

REID'S CAFE & CATERING BANNER ELK. At Reid's Cafe & Catering we offer seasonal menus customized for every occasion, specializing in locally sourced and handcrafted foods. We believe in the importance of bringing those you love together through food and conversation. We value the handmade and fashion from scratch details as small as the aioli and dressings we use, to house made focaccia and pastries, slow roasted meats and naturally fermented pickles. We avoid industrially grown and processed foods. This translates throughout our planning process to include varied menu possibilities ranging from traditional favorites to ethnic flavors from around the world. We love the intentional, the specific, the well-cared-for. n 828-268-9600. www.reidscateringco.com. See ad on page 77

six pence pub Blowing rock. In 2001 Six Pence opened in Blowing Rock, North Carolina and has been a Blowing Rock staple for visitors and residents alike ever since. Known all over the High Country for establishing itself as a fine example of British fare, the friendly staff, delicious food and extensive beer and wine selection make this Restaurant & Pub local watering hole a local favorite. From traditional British favorites like Shepherd’s Pie and fish and chips to Americanstyle burgers, house made soups and salads, this eatery and bar alleviates everyone’s hunger pains and provides a unique dining experience right on beautiful Main Street. Who knew that one could find such exceptional British cuisine in the heart of the High Country? The pub now proudly features a new patio so guests can choose to sit

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outside and enjoy their meals and enjoy the beautiful views of Main Street. Or step inside to the air conditioned interior to beat the heat this summer season. n 828-295-3155. www.sixpencepub.com. See ad on page 71

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High Country Magazine

July 2017

BANNER ELK. The High Country’s premier steak and seafood house since 1985. Enjoy your favorite steaks, prime rib, chicken or baby back rib entrée or choose from the extensive seafood selection or daily specials. Serving daily from 5:00 p.m. in a casual, familyfriendly dining atmosphere. Also serving Brunch 10am-2pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. All ABC permits. n 828-898-5550. www.stonewallsresturant.com. See ad on this page

vidalia Boone. Centrally located on King Street in downtown Boone, Vidalia is a casual, upscale restaurant featuring “creative American cuisine.” Featuring creative menu items for lunch and dinner, it offers daily specials, various events, wine tastings and special nights. Famous menu items include the apple and gorgonzola salad, shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles and mushroom ravioli, with finishing choices like stone ground grits and cheddar mac n’ cheese. All of these choices come to you from the culinary mind of Chef Samuel Ratchford, who also owns the restaurant with his wife Alyce. Taking pride in the local community, the restaurant is proud to offer various local ingredients and choices to patrons who are looking to try local fare. Vidalia holds all ABC permits and has an extensive wine list which routinely features over 60 different wines which can be expertly paired with meals by the staff, a large selection of craft beers, martinis, whiskeys, scotches and cordials. Vidalia’s menu changes twice a year to keep it seasonal and practices farm-to-table food, using local vendors

as much as possible. n 828-263-9176. www.vidaliaofboone.com. See ad on page 74

water wheel café BOONE. Welcome to the Water Wheel Café, featuring Boone Bagelry bagels. Find us on Highway 105 in Boone – just look for the monumental Water Wheel in our parking lot! We are locally owned and operated our location offers a lodge-like feel with an impressive rock fireplace, a spacious open floor plan, and cozy booth seating. Our Culinary Team developed The Water Wheel Cafe menu to feature many of the Original classics we are known for, as well as new and exciting menu items that will win you over. We also offer a coffee bar with Espresso drinks. We look forward to serving you. n 828262-1600. www.bbwaterwheelcafe. com. See ad on page 79

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High Country Magazine

BLOWING ROCK COUNTRY CLUB Returning To Its Roots The Club celebrates the opening of four new holes – numbers 10, 11, 12 and 13

On June 16, the membership of Blowing Rock Country Club celebrated the opening of four new holes on its historic Seth Raynor designed golf course. Club members instrumental in the project and employees gathered for the ceremony and poised for a group picture. From Left: Blowing Rock Golf Superintendant Ben Barnes, Past BRCC President Joel Gottlieb, Past BRCC Board Member Linda Russell, BRCC President Jim Williams, Golf Course Architect Kris Spence, BRCC Golf Professional Wayne Smith, Past BRCC Board Member Bob Miller, and BRCC Board Member & Project Manager Brantley Clifton. 82

High Country Magazine

July 2017

The possibility of a R aynordesigned golf course in North Carolina Is exciting! He is considered one of the great golf course designers in the history of the sport

BY HARRIS PREVOST

For the ceremonial first tee-off pictured are Joel Gottlieb, Bob Miller & Linda Russell

Photos By Ken Ketchie

n June 16, the membership of Blowing Rock Country Club celebrated the opening of four new holes on its historic Seth Raynor designed golf course. The new holes – numbers 10, 11, 12 and 13 – replaced the same holes designed by Tom Jackson in 1974, and put into play in 1988. Why the holes were built in the first place, and now changed, is a long-developing story. In the 1970s, who the designer of the Blowing Rock golf course, and the significance of its design, was not a big concern. More important was paying for the construction of the new holes and getting them ready for play. The four holes Jackson designed replaced holes five through eight on the original layout. Golfers had to cross U.S. 321 in front of the Green Park Inn to play a par three hole and then hit tee shots back across the busy highway to play the par four next hole. As years went by, playing the holes became more and more risky. Everyone knew those holes had to go. Holes 10-13 were the answer. The club was set to build the holes in 1974, but in September its clubhouse burned to the ground. It took an 11-year delay to pay for a new clubhouse and start construction on the new holes.

Followed by the second group for the ceremony are Ben Barnes, Brantley Clifton & Kris Spence

UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COURSE

As Blowing Rock’s golf course approached its 100th anniversary, interest in who designed the course began to grow. The person most passionate

Course Architect Kris Spence watches the ceremonial tee-offs on his newly finished course design. July 2017

High Country Magazine

The possibility of a about its history was Wayne Raynor-designed golf Smith, the club’s head golf course in North Carolina professional for over 30 was exciting! He is considyears. Much of the evidence ered one of the great golf to determine the course’s course designers in the hisdesigner was uncovered by tory of the sport, and up Smith. unto now it didn’t appear Most assumed that there was a Raynor course Donald Ross designed the in the state. GOLFWEEK 18-hole course, but no one magazine ranked America’s could be sure because all Top 100 greatest “classic the club’s historical records courses” – those built bewere destroyed in the 1974 fore 1960 – and Raynor fire. The more Smith redesigned four of the top 20 searched the history of the and 14 of the top 100. course, the more doubt he When the club realized had that it was Ross. His Blowing Rock Country Club’s new cart barn opened in the Spring of this year. the treasure they had, they evidence leaned toward asked Kris Spence to create Seth Raynor. a master plan for the renoA news story in a March vation of the golf course. 1923 edition of the StatesSpence’s plan reintroduced ville Record & Landmark the design principles of told about Raynor coming Raynor to make the course to design a course in Statesauthentic to its designer. ville. The article referred to Over the past 75 years, its his building a golf course in original design had gradualBlowing Rock for Statesly eroded. Spence is a North ville businessmen D.J. Craig Carolina-based architect and C.V. Henkel. Craig and who specializes in restoring Henkel were principals in classic golf courses to their the Blowing Rock Developoriginal design. ment Company, builders of Most of Spence’s work the Blowing Rock course. is restoring Donald Ross A newly uncovered stoCourse Architect Kris Spence stands with the 13th fairway behind him. courses. He thoroughly rery in a 1923 Lenoir Topic quoted Raynor saying his Blowing Rock course would be one of searches each course before he begins any design work. In Blowing the finest he had ever seen. In 1938, Bobby Jones’ biographer, Rock’s case, his research took him to Scotland. The more he studO.B. Keeler, wrote a golf booklet that said the Blowing Rock golf ied Blowing Rock, the more he was convinced it was the work of Raynor, not Ross. Early golf course photos reinforced his belief. course was designed by Seth Raynor.

Kris Spence used one of Raynor’s template holes, number 11 at St. Andrews (named “Eden”) to shape his design of the new 10th. The tee was moved back, a pond removed and trees cleared to open up a beautiful view. A bunker guards the front center.

High Country Magazine

July 2017

The par five 11th has been significantly lengthened and the cart path moved to the right side where it can’t be seen, making the hole much more attractive.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

The first phase of the master plan called for Blowing Rock Country Club to redesign the four Jackson holes into Seth Raynor holes. Also in the first phase was to take down the club’s antiquated cart shed and build a modern one with a state-of-the art fitness center on the floor above. Raynor learned his trade from C.B. MacDonald, the “Father of American Golf Architecture.” MacDonald’s design strategy was to select the best 25 holes he had played (all were in Great Britain) – the best of the best, which he called his “ideal holes” – and create variations of some of them in each course he designed. Raynor was known for square fronts to his greens, creative and playful designs, deep bunkers, moving a lot of dirt when building a course, and for continuing to use MacDonald’s variations (or templates) of his 25 “ideal holes.” In staying true to Raynor’s design tendencies, Spence incorporated templates of some of MacDonald’s 25 “ideal holes.” in his Blowing Rock renovations. Blowing Rock’s new 10th hole is a 170/160 (back, middle tees) par three which has some design features around the green that create the look and feel of the 11th

hole at St. Andrews, named Eden. This is a major change from a 125 yard hole with a pond in front. Trees were cleared from behind the green to provide a beautiful backdrop of a lake on the course. A too-aggressive tee shot to a back pin placement could end up in the lake. The par five 11th has a “Lion’s Mouth” deep bunker guarding the center-right front of the green, much like number 13 at St. Andrews. The two-tier green is very challenging, but fair. Number 11’s fairway doesn’t slope as much now, and the cart path was moved to the right side where it can’t be seen. The hole is much

Trees were cut to open up the area between the 10th tee and 13th fairway to give the course a more spacious feeling. July 2017

High Country Magazine

The 13th from one of the front tees. From the regular men’s tee, a driver can be used if the ball stays well left, otherwise, it is a lay up with a hybrid. And the steep bank just past the teeing area was dramatically lowered to provide a better view of the hole. The pond was removed and the green moved back to add distance. The landing area is still blind from the back tee, but is now a driver shot as opposed to a mid-iron lay up. more attractive. It is also a lot longer, reachable in two by only the long hitters. Numbers 12 and 13 do not have templates, but they have some characteristics of some of the “Ideal 25” holes. The 12th has a small “punch bowl” green often seen in Scotland and Ireland, and located further back in the woods from its original position. The fairway was dropped 4-5 feet in elevation and a bunker was added to capture drives hit through the fairway on the dogleg left

par four. The short, previously drivable par four 13th had a major make over. Spence is very pleased with how the hole turned out. Previously, it was a blind lay up tee shot to stay short of a pond guarding the green. The fairway that dropped steeply in elevation, requiring only a mid-iron tee shot, then a wedge in. A lot of earth was moved on the new 13th to make the drive less of a blind shot. The pond was removed and the green moved

A straight-away bunker on #12 penalizes a drive through the fairway on the tight and tricky dogleg left par four.

A deep bunker, similar to the “Lion’s Mouth” on the 13th at St. Andrews, makes for a tricky approach shot on Blowing Rock’s 11th.

High Country Magazine

July 2017

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High Country Magazine

back to make the hole a little longer. The creek continues to flow to the immediate right of the green. Drivers can now be hit from the back tee. From the regular tee, a three wood or hybrid is the safer choice for the longer players. A driver can be hit, but the shot’s risk/reward becomes more risk. The 13th’s appearance is dramatically different from last year. The grass on the new greens were sodded from the original greens and from the club’s sod farm. As Wayne Smith says, “The greens are three months old with 100 year-old grass on them.” The most amazing thing about the greens is that you cannot tell they have been sodded. They do look like they have been there 100 years! The changes to holes 10-13 were made not to take away from Jackson’s work, but to make the holes look more like Raynor holes. These holes required major renovations because they were not Raynor designs. The next holes to be renovated will be Raynor holes, so they will have less dramatic changes. The decision to or not to make future changes, and the time frame if there are changes, has not been made by the club’s board of directors. Two holes under consideration are numbers 17 and 18. The 17th hole would be lengthened and made more challenging by moving the green all the way back to the pond, at least a 20 yard increase. That move will eliminate the back tees for number 18. Major changes around the green will compensate for the par five finishing hole being a little shorter. What is taking place now at Blowing Rock Country Club is more than making some golf course changes here and there. It is a well coordinated process with a clear purpose in mind, to have their Seth Raynor golf course become an authentic Seth Raynor course in design, appearance and feel. The club’s efforts reflect an appreciation and excitement for the treasure they have, and a commitment to excellence at the highest level. Blowing Rock Country Club may be 102, but they aren’t through! t

Golf Superintendant Ben Barnes and his crew did an amazing job getting the course in excellent shape for play in a very short time

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July 2017

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THE CLUB RENOVATED NUMBER TWO, TOO

he original plan was to redesign and build the four holes, but the club changed the plan to include the renovation of the green and fringe area on its second hole, a steeply uphill par three 180/160 yards, but playing 20 yards longer. The second hole is perhaps the most significant, design-wise, on the course. It is a redan, one of the most famous designs in golf. Redan means “formidable fortress.” The green area strongly defends the hole. A redan, kidney-shaped green is elevated with a bunker located in the left front of the green. The green angles diagonally away at a 45 degree angle from the approach shot. The green also has a challenging slope from top to bottom and from right to left. Spence lowered the green elevation, added the bunker, cut out a lot of trees on the left and opened a beautiful rock outcropping. He also smoothed out the green’s fringe to make the hole more fair. The hole looks like it could be in Scotland, which is where the original redan, the one modern redans are patterned after, is located. That would be the 15th hole at North Berwick Golf Club in East Lothian, Scotland. t

TOP PHOTO: A side view of the second green shows Raynor’s typical straightline design of the front of his greens. Spence cleared out a lot of trees to the left, opening up a rock outcropping and making room for a bunker. SIDE PHOTO: A sharply uphill par three, plays two clubs longer than its 180/160 yardage. The hole was designed to play as a redan, perhaps the most famous design for a hole in the game of golf. The original redan, meaning a fortress, is in Scotland.

FOR YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE

July 2017

High Country Magazine

Rhodos in

Bloom

Photography by Scott Pearson

High Country Magazine

July 2017

side from attempting to navigate the dense thickets or gauging the temperature with the drooping leaves, the rhododendron seems to go unnoticed until the late spring and early summer when its blooms color the mountain landscape. When the rhododendron is in bloom, it’s undoubtedly among the prettiest shrubs around. The Catawba rhododendron is in bloom early May to early June depending on the elevation. It’s the most sought after of the rhododendron varieties because of its deep pink and purple flowers. The Catawba rhododendron is also the main attraction at Grandfather Mountain’s Rhododendron Ramble and the Roan Mountain Rhododendron Festival,

both held in June. Once the Catawba rhododendron begins to fade, the other prevalent rhododendron in the High Country takes its turn to shine. The Rosebay rhododendron will remain in bloom through early July. While the Catawba rhododendron usually marks when cooler spring weather has turned the corner, the blooming and fading of the rosebay blossoms signals the dog days of summer. The Rosebay rhododendron is recognizable by its snowypink flowers. Among the best places to experience the rosebay variety is along the Moses Cone trails. July 2017

High Country Magazine

Scott Pearson Photography

ased in Blowing Rock, Scott Pearson’s career as a professional photographer spans three decades. He started out as an underwater photographer and logged thousands of hours in the ocean with the Cousteau Society on Project Ocean Search. He’s since traversed the globe capturing the most elusive wildlife and breathtaking landscapes for National Geographic, Wildlife Magazine, International Wildlife, The Discovery Channel and other esteemed publications. Pearson offers Nature Camp Photography, a one-day photography workshop in the field in the surrounding High Country. Contact Pearson at 828-719-9310 or at his website: scottpearsonfineartphotography.com.

High Country Magazine

July 2017

High Country Magazine

John Pipes

Meat Camp Native Brings World-Class Murals to the High Country BY BAILEY FAULKNER

hile Boone and the High Country’s unique atmosphere draws artists up the mountain from all parts of the country each year, the area also has a tendency to lure many of its most talented and well-traveled natives back home. Meat Camp native John Pipes certainly falls into that category. “I grew up here and left 20 years ago, and for 20 years I’ve been traveling the country and the world doing murals,” the still recently-returned artist said.

High Country Magazine

July 2017

Pipes and friend and Davenport Elementary School art teacher Dabney Smith gathered input from students for their “Evolution of Education” mural at the Lenoir school.

About John Pipes

Growing up with Appalachian State University and Caldwell Community College professors as parents, Pipes was born with a desire to learn. Rather than choosing a formal education route, the Meat Camp native set out to travel the globe gaining firsthand experience doing what he loves: painting murals. Whether working in Reykjavik, Iceland or living with fresco painters with generations of experience in Mexico City, Pipes has never shied away from the challenge of becoming a world-renowned muralist. Having accomplished just that, Pipes has now answered the familiar welcoming call of the High Country and Blue Ridge Mountains. “I want to use every element that I’ve learned to bring world-class murals to my hometown.” If you’ve made it out to some of the High Country’s most popular restaurants and venues this year, chances are that you’ve already seen Pipes’ work. But those paintings would be nothing without his years of practice around the world. In addition to two murals in Iceland and around ten in Mexico City, Pipes has honed his craft in Canada, New Zealand and Japan on top of countless cities stateside. While international mural painting is his passion, Pipes hasn’t limited his talents to his most artistically-gratifying medium. The muralist has spent years supplementing his income with high-end home and building painting. Under the name of his current company, Tri-Pro Painting, Pipes specializes in “master house, industrial, commercial, faux and (his favorite) mural painting.” July 2017

High Country Magazine

Pipes’ mural at Black Cat — his “baby,” as he calls it — allowed Pipes the most artistic freedom of any of his murals in the area. Asked only to feature a black cat, Pipes drew from his own influences to complete the rest of the mural. While he’s certainly grateful for his work with Tri-Pro, the artist at heart pours his love into his other company, Pipes Dreams. “Pipes Dreams is my heart and soul. That’s my art,” Pipes said. Pipes focuses on emphasizing “the beauty of the dark side of pop culture” while working under the Pipes Dreams moniker. The company also allows Pipes to sell and distribute his artwork and merchandise, which he plans to increasingly focus upon in the coming years. But more than anything, Pipes wants to spend his time towards one sole purpose. “My goal in the next five years is to just do murals.” Pipes’ return to the High Country is acting as a springboard for that goal.

Pipes’ Work in the High Country This Year “Anita,” 4’x4’ mural painted in 2012, 60’s Sci Fi Style. Pipes is influenced by Sci Fi like the ovie “Barbarella” and Heavy Metal Magazines.

“I’m happy to bring what I’ve learned the last 20 years here to Boone. It’s cool to move back to Boone and see a lot of my friends that I grew up with doing really well.” – John Pipes

High Country Magazine

July 2017

Since moving back to Boone six months ago, Pipes has kept himself busy to say the least. By the time he begins his nationwide tour later this year, the muralist will have added ten original pieces in the High Country and surrounding areas. If you’d like to see Pipes’ world-class artwork for yourself, visit the following: Completed • The Tapp Room: 421 Blowing Rock Rd., Boone • Rivers Street Ale House: 957 Rivers St., Boone • Black Cat Burrito: 127 Depot St., Boone • Cafe Portofino: 970 Rivers St., Boone • The Town Tavern: 1182 Main St, Blowing Rock • Tank’s Tacos y Tequila: 455 Blowing Rock Rd., Boone • Davenport Elementary School: 901 College Ave. SW, Lenoir

In Progress • Capone’s Pizza & Bar (2 murals): 139 New Market Centre, Boone To Be Completed Later This Year • Davenport Elementary School: 901 College Ave. SW, Lenoir If the number of murals Pipes has completed seems impressive, that’s simply because it is. Pipes’ amount of work in the little time he has been back in Boone is unprecedented in the High Country. “No one has ever done that many murals in six months in this town,” Pipes said. While he isn’t one to toot his own horn, Pipes is rightfully proud and confident in his abilities that he has painstakingly grown over the last 20 years. Using that talent in his hometown only makes his work that much more satisfying. “I’m happy to bring what I’ve learned the last 20 years here to Boone. It’s cool to move back to Boone and see a lot of my friends that I grew up with doing really well,” Pipes said. As of right now, Pipes is working with longtime friend and co-owner of Capone’s Chris Staggs. Pipes’ move back to the High Country was timed perfectly along with the pizzeria’s move from downtown Boone to the New Market Centre off East King Street. To say Pipes is excited about his two upcoming murals at Capone’s would be an understatement. Upon the two murals’ completion, guests will be welcomed with the unforgettable face of the restaurant’s namesake. “You should be able to see Al Capone all the way from the highway,” Pipes said. After a greeting from one of the most infamous figures in American history, customers will have the chance to check out Pipes’ second mural while enjoying their meals. Pipes’ “fun” piece, as he calls it, will exude an instantly-recognizable 1930s noir theme, taking a minimalist approach to portray a classic mob-style vehicle making its way out of a city dominated by skyscrapers. Although the detail to Al Capone’s looming appearance and the simplicity of his noir painting will certainly turn heads at Capone’s, Pipes feels that his most popular work is his mural at Rivers Street Ale House. Although it is his most simple work in the area to date, the Ale House mural and its attention to detail were able to fool even those working at the establishment. Two months after the mural was completed, an Ale House employee was concerned that a pull-down screen used for televised sporting events might knock a wooden decoration off the wall. That decoration was simply Pipes’ paint and sheetrock. “That was the best compliment I could

Like with all of his work, Pipes’ Town Tavern mural in Blowing Rock utilizes depth and a three-dimensional style. Along with Pipes’ uncanny ability to paint wood with stunning attention to detail, the Town Tavern mural is a must see.

Pipes’ Cafe Portofino mural also utilizes stunning detail to depicting wood. With the restaurant located within walking distance to ASU, the mural pays homage to the university’s outstanding sports programs.

Seemingly timing its opening in conjunction with Pipes’ return to the High Country this summer, Tank’s Tacos y Tequila asked the seasoned muralist to add his flair to the new restaurant acrossJuly from the Holmes 2017 H i g h CConvocation o u n t r y M Center. agazine 97

Growing up in Meat Camp, Pipes was always enjoying his tricycle and (later) skateboarding. Show above right, 1979, and left 1989. than his work with Smith at Davenport had,” Pipes chuckled. “I want to share the tens haveWhile all of Pipes’ local paintings Elementary School in Lenoir. Donating of thousands of dollars showcase his undeniable talent, his work time to support education and create an fellow painter and Davenport El- excitement about art at the school, Pipes I’ve wasted in time and with ementary School art teacher Dabney knew from the beginning that his first likely holds the most special place mural at Davenport Elementary would money on figuring things Smith be special. in the artist’s heart. out and give that to “Kids are the best customers. They’re so excited and they learn something. Pipes’ Mission to Help aspiring artists for free That was probably my best experience Younger Artists here doing a mural,” Pipes reflected. and do so happily.” There is no better example of Pipes’ desire to give back and inspire youth

– John Pipes

Robin Wellner blue ridge impressions: brush and knife

Starting off the day by asking around 200 students for their input, Pipes and

July 17th - July 27th Reception july 22nd, 5pm to 8pm

High Country Magazine

July 2017

John and his Aunt Claudia at Green Park Inn watching Fireworks 1984 Smith were delighted to see pure joy on the children’s faces throughout the day. Perhaps the most heart-warming element of the experience was seeing the faces of kindergarteners at the end of the day after they saw the “bones” of the mural early that morning. “There’s nothing more rewarding

John and his daughter Clara, 2015, Live Art at a festival in Wilmington of dollars I’ve wasted in time and money on figuring things out and give that to aspiring artists for free and do so happily,” Pipes said. As a conceptual artist, Pipes knows firsthand that there is a lack of conceptual studios nationwide. He says that part of that reason is that the most profitable

than doing a kids’ mural,” Pipes remarked with a smile on his face. Elementary school students aren’t the only ones Pipes wants to impact. A defining component of his overall goal as an artist is to help those who are younger and less experienced. “I want to share the tens of thousands

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High Country Magazine

One of his most simplistic murals in town, the wood grain and Yosef head mural at Rivers Street Ale House seems to be Pipes’ most popular (and realistic) painting in the High Country.

avenue for creating art is selling “tourist art.” While creating tourist art —landscapes, seascapes, portraits, etc. — obviously requires skill, Pipes’ background as a conceptual artist steers him away from pursuing that option. “My problem with that is, although there are people who are very good at that kind of art, I find it noncreative. I really appreciate all art and I support all art, but I think there is a lack of good marketing business-wise for conceptual artists.” Having spent 20 years on the road and in cities across the world, Pipes understands that the artistic mind and the business mind are rarely compatible. With that wisdom, Pipes wants to show young artists the tricks of the trade, hopefully saving time and frustration for those wanting to focus first and foremost on their art. “If you’re talented enough, you deserve to make money, and I’m not trying to hide what I do or how I do it. I would happily share that with any younger artists. My main goal is to help conceptual artists make money and furthermore become more world-traveled conceptual artists.”” Pipes asserted. One of Pipes’ most important lessons to aspiring artists? “You have to shamelessly self promote and find your niche.”

Where Pipes Is Headed

Collaborating again with artist and friend Dabney Smith, Pipes and his trusted co-muralist created this chalkboard with beautiful colors and a haunting, desolate landscape in the original TApp room bar. This chalk mural took 12 hours to complete.

“PC3PO” - 60’s-70’s sci fi. Sold to Andrew Keener in 2015. 100

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After putting the finishing touches on the two murals at Capone’s, Pipes will return to Davenport Elementary School to donate his time for a second mural. That mural will likely be his last before setting out on a nation-

TWO DAY LOU, one of Pipe’s favorites, sold 100 signed and numbered prints in 1 year.

Pipes at work on his newest mural at the new Capones.

wide tour beginning later this year. After his winter tour, Pipes will return for another summer in the High Country. Before that, he hopes to accomplish a goal of many top muralists in the world: to complete a mural in London and Paris in addition to his work already in Tokyo. Having murals in the trio of cities is Pipes’ next step as a world-famous artist. But to think rounding out the trio would be enough for Pipes would be to think small. The Meat Camp native sets his sights higher than that. “My goal in life is to be called from another country overseas and have them tell me ‘do whatever you want.’” But for now, Pipes is happy to use his talents in the mountains he called home as a young and aspiring artist. “It’s a gift that I’m happy to give to the area. I love these mountains so much. Boone has been very good to me.” For more information on John Pipes and his work around the High Country and the world, visit facebook.com/pipesdreamsart. You can also visit instagram. com/pipes_dreams. And his new website, www.pipesdreams.art. t

Painted for Hair Slayer, a salon in Wilmington, approx 9’ x 6’

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Parting Shot...

Todd Bush

To Elaine Wold’s Vision and Generosity

Banner Elk Mayor Brenda Lyerly (left) stands with Elaine Wold at the dedication of the Clock Tower and new town park called Corner On Main

“S

he’s been a blessing to us,” said Mayor Brenda Lyerly, referring to Elaine Wold, the benefactor and visionary behind much of the recent revitalization of downtown Banner Elk. Lyerly has said this – in one way or another – more than once during our numerous interviews over the past several years. And it’s true. A resident at Elk River, Wold has been making an impact on the Banner Elk community since at least the ‘90s when, along with her late husband, Keith Wold, she donated the elk statue that adorns the downtown area. In late June, Wold was recognized during the dedication of the stone clock tower at the corner of Main Street and Shawneehaw Avenue. The dedication featured keynote speakers Mayor Lyerly and N.C. Senator Deanna Ballard – and the sounds, tunes and chimes of the brand new clock. Wold’s latest string of donations began a few months after the Avery County Board of Commissioners agreed to sell the historic Banner Elk School for $1 million to the Town of Banner Elk. Wold donated $100,000 for the beautification and streetscaping near the elk statue, which sits at the entrance to the newly named Town Commons, which is the greenspace in front of the refurbished school. Last fall, just in time for the Woolly Worm Festival, the Town of Banner Elk finished the beautiful circular landscape/streetscape of rock and flowers around the statue, and the town is currently in the process of completing the fence line near the statue and 104

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adding more brick to the streetscape. The town named the area where the stone clock tower stands “Corner on Main” park. This area is a new greenspace and is a direct result of Wold’s generosity. She tired of seeing the old corner building sit vacant for several years. So she donated the funds for the town to purchase the old building and demolish the structure to build the park. Wold also donated the funds to build the clock tower, and the town will further improve the greenspace when donations from others roll in. “It’s wonderful. Everyone has commented on it and everyone loves it,” Lyerly said prior to the dedication. “It’s really been an asset for us and we’re really looking forward to the completion of the entire park area. It just takes money.” This privately-funded park is expected to have 26 design features. Future plans include a covered colonnade seating area with benches, brick paver pathways, planter beds, a rock retaining wall, lampposts and an elk statue across Main Street near the Chamber of Commerce. By the time the next Woolly Worm Festival rolls around in the fall, visitors to Banner Elk will recognize more beautifications to the downtown area. All – again – thanks to Elaine Wold. By Jesse Wood

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