Volume 14 • Issue 1 August/September 2018
Grandfather Golf & Country Club
U B O F BA N N ELK
KIWA
NI
CL
ER
S
50 YEARS
Kiwanis Banner Elk at 50 | Blue Ridge Garden Club Avery County Fair | The Singing Hayes Family August / September 2018
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Live Local. Bank Local. Our roots run deep in the communities we serve. We believe in knowing customers by name and providing a level of personalized service that separates us from other financial institutions. We are a part of the communities we serve, a neighbor, not just a business, who focuses on offering sound financial solutions.
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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 o theubase theahouse options or premiums,2018 unless otherwise indicated for a specific home. Nothing on our website should be construed as legal, accounting or tax advice. Sotheby’s gh C n tprice r y ofM g a zand i ndoenot include August / September 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.
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The location, the style, the feeling you get when you walk through the door – every aspect of your home should be a reflection of who you are, where you’ve been and the life you aspire to live. Your best life begins with a home that inspires you. Call us today and let us find your inspiration. 877.539.9865
Asheville | 828.277.3238 Banner Elk | 828.898.5022
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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.
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“H
ound Ears is the place where you can play f irst class golf, enjoy wonderful dining, make life-long friends and be very socially active; it is our slice of heaven in the
mountains. You won’t f ind more welcoming people anywhere.” – Tim and JoAnn Voight, Members since 20 0 6
August / September 2018
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C O N T E N T S
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From Dream to Reality: Grandfather Golf & Country Club Despite geographic obstacles and people doubting the idea, the Grandfather Golf & Country Club is one of the best courses you’ll ever find 4,000 feet up.
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Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk Celebrates 50 Years The Golden Jubilee celebration for the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk highlights the many programs and lives that have been touched by the club.
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Thriving and Surviving
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25 Years of the Avery Agricultural & Horticultural Fair
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The Blue Ridge Garden Club is closing in on 70 years of existence in the High Country with nearly 40 members keeping the garden club legacy alive.
Thousands of people have shown up each year since 1993 to take part in the annual Avery County tradition.
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The Hayes Family’s Musical Heritage The Hayes Family of Boone has been singing Southern Gospel tunes since 1958 with hopefully many more years of music to come.
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Forage to Feast
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Holly Drake shares her experiences of feeding off of nature with anyone that wants to come to Todd and be part of the Forage to Feast.
on the cover Todd Bush
- For this month’s cover, Todd Bush took to the skies for this view from above spectacular Grandfather Golf & Country Club with Grandfather Mountain fully appearing in the background. The club is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year and their golf course that many said couldn’t be built. You can see more of Todd’s photography on his website; www. BushPhoto.com
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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.
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.
Master of Realism David Birmingham August 2 - August 25
Sunday Conversations
FREELANCE OPPORTUNITIES
Writers and photographers may send queries and samples to the editor at hcmag@highcountrypress.com.
Contact us at:
High Country Press/Magazine P.O. Box 152 1600 Highway 105 Boone, NC 28607 www.hcpress.com info@highcountrypress.com 828-264-2262
Annual Cocktails and Conversation William Dunlap August 12, 2-4pm
artcellaronline.com | 828-898-5175 Hwy 184. Banner Elk, North Carolina August / September 2018
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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
Ken Ketchie with The Mountain Times’ “Inbox” in 1980
Front Row Seat To The Last 40 Years
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here are always a lot of anniversaries being celebrated every year as time just flies by for us all. In this issue we feature stories on the 50th anniversaries of Grandfather Golf and Country Club as well as the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk. I just had a big anniversary myself. It was 40 years ago this past August 1 when I first got into the newspaper publishing business. That was the day the very first issue of the Sundown Times newspaper hit the streets. The day before, four of us had stayed up all night long around a kitchen table cutting up paper and using glue to paste together the first four-page issue of a newspaper we had named the Sundown Times. The next afternoon on August 1, I vividly remember us once again sitting around a table in an empty restaurant where we all worked in Blowing Rock, waiting for that first issue to arrive back from the printer. It was an exhilarating moment when we put our hands on those first copies. There were a lot of smiles for sure, but then we quickly realized that we had to get back to work to make the next issue for the following week. That’s pretty much what I’ve been doing ever since. That’s me in the picture up above, a couple of years after that first issue had come out. We had just renamed the newspaper The Mountain Times, and by this time we had a fairly legitimate office space on Main Street in Blowing Rock, where this picture was taken. Also by then, the newspaper had a larger staff, and we were beginning to figure out how to make this adventure work. There were writers of course and we had salespeople out there trying to sell ads, and then people who would come in and design those ads, as well as get the paper laid out and ready for the printer. In addition, there were photographers, delivery folks and the personalities who would contribute their weekly columns. We were young with wide eyes and having the time of our lives. Looking back now, that’s when I began to have this incredible front row seat to what was going on in the Boone, Blowing Rock and Banner Elk areas. Being the editor of this growing newspaper meant that I had to know what was going on. Every week we were reporting on the news and events happening at the time and I had a chance to see it all. In 1980, we reported on how the local travel industry began an effort to rebrand this area as the High Country, and I guess you could say I’ve been trying to keep up with that brand ever since. 40 years is a lot of time keeping up with publishing. Along the way there have been some big celebrations and some lonely disappointments, there have been good times and bad, and after 40 years, way too many deadlines to keep up with. But I’m still enjoying this front row seat and having a chance to work with so many different people and organizations across the High Country, and still be able to tell the stories and news about what’s happening across our mountain communities. Thanks to everyone who has been a part of any or all of those 40 years. It has been an incredible front row seat! 10
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Contributing Writers Nathan Ham Hailey Belvins Tim Gardner Harris Prevost Elly Murray Davin Underwood Sherrie Norris
Contributing Photographers Todd Bush Bob Gefaell Hailey Belvins 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. © 2018 by High Country Press. All Rights Reserved.
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SHOP LOCAL
August / September 2018
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Calendarof Events Compiled by Elly Murray
august 2018
16 Blowing Rock Farmers’ Market, Park Ave., 828-298-7851
16: Avery County Farmers’ Market, Old Banner Elk Elementary School, www.averycountyfarmersmarket.net
16 Banner Elk Concerts in the Park: Clockworx, Tate-Evans Park, 828-898-8395
17 Best Cellar Music on the Lawn: Soul Benefactor, The Inn at Ragged Gardens, 828-295-9703
17 Music in the Valle: The Dashboard Hula Boys, Valle Crucis Community Park, 828-963-9239
17 Concerts on the Lawn: Bluegrass Showcase: Cane Mill Road, Dollar Brothers, and Surefire, ones House, 828-268-6280
17-25 Ensemble Stage: “Weekend Comedy,“ Historic Banner Elk School, 828-414-1844
18 Summer Concerts at 5506’: If Birds Could Fly, Beech Mountain Skybar, 828-387-2011
18 Todd Summer Music: The Lucky Strikes, Cook Memorial Park, 828-263-6173
18 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: The Johnson Brothers, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
18 Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, 828-355-4918
19 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: Wayne Taylor and Friends, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
21 Bayou Concerts in the Courtyard: Typical Mountain Boys, Bayou Smokehouse and Grill, 828-898-8952
23 Blowing Rock Farmers’ Market, Park Ave., 828-298-7851
25 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: Cahoots, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
25 Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, 828-355-4918
25 High Country Beer Fest, High Country Fairgrounds, hcbeerfest.com
25-26 Railroad Heritage Weekend, Tweetsie Railroad, 828-264-9061
2 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: The Harris Brothers, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
27 Bayou Concerts in the Courtyard: Dave Calvert and the Collective, Bayou Smokehouse and Grill, 828-898-8952
30 Welcome Back Comedy Show: Adam Devine, Schaefer Center, 828-262-4046
30 Banner Elk Concerts in the Park: The Collective, Tate-Evans Park, 828-898-8395
30 Blowing Rock Farmers’ Market, Park Ave., 828-298-7851
30 Avery County Farmers’ Market, Old Banner Elk Elementary School, www.averycountyfarmersmarket.net
31 Best Cellar Music on the Lawn: The Shelby Rae Moore Band, The Inn at Ragged Gardens, 828-295-9703
31 Concerts on the Lawn: Jazzfest: Swing Guitars, Shane Chalke’s BE Jazz, and Todd Wright, Jones House, 828-268-6280
SEPTEMBER 2018
1 Summer Concerts at 5506’: Baby Black, Beech Mountain Skybar, 828-387-2011
1 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: The Classics, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
23 Avery County Farmers’ Market, Old Banner Elk Elementary School, www.averycountyfarmersmarket.net
1 Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, 828-355-4918
23 Banner Elk Concerts in the Park: Cooligans, Tate-Evans Park, 828-898-8395
1-2 Mile High Kite Festival, The Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria, 800-468-5506
23-26 Ashe County Little Theatre: “Savannah Sipping Society,” Ashe Civic Center, 336-846-2787
1-2 Art on the Greene, Historic Banner Elk School, 828-387-0581
24 Best Cellar Music on the Lawn: The Harris Brothers, The Inn at Ragged Gardens, 828-295-9703
2 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: The Shelby Rae Moore Band, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
24 Music in the Valle: The Carolina Ramble Review, Valle Crucis Community Park, 828-963-9239
24 Concerts on the Lawn: Alexa Rose and Appalucians, Jones House, 828-268-6280
4 Bayou Concerts in the Courtyard: Dave Calvert and the Collective, Bayou Smokehouse and Grill, 828-898-8952
25 High Country Half Marathon, Kidd Brewer Stadium, https://triplecrown.appstate.edu/half-marathon
6 Blue Bear Music Fest, Blue Bear Mtn. Campground in Todd, 828-406-4226
6 Blowing Rock Farmers’ Market, Park Ave., 828-298-7851
25 Summer Concerts at 5506’: Dr. Bacon, Beech Mountain Skybar, 828-387-2011
6 Avery County Farmers’ Market, Old Banner Elk Elementary School, www.averycountyfarmersmarket.net
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DON’T FORGET
EVENTS
Anvil Arts
Sculpture Garden & Gallery & Studio of Bill Brown
Seven Devils’ 7k Race
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n a Saturday morning in September, you could be running along a course with breathtaking views of Grandfather Mountain. That’s right, “The Hawk”, Seven Devils’ 7k race returns for its second year on September 15th, and this is a new tradition that you’ll definitely want to be a part of. This year, the Seven Devils Town Council has partnered with Blue Ridge Conservancy, and a portion of the proceeds of the race will go toward building public hiking trails on newly acquired land in the Seven Devils area. The race itself starts at 8 a.m. at Hawksnest, an outdoor snow tubing and zipline place. The race is also known as “7K at 7D”, and there are several age groups to win in, ranging from ages one to 80 plus. Additionally, there are alternate choices for those who don’t want to race a whole 7K. The Fun Hawk Run/Walk is not timed, and is only 3k. You can also register as a Phantom Hawk, cheer the race on from the sidelines, and get a free T-shirt, just like the rest of the racers. Registration prices increase after Sept. 12th for the first two events, and the Phantom Hawk registration ends on Sept. 12th. Register early to avoid paying extra for last minute sign up, and to get a free T-shirt in your size. Racers who sign up late will have to pick from extra T-shirts on a first come, first serve basis. What better way to spend a cool fall morning than challenging yourself to race for a good cause? Ticket prices are as follows: The Hawk 7K timed event is $30 The Fun Hawk Run/Walk( not timed) is $25 Phantom Hawk is $20 For more information, and to register, please visit www.racingtoes.com/2018-events/ By Elly Murray
Jordy
Lyday
Peverall
Interior & Exterior Sculptures in Metal, Stone, Clay & Glass
studiosculpture.com 9600 Linville Falls Hwy. / US 221 Linville Falls, NC / 828.765.6226 Tuesday-Saturday 10-5 / Summer Sundays 1-5
Sept. 15
August / September 2018
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Calendar of Events, continued
7 First Friday Art Crawl, Downtown Boone, 828-262-4532
7 Best Cellar Music on the Lawn: Deep Greens and Blues, The Inn at Ragged Gardens, 828-295-9703
15 Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, 828-355-4918
7 Music by the Lake: Presley Barker and ShadowGrass, Seven Devils Resort Club, 808-963-5343
15 48th Annual Girl Scout Day, Grandfather Mountain, 828-733-2013
7 Music in the Valle: Folk and Dagger, Valle Crucis Community Park, 828-963-9239
16 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: The Lucky Strikes, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
20 Blowing Rock Farmers’ Market, Park Ave., 828-298-7851
8 Art in the Park, Downtown Blowing Rock, 828-295-7851
8 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: Sons of the South, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
20 Avery County Farmers’ Market, Old Banner Elk Elementary School, www.averycountyfarmersmarket.net
8 Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, 828-355-4918
21 Best Cellar Music on the Lawn: Worthless Son in Laws, The Inn at Ragged Gardens, 828-295-9703
21-22, 28-29 Ghost Train, Tweetsie Railroad, 828-264-9061
9 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: Wayne Taylor, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
22 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: The Johnson Brothers, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
13 Blowing Rock Farmers’ Market, Park Ave., 828-298-7851
13 Avery County Farmers’ Market, Old Banner Elk Elementary School, www.averycountyfarmersmarket.net
22 Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, 828-355-4918
14 Best Cellar Music on the Lawn: King Bee’s, The Inn at Ragged Gardens, 828-295-9703
23 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: The Harrison Brothers, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
27 Blowing Rock Farmers’ Market, Park Ave., 828-298-7851
15 The 5th Annual Blowing Rock Music Festival, The Blowing Rock Attraction, 828-295-4812
27 Avery County Farmers’ Market, Old Banner Elk Elementary School, www.averycountyfarmersmarket.net
15 Music at the Linville Falls Winery: Bluegrass Blend, Linville Falls Winery, 828-765-1400
28 Best Cellar Music on the Lawn: The Harris Brothers, The Inn at Ragged Gardens, 828-295-9703
Visit Our Winery — Tasting Room Open Daily — Monday-SaturdaZ 4unday 1-5
Liv e M us ic 225 Vineyard Lane, Banner Elk, N$ t visit our website for more info grandfathervineyBSE DPN 14
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11 miles from Boone on Highway 105 South Mon-Sat 10am - 5pm • OPEN ALL YEAR • 828-963-6466 5320 Highway 105 South • Banner Elk, NC
Home of Harry and Betsy Mashburn
Solid Wood Furniture Full Line of Outdoor Furniture
Interior Design Service Over 30 Years Experience Home Accessories Impeccable Service August / September 2018
High Country Magazine
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mountain
echoes Photos from Video by Jordan Nelson
Boone Police Department Takes On Lip Sync Challenge
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n the craze that has continued to sweep across the nation, the Boone Police Department joined in on the fun, completing their own lip sync challenge video. The video was shot at several different locations across Boone, including scenes at the police department, King Street, Local Lion and the Greenway Trail. “It was a joint effort deciding on locations to shoot from. We sat down and talked about what best reflected the community, what some unique spots are, things like that,” said Jordan A. Nelson, owner and operator of Nelson Aerial Productions, the company that shot and produced the video for the police department. The Boone Police Department lip sync challenge featured the song “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” an R&B classic written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, made famous by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1967 and again in 1970 by Diana Ross and The Supremes. While the officers put on a show lip syncing their parts, a large group of friends, family and other community members got to participate in the filming of the video at the Greenway Trail by chipping in some background music and some more familiar faces for the camera. The lip sync challenge started as a way for police officers across the country to show the softer side of being in law enforcement, the side that a lot of people forget about. That’s one of the reasons why Nelson was so happy to be a part of producing this video. “It’s been an honor to work with the Boone Police Department and it has been a lot of fun, not only for them but for myself,” said Nelson. “It’s been fun filming them and getting to see the side of the officers that you don’t typically get to see. That’s the whole purpose of this movement, to get to see that side of the officers.” The lip sync challenge video can be found on the Town of Boone Police Department’s Facebook page and on their Twitter account. The officers that took part in the video were: Detective Candace Peck, Officer Evan Laws, Detective Kat Eller, Officer Glenn Kornhauser, Corporal Jake Harkey, Officer Chris Minton, Police Chief Dana Crawford, Lieutenant Bobby Creed, Officer Petey Hausley and K-9 Simba, Sergeant TJ Proffit and Sergeant Donnie Goodman and his two horses. Telecommunicators Bridgett Klein, Daryan Watson, Brenda Brittain and Destiny Finley were also in the video. By Nathan Ham 16
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August / September 2018
King Street was one of the filming locations for the Boone Police Department’s lip sync challenge.
This part of the video was filmed from a drone above a bridge on the Greenway Trail with Corporal Jake Harkey sitting on the railing.
Members of the telecommunications department also got in on the video fun. Pictured here, left to right: Bridgett Klein, Destiny Finley, Brenda Brittain and Daryan Watson.
August / September 2018
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The High Country Beer Fest Returns for its 11th Year
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elebrating the last few golden days of summer, the High Country Beer Fest returns for its 11th year on August 25th! The High Country Fairgrounds will come alive on Saturday the 25th, with over 50 local breweries supplying their craft brews, including Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Booneshine, and Lost Province. Live music will also be playing, and Brett Taubman, the director of the event, says. “We have three bands again this year. Earleine is opening up, and then we have Mink’s Miracle Medicine as the headlining act, and then Mission in the Rain, which is a Dead cover band, is closing out once again this year.” There are three types of festival tickets available, so you can customize your own experience. The VIP tickets, which are 80 dollars a pop, get you one hour early access, a free meal ticket, and a free T-shirt. Taubman says that getting in at 2 p.m., an hour ahead of everyone else, is especially important because “Instead of having 2,000 people in there with you, you’ve got about 200... so you get much more one-on-one access to the brewers for an hour before everybody else.” He added that, “It really is worth it if you can do the VIP ticket... It pays for itself.” There’s also the $40 General Admission ticket, which gets you unlimited access to over 50 craft breweries, pairing seminars, and live music. You do have to pay for your own food with the General Admission ticket, but luckily there’s lots of choices to choose from. Taubman says, “There’s lots of great food. We have about 15 food vendors there this year….(selling) everything from light snacks and dessert type items to full meals. We have vegetarian fare, meat-loving fare, and everything in between.” The final ticket is $10 for a designated driver, one of your friends who doesn’t
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really drink, but would still like to join the festivities. If you don’t have a friend like that, the festival offers several different ways to get home safely without driving drunk. There will be a bus running back and forth from the event to the Raley Lot on App State’s campus until 9 p.m., as well as a VIP bus that starts running at 1:20 p.m. There will also be one shuttle bus running from the Country Inn and the Quality Inn to the fairgrounds, from about 1:30 to 8 p.m. However, you’re only allowed to park your car at the inns if you’re a customer there, so keep that in mind. Bill’s Towing will also be towing cars from the event to anywhere in the town of Boone for free. These cars can have up to four passengers, and the services run from 5 to 9 p.m. They have also hired one driver to take people anywhere they need to go, from 4 to 8 p.m., sort of like a taxi. Taubman says that, “We strongly encourage people not to drink and drive, and there’s no reason to do it with all the services that we provide, for free.” The festival itself is run by a nonprofit, Ivory Tower. Taubman explains that, “The mission of Ivory Tower… is to foster research and education in fermentation sciences.” So, several of the proceeds that Ivory Tower collects from this event go to the fermentation sciences program at App State, as well as several local charities, like the Back-2School Fest. The 11th Annual High Country Beer Fest runs until 7 p.m., and is sure to be a sensational celebration. Come out and enjoy an afternoon of drinking and fun with your buddies, while supporting a good cause. By Elly Murray
August / September 2018
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August / September 2018
mountain
echoes
Honey Stand Lady on Hwy. 221 Near Grandfather Mountain
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“With Floyd gone, this feels more like home than anyplace I could be.” Photo by Houck Medford
On a good day, a thousand cars will pass the honey stand near Grandfather Mountain’s main entrance. Photo by Houck Medford
Barbara relents, “If Floyd was here with his banjo out, many more cars would have already stopped.” – photo by Hugh Morton 20
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Barbara and Floyd in their younger days.
August / September 2018
his November, Barbara Gragg will have run the honey stand on U.S. 221 between the Grandfather Mountain entrance and the Blue Ridge Parkway for 60 years. Fifty-five of those years were with her husband, Floyd’. “Floyd passed away four years ago,” Barbara says. “I used to play the guitar. But since Floyd died, I don’t play anymore.” “Mr. (Hugh) Morton (owner of Grandfather Mountain) would come by every day to check on us.” And with reason, as there has been a long-standing relationship between the Gragg and Morton families. Floyd’s granddad ran the toll booth on the Yonahlossee Road, the present-day U.S. 221, which connected Blowing Rock and Linville. The “turnpike road”, as it was known, was built by Mr. Morton’s grandfather. Because of the longstanding Morton - Gragg relationship, Floyd and Barbara were allowed to establish and maintain a honey stand since the late ‘50’s near the Grandfather Mountain entrance. Barbara is a native of Morganton; she never knew her parents as they had both passed away by the time she was five. She went to live with her granddaddy in Marion and became the youngest of a lot of 10. Barbara remembers, “Everyone in the family played music, mostly fiddle, but grandpaw put a guitar in my hands because he couldn’t stand the noise that was coming out of my fiddle.” Music led her to meet her future husband, Floyd, a marriage of 58 years until
“This isn’t our car. People would bring us everything and anything to have our picture made with it.”
“I don’t like to get the family album out – it’s just filled with too many memories of us.” Photo by Houck Medford his death in 2014. In that time everyone in Avery County and surrounds went to the Singing Ground (Singing on the Mountain) as it was one of the biggest social events of the year. She was 18; Floyd was 20; the rest is history. Barbara and Floyd worked all their lives; music was reserved for nights and weekends. “We went everywhere”, as Barbara describes their musical lives. “Once we got our kids educated, the honey stand would become a ‘permanent job’ for the tourist season. It was more profitable back then. When Floyd brought out his banjo, the tourists bought out their money.” By Houck Medford
“My favorite room in the house!” Barbara sits among her Coca-Cola memorabilia. “Each piece has a story; I have never had to buy anything; they all came as gifts from my family.” The deer were all harvested by Floyd. “I usually went him to be with him, and to just be outside. I never pulled the trigger.” Photo by Houck Medford
A transaction complete – Photo by Houck Medford
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They Said It Couldn’t Be Done “A number of people told me the course couldn’t be built, and after a while, in the rhododendron, I had a hard time believing it could be done. We couldn’t see 10 feet in front of us.” – Wayne Smith “When I got there, it was nothing but a jungle. Ellis’ construction guy said the course couldn’t be built and quit. My wife thought I was crazy to take the job. Some days I wondered why I was there. I’ve never seen so many rocks in all my life!” – Aylor Rogers
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Photo by Bob Gefaell
Story By
Harris PAugust revost / September 2018
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GRANDFATHER “The Course That Couldn’t Be Built”
50 Years Later
I
Ellis Maples goes over plans for the Mountain Springs course with club president, Wilson Williams, Joe Lee Hartley, General Mananger G.F. Co., Ayler Rogers, and Bob Triplett, who did the heavy equipment work on the course. They are on the sixth hole.
Rock picker unloading rocks during construction on the first hole. The rocks were then dumped at the site of the lake’s spillway. The pond on the right is no longer there.
n 1965, Wayne Smith of Smith Turf & Irrigation in Charlotte was asked to join golf course architect Ellis Maples, his top assistant, Ed Seay (later, Arnold Palmer’s chief designer), and course founder Aggie Morton Cocke (later Woodruff) to provide technical irrigation and construction advice in the routing of Grandfather Golf & Country Club’s championship course. The four had a good idea where the holes would go based on aerial views and topo maps, but they needed to know from the ground up if their routing would work. That meant a trek through the valley’s rhododendron thickets. The proposed course lay in a gentle valley at the base of towering Grandfather Mountain. Elevation changes at the course, even at 4,000 feet, were not as dramatic as other mountain, or even foothills, courses. From the air, building the course looked easy. But from the ground, and in this case, also from under the ground, it was a different story. Smith said, “A number of people told me the course couldn’t be built, and after a while, in the rhododendron, I had a hard time believing it could be done. We couldn’t see 10 feet in front of us. “The boulders and rocks were huge obstacles. They were all over the routing. Being in the rhododendron, we couldn’t see what Ellis saw. Ed Seay had just got out of the Marines, and he had on his old military jacket. He had a machete and was clearing a path for us. “Aggie, Ellis and Ed told me it could be done. The farther we got in there, the more I saw they were right. I was amazed at the vision and imagination Ellis had. It took multiple trips to get the routing fine-tuned. I was there twice a month. Aggie would bring a picnic lunch and a bottle of wine for us. We usually picnicked on a boulder.”
THE VISION
Aggie was a champion golfer, and in her day, the best female amateur player in the Carolinas. She won the Carolinas Women’s Amateur Championship four times and no telling how many other tournaments and club championships. As is the case for many great players, they dream about building their own courses. Aggie was no exception, and the dream became more 24
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Teeing off the par five sixth hole in the early days.
Joe Lee Hartley, general manager of G.F. Co, the developer; Hugh Morton, president; and Jim Plymire, the club’s first general manager, stand in front of the club’s tent clubhouse. Photographer unknown
focused when, in 1952, she inherited 1,958 acres. MacRae felt the resort should inacres at the base of Grandfather Mountain clude a golf course, so he went to Scotland from her grandfather, Hugh MacRae. By a couple of times in the early 1890s to see the early 1960s, her home course, Linville, how it was done. There are no records, but MacRae probwas getting crowded. The time had come. Aggie was a good friend of Ellis Maples’ ably went to the same place everyone else daughter, and she knew of the Maples fam- went to learn about building golf courses, ily’s golf connections. She had admired El- St. Andrews, the “home of golf.” There, he lis’ work in designing the Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst. Ellis had a strong golf pedigree few could match. His father was Donald Ross’s construction superintendent and his brother was course superintendent at Pinehurst for three decades. Ellis begain helping Ross and his father at age 14. He worked for Ross on and off until Ross died in 1948. After finishing Ross’s work on the Raleigh Country Club, he made golf course design his career beginning in 1953. Incidentally, Ross left home in Dornoch, Scotland, also at age 14, to become an apprentice at St. Andrews under Old Tom Morris, the legendary “father of modern golf.” No doubt there is a little of Donald Ross and Old Tom Morris in Ellis Maples’ designs! Aggie’s golf pedigree was pretty strong, too. Her grandfather, Hugh MacRae, was the leader in developing the family-owned Linville resort that encompassed 16,000 Aggie with one of her many championship trophies.
surely met Old Tom Morris and his apprentice, Donald Ross. Ross would later become a family friend. In 1895, MacRae built nine holes, and in 1900, his brother, Donald, added five holes to make 14. The course was called Tanglewood. Back then, having a course with a different number of holes than 18 was not uncommon. The Royal & Ancient (R & A) rule-making body didn’t make 18 holes the standard until the early 1900s. Later, Tanglewood did play four holes twice, from different tees, to make 18. The holes had names instead of numbers because people started from wherever it was most convenient. Aggie caddied for her brother, Hugh Morton, on the course before she learned to play. In 1920, Aggie’s uncle, Nelson MacRae, himself a Carolinas Golf Association champion in 1933, became president of Linville Resorts. He embarked on an expansion program that would add a new 18-hole golf course designed by Donald Ross. Construction began in 1924, and the course opened in 1926, featuring an exhibition by U.S. Open and British Open champion Tommy Armour. Tanglewood continued for eight more years and then was abandoned. Linville’s current
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Bob Hope tees off the par three ninth hole. This hole and the par four seventh, below, were the two holes club founder Aggie Morton Cocke Woodruff said had to be in the course’s routing.
practice range was one of Tanglewood’s holes. Coming into Linville on NC 105, the grassy areas on both sides of the highway were part of the old course. “Tanglewood Terrace” was a par 5 that went up behind the Linville Fire Department and “Meadowview” was a par 4 that went back down to Linville, crossing NC 105 (there wasn’t a 105 then) to the other side. The “River Hole” was a short par 3 along the Linville River. Aggie learned to play at Linville and at the Cape Fear Country Club in Wilmington, also a course Hugh MacRae helped start. It wasn’t long before she was holding her own with the boys. With her extensive experience of playing many great courses in her championship career, Aggie knew what she wanted in her course. She said of Ellis, “I loved his Country Club of North Carolina course. We talked about design ideas and found we thought alike.” Before any routing was considered, Aggie laid down two non-negotiable concepts that had to be followed: All holes needed to be individual, each separated by woods with no adjoining fairways to hit into, or even see; and each hole had to be unique. No hole reminded the golfer of any other. Aggie also wanted some holes designed with specific views of Grandfather Mountain. Ellis assured her that he could meet her expectations. Aggie said of their routing treks through the rhododendron and creek beds, “Ellis designed the course. I helped with the routing and gave my opinions as we went. Ellis was easy to work with. I liked everything he suggested. I intended to make this a championship course, but not unreasonably hard. I wanted it to be enjoyable for families. The routing was a partnership between us, so only one routing was ever considered.” There were two holes where the routing was exclusively Aggie’s. She loved the stand of towering hemlocks on a knoll near the site selected for the clubhouse, so the ninth hole was made into a par three to use the hemlocks as a backdrop. On the other hole, Aggie wanted the peak of a mountain named Dunvegan to be framed by the middle of a fairway, which turned out to be the seventh. Her mother lived at its base and named the peak after a mountain in the MacRae homelands of Scotland.
BUILDING THE COURSE THAT COULDN’T BE BUILT
Clifford Roberts, co-founder of the Augusta National Golf Club and The Masters golf tournament with Bobby Jones, as well as a Grandfather member, checks out a boulder on the fourth hole with Grandfather (and Augusta National) head professional, Bob Kletcke. 26
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Ellis Maples oversees the construction of Grandfather’s Mountain Springs course, which was built 10 years after the Championship course.
August / September 2018
“Son, it was rough. I’m telling you, it was rough!” exclaimed Woodrow Thompson, 68, who helped build the course as a teenager and who, with his brothers, Larry and Jerry, still work on its maintenance crew. The three brothers have worked for a combined 147 years on Grandfather’s two golf courses. The whole valley was rhododendron, and
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Photo by Bob Gefaell
. The Thompson brothers, Larry, Woody and Jerry, helped maintain Grandfather’s two courses for a collective 147 years. Woody helped build the Championship course. Superintendent Pete Gerdon said of the Thompsons, “They are fantastic. You don’t have to tell them what to do.”
The par four third hole went through a boulder field. Maples left some of the boulders in the left rough as an added hazard. Boulders were plentiful throughout the course. Below is the par three 12th hole. Photos by Bob Gefaell
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more rhododendron. Rhododendron borders every fairway on the course, and it remains as thick as it was 50 years ago. Here’s a warning about looking for your ball in Grandfather’s rhodos. Your visit into the thickets will be 80 percent survival and 20 percent looking for your ball! Rhododendron wasn’t the biggest problem, though, and neither was moving dirt. Actually, relatively little dirt was moved. Maples, like Ross, was minimalist. He felt the property’s natural terrain would be perfect for the golf course. The big problems were clearing out the rocks and piping out the spring water. In one place or another, or in several places on every hole, there is water. Every hole. (Writer’s note: I know that for a fact!) Aylor Rogers, who was Grandfather’s first superintendent, built the course. “When I got there, it was nothing but a jungle,” Aylor said. “Ellis’ construction guy said the course couldn’t be built and quit. Ellis called me. We had met at the course he designed in Boone. I designed and built a course in Lynchburg, Va. and built one for Gene Hamm in Wake Forest. Gene got his start working for Ellis, so there was a connection. I decided to come. “My wife thought I was crazy to take the job,” Aylor continued. “Some days I wondered why I was there. I’ve never seen so many rocks in all my life! We bought a mechanical rock picker, but it didn’t work very well. We had to pick up most of them by hand.” One of the rock-pickers-by-hand was Bill Cocke, son of the course’s founder. Bill was around 18 at the time. He said he worked the front nine and most of the rocks were on holes four, six and seven. “I had to be on the job at 7 a.m.” Bill remembered. “That was rough for me, especially when I was out partying with Hugh Fields the night before! “The rocks we picked up were big. We had a
“The Whale,” a long boulder located about 100 yards out from the fourth tee, serves as a visual aiming point (and also as a reminder not to hit a low drive!). The popular boulder was set to be blown up and removed, but Aggie objected, and “The Whale” stayed. Photo by Bob Gefaell rock picker, which was a converted potato picker, but it could only pick up the smaller rocks. Rocks two or three feet long took two of us to pick up. The really big rocks, and there were a lot of them, had to be blown up. Sam Brown, a local legend, was our dynamite guy. One of the rocks Sam was ready to blow up is ‘the whale,’ in front of the fourth tee. My mother stopped him because she thought the rock added visually to the hole. Picking up all
The 100-yard “Boulder Hole” is the seventh on the Mountain Springs course. A small green, with boulders just in front, makes this a challenging and exciting hole where the tee shot has to be the correct distance.
those rocks built up my muscles. By the end of summer, I was hitting my drives 20 yards longer! “We picked up the rocks and then tilled the fairway and ended up with more new rocks than we had before. I think all those rocks must have migrated down to the valley from Grandfather Mountain over millions of years.” Geologists say that the collision of the North American and African continents
thrust older, Precambrian rock mass over the top of younger rock, forming a Grandfather Mountain that is as high as today’s Himalayas. Millions and millions of years later, the older rock masses weathered and moved down the mountain just in time for Bill to pick up! Aylor Rogers continued, “And then there were the springs. They were everywhere. We had to spend a fortune on drainage ditches. I had a great crew--I had five
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The club’s founders, who made Grandfather a reality, are honored each year at the club’s Founders Cup Tournament. Hugh Morton and John Williams rightfully make Aggie the centerpiece of the photo.
In the fall of 1968, Grandfather hosted an exhibition golf match to help celebrate the opening of the course. Bob Kletcke and Billy Joe Patton edged Chi Chi Rodriquez and Charlie “Choo-Choo” Justice one up.
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Thompson brothers plus their brother-in-law and father-in-law. We worked great together. They knew what they were doing.” Woodrow Thompson said, “One day there would be 150 of us picking up rocks and clearing rhododendron. The next day, half of them had quit. We couldn’t keep a good crew because the work was so hard. Most of the course was mud. We had a tractor and wagon to haul out the rock and brush. My brother, Jimmy, drove the tractor. The rock pickers carried five-gallon buckets. Some were on one side of the tractor, some on the other side. We didn’t have much to work with. The money wasn’t there. “We had to seed the 16th fairway many times because of washouts. It would come a heavy rain, and here we go again. We had to put the dirt back on the hill and reseed. With the springs in there, it was so wet we had to push-mow the fairway.” Bob Kletcke, the club’s first professional, who was also head professional at Augusta National, home of The Masters, said that the 10th hole also had to be reshaped and reseeded, in this case three times. Unfortunately, the biggest challenge to build Grandfather wasn’t the rocks, boulders, rhododendron or the plethora of mountain springs. To be sure, those directly contributed to the problem, but the real issue was money, or lack thereof. Because of the difficulty in building the course, it quickly became two to three times more expensive than planned. The course went from one that couldn’t be built because of rocks and springs to one that could, and then back to one that couldn’t be built because of finances. Bill Cocke said, “Several people told me that, at the time, Grandfather was the most expensive golf course ever built in North Carolina.” Aggie asked her brother, Hugh Morton, for financial help. Morton had put his money into Grandfather Mountain and couldn’t provide the financial help she needed. The two turned to a long-time friend, John Williams, whose family spent the summers in Linville dating back to the early 1900s, to join the partnership. John was chairman of the board of the Williams Companies of Tulsa, Okla, a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange that builds pipelines and sells natural gas. Williams provided Aggie and Hugh with the financial wherewithal to finish the course and its amenities in a first-class manner. They named their development company G.F. Co. The three became Grandfather’s founders. They are honored each June with the club’s biggest tournament, the Founders Cup. The evening before the tournament begins, and after a reception, players in the tournament, the club’s professional staff, volunteers and special guests gather for a formal recognition of a person or organization connected to the club who has had a major impact on the club, or to the game itself. And always, the three founders are the first to be recognized each evening. Aggie initially named the course Glen Dornie Country Club. A glen in Scotland is a valley, and Dornie is the Scottish village where the MacRae ancestors made their
CARLTON GALLERY 1SZSP`ObW\U !$GSO`a Bill Cocke, whose mother, Aggie, founded the club, was involved in the building of the course, it pro shop operations and even its real estate sales. home. Williams and Morton changed the name to Grandfather Golf & Country Club to take advantage of Grandfather Mountain’s positive name recognition. The 35-acre, trout-filled lake bordering the golf course is the centerpiece of the development. It kept its Scottish name, Loch Dornie. The lake wasn’t in the initial site plan for the course, but Hugh Morton and Aggie felt it was essential, and Ellis agreed to incorporate it into the golf course design. Aggie said, “I wanted a lake not only for the golf course, but also to provide the membership with lake activities.� A.C. Lee, a Charlotte construction engineer, Blowing Rock seasonal resident and designer of many of Duke Power Company’s dams, designed the Loch Dornie dam. Lee also built new tees and greens for Blowing Rock Country Club in the late 1950s and early 1960s, planted trees to separate fairways and installed their irrigation system. Bill Cocke said, “The river bed was already low lying, so we didn’t have to dig out that much to build the lake. That dirt was used to help build the dam. Some days, I drove the truck. We dumped all the rocks at the base of where the spillway is.� The rest of the dirt came from two sources. One was across the street on property owned at the time by Aggie’s cousin, George
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Sam Snead and Billy Joe Patton were reunited as partners in a money match at Grandfather. Snead is preparing to hit his second shot on the par five 17th hole. In the 1954 Masters, Patton, an amateur, made a hole-in-one on number six the last day and was leading the tournament until his second shot on number 13 found the creek. He ended up one shot behind Snead and Hogan. Snead won the next day in an 18-hole playoff. No amateur has ever won The Masters.
MacRae, which is now the site of the St. Bernadette Catholic Church. The other was from the “borrow pit” on the hill above the second fairway around 100-150 yards out from the green. The dirt was never returned, so “borrow” was tongue-in-cheek. Houses are now located where the pit was. Obviously, the course did get built. Aylor Rogers said, “We got it done, and it was beautiful. It was worth all our hard work. That’s one thing I’m very proud of.” A key person in the construction of the course was Bob Charles (not the golfer), Maples’ “shaper.” Charles worked with Maples on almost all of his courses, and he knew how to shape the course exactly how Maples wanted it. Charles also did course shaping for Arnold Palmer when Ed Seay became his chief designer. Grandfather immediately became nationally recognized for its beauty and layout. Construction began in 1965, and the course’s first day of play was June 19, 1968. Aggie’s reaction to her first round on her golf course? “I was elated!” she said. John Williams, reflecting on what had been accomplished with the “course that couldn’t be built,” said, “Grandfather turned out to be one of the really great courses in America. Even Clifford Roberts, who, with Bobby Jones, built Augusta National, said it was the best mountain course he had ever seen. He bought a condominium on the lake overlooking the 18th hole and joined the club. Aggie was a genius in making every hole a unique entity unto itself.” On Sept. 29, 1968, the club celebrated its opening with an exhibition match. Head pro Bob Kletcke teamed with GGCC member and one of America’s greatest amateurs, Billy Joe Patton, to defeat popular touring pro Chi Chi Rodriguez and UNC football legend Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice, one up. Grandfather was a regular in GOLF DIGEST’s “Top 100 Courses in America,” rising in rankings to as high as No. 79. Grandfather has been ranked for several years by the North Carolina Golf Panel as the best private course in the state, and only behind famed Pinehurst No. 2 (a public course) as the best overall.
THE EARLY DAYS
When Roy Williams was coaching basketball at Kansas, he had two Hugh Morton photographs of Grandfather hanging in his office. Each summer, he would bring his Kansas and UNC golfing buddies up to play Grandfather, his favorite course (Roy has played most of America’s best.) Now at UNC, he still brings his Kansas and UNC friends to Grandfather. 32
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Larry Thompson said, “We had to keep putting drain lines in by hand even after the course was open. It was pretty damn wet. New places kept showing up. At times, we had to use a push mower or the greens mower to mow parts of fairways on numbers one, six, 13, 15, 16 and 18. There were eight to 10 of us out there with push mowers at the same time. We didn’t have nothing to work with; we just had to figure it out.” In the early days, the irrigation system was gravity-fed from a spring-fed reservoir higher up Grandfather Mountain. When the course faced extended dry periods, the spring couldn’t produce enough water, so it was watered by hand. Larry said, “One season, we had to bring in a
fire truck to pump water out of the lake and use on the course. Some of us were watering the course with a hose all night. When the course got a new irrigation system with water pumped out of the lake, we thought we were in hog heaven!” “We top dressed greens using a shovel. We just slung it out from the truck. We raked in the sand on the greens with sand trap rakes. There were no weed eaters back then. We kept the rough down with push mowers and slingblades. It was hard labor, but we were young. “I did a little of everything. A lot of walking. Some of us would walk from the shed down to the first hole and rake the traps each day. We started at one and went through all 18. We used a sand trap rake for the edges and a leaf rake in the middle. All by hand.” Current golf course superintendent, Pete Gerdon, who is only the club’s third superintendent in 50 years, said of the Thompsons, “They are fantastic. You don’t have to tell them what to do. They know, and they do it right.” In 1972, the club borrowed $40,000 from the Avery County Bank to pave its gravel cart paths. With all the springs and wet areas on the course, the carts were tearing up the course, so paving was a ne-
Sooner or later, a Hugh Morton picture will have Mildred The Bear in it, and at a golf course is no exception. Bob Kletcke, with his eye on Mildred, is posing to hit his second shot on the eighth hole while Aggie is spying Mildred while most of her attention is on the driver’s seat of the golf cart. Nervously watching was the head of G.F. Co.’s real estate sales, Bob Bingham. cessity. Bob Kletcke added $1 to the regular cart fee with the proceeds used to pay back the loan. G.F. Co., the development company, gave the championship course to its members at the beginning in 1968, so it could
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focus on building condominiums around the lake and developing the property around the course to sell. Humpy Wheeler, Charlotte Motor Speedway’s legendary promoter, tells the story about Hugh Morton’s concern that
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their condominiums weren’t selling fast enough. “Hugh called me up one day,” Wheeler remembered. “It was in the early 70s when the economy wasn’t good and interest rates were around 18 percent. Hugh asked me if I had any ideas about how to promote his condos. I said, ‘Hugh, it’s the middle of January. You are not supposed to sell anything then. It’s freezing cold down here; what’s it like up there?’ He said it was bitter cold and the lake was frozen over. Somebody even drove a pickup truck across the lake.” I thought about it and came up with an idea. I convinced one of our best drivers, Dave Marcus, to come up and ice fish on Hugh’s lake. Dave is from Wisconsin. I got the Charlotte Observer’s motorsports writer, Tom Higgins, to come up with us and do story on Dave ice fishing here. Dave brought his auger and cut holes in the ice. Higgins took a picture of Dave and Hugh ice fishing with the condominiums in the background. The story didn’t run on the Observer’s sport’s page, it was on the front page! Hugh called me and said that I wouldn’t believe how many people saw that photo. I hope he got some sales out of it.”
THE COURSE EVOLVES
Over its 50 years, Grandfather’s championship course has made some modifications. In 1990, Grandfather’s greens became suspectable to adverse weather, so the club engaged Ellis’ son, Dan Maples, to reconstruct the greens to USGA specifications and to relocate cart paths to keep them out of view as much as possible. In 1996, the club engaged former U.S. Open champion David Graham to build some new tees to lengthen the course (to 7,101 yards) and replace bunkers that had steep sand banks. With each hard rain, the sand washed down from the banks to the bottom of the bunker and had to be put pack up. The new bunkers were flat,
Ellis Maples poses for a photo in a boulder field on the seventh hole of the Mountain Springs course. 34
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Photo by Bob Gefaell
Spencer Blackburn, second assistant, Pete Gerdon, head course superintendent, and Jason Dancy, first assistant, keep Grandfather in superb condition. Dancy was a Special Forces soldier stationed in Samolia when the enemy shot down an American helicopter. He drove a Humvee through enemy territory to rescue his fellow soldiers. Six were on board and three were killed. The movie “Blackhawk Down” tells the story. just like Donald Ross did, and had grass banks. The club engaged golf architect Bobby Weed in 2008 to create a master plan for the future of the course. Weed designed the highly acclaimed “The Farm” course in southwest Virginia among other notable courses across the country. He also did great work with renovations at Linville and Linville Ridge. Changes included cutting trees that grew out since the course was first opened in order to provide more sunlight and better grass growth. Weed completely renovated the par five first hole and did major work on the 16th. He relocated the 10th tee and
Aylor Rogers (putting), Jim Plymire and Hugh Morton (holding the pin) conclude their ceremonial round to open the Mountain Springs course in 1978.
Photo by Bob Gefaell
Teen Timberlake from Lexington, NC, with her granddaughter Ella, have some fun on the practice putting green. The club is teeming with children and grandchildren these days, with all sorts of children’s activities, thus making the place “Camp Grandfather.” Embracing “family” is one of the club’s three pillars. Photo by Bob Gefaell totally renovated the club’s practice range and practice putting greens. Weed still works with the club on course design and maintenance matters.
MOUNTAIN SPRINGS
G.F. Co. was very successful with its property sales. When all the lots along the championship golf course sold, the developer built a second course, Mountain Springs, in 1978 to provide more golf course lots. G.F. Co. considered building a short regulation course, but decided on an
The Art Loft is an extremely popular activity for both adult and child members of the club. The Loft has developed several very talented artists. Photo by Bob Gefaell executive course with five par 4s and 13 par 3s to make a more friendly course for those who weren’t long ball hitters. The course turned out to be a great course for all levels of players and an ideal venue to improve their short games. Ellis Maples also designed the par 59, 3,225-yard executive course. G.F. Co.’s heavy maintenance supervisor, Bob Triplette, who helped Aylor Rogers build the championship course, built Mountain Springs. Triplette said, “I remember it rained just about every day, and that caused us a lot of problems. We just worked them out. Ellis was very good to work with. He knew what he was doing.” The Thompson brothers remembered
Zach Platek, the club’s general manager, was brought in during the Great Recession. He played a major role in bringing the club out of the recession and on to the success it enjoys today. building Mountain Springs. Larry said, “The irrigation pipes busted often, and we had to dig 20-foot sections out with shovels and replace them by hand. Before we got the new irrigation system, we had to water by hand most all night at Mountain Springs. Two of us did that. “I cut a lot of trees at Mountain Springs. Rocks kept rising up in the fairways after the course was built. They were too big to dig out, so we blew them up. We worked ninehour days and half a day on Saturday; no
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The beach area at Loch Dornie was doubled in size, and the pavilion upgraded, to accommodate the influx of younger members with families coming into the club.
Photo by Todd Bush expected to flip their purchases into big profits, went broke. Property inventory was extremely high. Grandfather was affected, too, as were other local clubs. Bob Biggerstaff, club president at the FACED time, said, “We had 82 properties for sale. Most of those belonged to our older members. Many lived on fixed income, like dividends, and they were devastated financially. We were looking to the future, but we wanted to take care of those who were hurt by the recession. “We needed to create a strategy to get through this. We adopted a vision statement that told us where we wanted to go: Grandfather would be one of the preeminent family-oriented clubs in the Southeast. “In order to reach our A.J. Sikula, head professional, and Chip King, Director of Golf, provide a warm, vision, we felt we needed welcoming atmosphere for both members and guests when they arrive for golf. for our membership to be King is a member of the Carolina Professional Golf Association Hall of Fame. energetic and engaged. In July, while serving as a marker for a team in the Ladies’ Member Guest If guests saw that, they Tournament, A.J. shot a 61 from Grandfather’s ladies’ tees. would want to be part of The course record from the regular tees is a 62. Photo by Bob Kletcke.
overtime then. We worked on Saturday because that’s when we got paid. If we didn’t work Saturday, sometimes on Monday, Aylor said he ‘couldn’t find’ our checks!”
NEW CHALLENGES AND EMBRACED
Fast forward to the Great Recession of 200712. The number of golf courses in the U.S. had grown too fast, and at an unsustainable pace. Second-home golf resorts were considered more a luxury than a necessity and were hit hard. Hundreds of courses across the country, both public and private, closed. Two golf courses in the High Country that were under construction didn’t make it--Laurelmor in Blowing Rock and Wilderness Trail between Elk River and Newland. Membership levels at private clubs decreased. Golf resorts depending on prop36
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erty sales were barely hanging on. People, due to normal attrition, such as aging, or who suffered financial setbacks, couldn’t sell their property because there were no buyers. Some speculators, who bought into new golf developments and
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our community. Anytime we have guests, we want them to have an exceptional experience. We knew that would take place in our pro shop with Chip King and his staff. We knew they would love our golf course. “Since we had so many older members, we focused on reaching younger generations. They had children, and they were more informal than we were. We built a new fitness center and put a teen recreation center where the old fitness center used to be. Something that turned out to be very important was creating multiple eating venues. Our informal Scottish Grill and sports bar has been extremely successful. “Our beach doubled in size. We became a family-friendly club with many family activities. One thing I think is important is our non-denominational chapel services at the beach pavilion on Sunday mornings. That time together builds ‘community’ within our community. “We sought input from the membership through social media and ‘town hall’ meetings at the clubhouse. I can’t tell you how many town hall meetings we had both inseason and out-of-season. In the winter, I went to our members’ home towns. I went all over the state. We couldn’t wait until the next year to act. We changed our business model from people who just played golf to those who enjoy other activities, too. “We worked hard to come up with a plan, but the execution of the plan was much harder. We had a supportive membership and exceptional governance and leadership. and it continues. We set policy and gave management the resources, and they executed the plan. Zach Platek, our general manager, and Richard Foutz, our CFO, carried it out. I can’t say enough good things about them.” Fred Crawford followed Bob Biggerstaff as president of the club. He gave Bob a big shout-out, and both he and Bob talked about how important John Medlin was in the transformation of the club. Medlin was chairman of the board of Wachovia Bank back in its heyday, and was highly respected by our membership. To help those older members whose property was for sale, and who were hurting financially, Crawford said, “The board set up their own real estate firm lead by Rebecca Wood and Sue Jones to handle sales. They reduced the membership initiation significantly and made it much easier for the next generations of members to join the club. “The improvements we made were member-driven. They told us what they wanted and what they were willing to pay for.” Biggerstaff, Crawford and Medlin led
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the board of directors in the development of the plan to bring the club out of the recession stronger than ever. “Crawford continued, “We followed a team approach. We had a great board then, and still do. The members self-assessed themselves, in addition to their regular dues, to build a capital replacement and capital improvement fund. “We decided ‘first things first’ in our plan. First was the crown jewel of the Grandfather community, our golf course. Bobby Weed did an incredible job upgrading our course, adding more drainage and opening up the course for more sunlight. Then came casual dining venues. We surveyed our young people to see what they wanted most, and casual dining was right at the top of the list. Next was building our own water and sewer system. We had issues with our dam spillway. A helicopter picked up the bridge over the spillway and set it down on the chopper pad until we got the spillway fixed. “These were hard times, but it was so positive to be a part of it. Zach and Richard had so much on them, and they made it happen. They deserve a big shout-out. Zach even got his broker’s license to help us with real estate sales. “Grandfather added over 100 new members over the past three years, and we have an engaged, vibrant, active membership. A focus group told us that what we were already doing should be emphasized as we build a positive future: three pillars-tradition, community and family.” A survey of golf resort experts across the country by Kelsey and Norden in the height of the recession in 2009 found that when the number of second-home buyers
August / September 2018
come back, and they would, they will be different. Their focus will be on their families and wellness activities. They will have less free time. Golf will still be first, but not quite as important. The next generation of members, instead, will participate in other outdoor activities. Grandfather’s success backs up their statement. Since many had been burned by the recession, new buyers would purchase second homes differently. They would rely more on word-of-mouth references from friends and also on the stability of existing developments, ones that were solid financially and which had attractive amenities in place, and certainly, a great golf course. Most of Grandfather’s new members came from current member referrals. Zach Platek, Grandfather’s general manager, said the thing he was most proud of during the club’s fight through the Great Recession, was its membership. “Our members were our greatest ambassadors. They were the ones who brought in almost all of our new members. They believed in what we were doing and where we were going, and their enthusiasm was catching.” Upstairs in the indoor tennis facility is one of the most incredible amenities the club has to offer, an art loft. It is filled with wonderful artists, as well as those who are just learning, including a separate loft for children. Excellent art teachers have regular programs. Non-golf sports include tennis, target tennis, pickleball and croquet, which is rapidly growing in popularity, so much so that the club added a second court. A walking trail around the lake is very popular, as is a gathering area beside the dam, where people love to relax and visit while
looking out over the lake, and where their dogs love to take a swim. The number of weekly golf clinics has significantly increased for both adults and children. An all-sports field includes basketball, soccer, a walking track, volleyball, horseshoes and even a sandbox for the little ones. As part of the club’s tradition, Grandfather and the Nairn Golf Club, located in the MacRae ancestral lands of Scotland, have become sister clubs with members on both sides of the Atlantic visiting each other. One of the most heartwarming projects the club has undertaken is the fight to eradicate the deadly hemlock woolly adelgid, which is destroying area hemlock trees. The club is fighting the adelgid naturally with a small beetle imported from the Pacific Northwest that preys only on adelgid. The beetles are very expensive, but they have been effective. The beetles go where the adelgids are, so they cover a wide range of territory, helping save hemlocks for miles outside the club’s property. Today, 50 years since its establishment, Grandfather Golf & Country Club is flourishing. Its championship course is in great shape and is appreciated for its excellence and beauty. There are well-rounded activities for all members of the family, and for all interests. As of the end of July, Grandfather’s resale property inventory was the lowest it has been since 2002, 16 years ago. The club’s season-long 50th anniversary celebration was led by Grandfather’s vice-president, Bob Eoff (pronounced “oaf ”). Eoff said, “I had the opportunity to work with some incredibly creative members and a fantastic staff who implemented every detail, plus. They followed
the path of tradition, community and family, which was exactly how Grandfather has been for 50 years, and how it will be for another 50.” “Community” extends well beyond the club’s property lines. Members of the club are very generous in their support of the children at Crossnore and Grandfather Home, the Y, Lees-McRae, ASU, Cannon Hospital, the Humane Society and other less known organizations that help people in need. Grandfather’s total property valuation is a little more than eight percent of the county’s total property tax valuation, yet it uses little, if any, county services. In essence, The Grandfather community’s property taxes are a gift to all the people of Avery County. The 50th celebration is taking place on five weekends this season, representing each decade of the club’s existence. The celebration has been reflective in nature, enjoying the present, but looking back in appreciation of the vision and sacrifice of its three founders. All are deceased now, but they are not forgotten. A plaque prominently located in the clubhouse states that Aggie’s genius “placed an initial mark on the quality of GGCC that will never be erased. She retained a golf architect who designed the championship course, and with him, located every fairway, tee and green, as well as the site for the lake, clubhouse, principal streets and other facilities . . .” As for Aggie, she once reflected early in the club’s life, “A friend recently asked me what I thought about what I had done. We looked around and saw a lot of people having fun here. It makes me feel good. A lot of people had a hand in making this happen.” Aggie would say the same thing today. t
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Golden Jubilee
Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk Celebrates 50 Years of Service STORY BY Nathan Ham U B O F BA N N
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his year marks a special one for the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk. The volunteer organization is celebrating its 50th year of service to the Banner Elk and Avery County communities with the 2018 Golden Jubilee. Across the country, Kiwanis Clubs sponsor around 150,000 different community programs and are responsible for raising almost $100 million each year for these programs to become successful. Locally, the Banner Elk Kiwanis uses several events as key fundraisers for projects across Avery County. “Through funds raised from such activities as the annual Woolly Worm Festival and annual Duck Races at Party in the Park here in Banner Elk, this Club has provided over $2 million of financial support for spe-
50 YEARS cial projects in the classrooms of the local school system, giving thousands of books to local elementary school children, feeding the hungry and other community-based needs,” said Jeff Davis, the current presi-
dent of the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk. It’s impossible to put an exact number on just how many people are impacted by the Kiwanis Club, but being able to provide a positive impact to children and the community as a whole is what is really important. “It is my privilege to serve this organization as I believe this club has made a direct impact on the lives of many, particularly children, here in Avery County,” said Davis. “The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk has now been a strong fiduciary and steward of this community for 50 years and has provided tangible results for the investment of my time and efforts.” Other club members also shared some thoughts on reaching 50 years of service in the High Country, including Roy Krege,
Kiwanis Club Meeting - July 24, 2018 First row/left to right: Bud Hahn, Ann Swinkola, Bill Kennedy, Mae Weed, Harriett Klein, John Heinlein, Gail Bamman, Carl Young, Dan Brubaker, Mary Jo Brubaker, Roy Krege • Left to right combining second and third rows: Fred France, Sam Stephenson, Ed Hardin, Jud Gowin, Jeff Davis, Bob Barinowski, Kelly Cox, Madison Cornwell, Shawn O’Hara, Jim Swinkola, Fred Bamman, Don Rennard 42
High Country Magazine
August / September 2018
Kiwanis Club Distributes $85,000 in 2018 to Support Selected Projects By the time 2018 comes to a close, the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk will have donated $85,000 to different programs across Avery County to better serve the community. The Aktion Club of Mayland, Avery County YMCA and Blue Ridge Partnership for Children are just some of the programs that received donations. These are some photos of the smiling faces that received much-needed donations from the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk in February.
A - Janet Millsaps, Reaching Avery Ministry B - Ruthie Styles, Blue Ridge Partnership for Children C - Michelle Scott, Avery County YMCA D - Aktion Club of Mayland members accept 2018
grant. Front row: Charlie Varner (Vice President), Back row: Laken Benfield, Margaret Neal and Richard Parker.
A
E - Jeff Davis, Cameron Serafim, Justin Carver, Gwyn
Ellington and Brenda Lyerly. Photo taken at Banner Elk Elementary School
B
F - Front row: Banner Elk Elementary students Holden Barlow, Dania Ramos, Zoie Finley, Colt Hudson and Stella Johnson. Back row: Brenda Lyerly and Cameron Serafim G -
Newland Elementary teachers Alisha Johnson, Sharayah Webb and Missy Waycaster.
H-
Jim Swinkola and Newland Elementary principal Jamie Johnson
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Front row: Banner Elk Elementary students Bailey Ollis and Logan Stevens. Back row: Jeff Davis and Gwyn Ellington
C
J -
Avery County Middle School teacher Kelsey Sullivan, student TJ Cornett and principal Ruth Shirley
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Service Clubs of The High Country
S
ervice clubs and organizations have been around in the United States for over 100 years, with the first known club dating back to the Rotary Club of Chicago in 1905. Since then, these sorts of organizations have sprung up all across the United States, from bustling urban cities to small rural towns. Many service clubs provide hands-on support to members of their communities through things such as volunteer events and charity socials. Other clubs work behind the scenes as fundraising machines to donate money to provide the financial support for others to do
The Rotary Club of Blowing Rock (828-963-7717) The Rotary Club of Blowing Rock meets each Monday for a buffet lunch at 11:45 a.m. at Chetola Resort. “Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.” Officers: President: Charles Canady President Elect: Kenneth Wehrmann Vice President & Programs Chair: Ed Tausche Secretary: Chip Eidel Treasurer: Bill Leahey Immediate Past President: Ray Pickett
Boone Rotary Club (booneiarotary@gmail.com) The Boone Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon in the lower level of Boone Historical Center and the 1st and 3rd Mondays at 5:30 p.m. at Tic Toc Restaurant. “The mission of Rotary International, a worldwide association of Rotary clubs, is to provide service to others, to promote high ethical standards, and to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.” Officers: President: Lisa Mount President Elect: Vicki Greco President Elect-Elect: Matt Elthon Treasurer: Tim Trudeau Secretary: Mary Youngblood
Kiwanis Club of Boone (828-263-6221) The Kiwanis Club of Boone meets every Thursday at 11:45 a.m. at Water Wheel Café. “Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. We are a part of Kiwanis International, one of the three largest ser44
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whatever work they see fit. Still yet, some organizations mix a little bit of each into their mission to help their respective communities. Most service clubs came together with a group of individuals that had the same goal in mind to lift up those in need in their community, whether it is working with children in need, special needs children and adults and even those families that may not know where their next meal is coming from. There are many local service clubs and organizations in the High Country to join if you feel the desire to give back to your community in way that you can.
vice organizations in the world. We participate in community service projects and volunteerism throughout Boone and Watauga County.” Officers: President: Tom Trueman President Elect: Chris Hughes Secretary: Janet Richardson Treasurer: Steve Hill Immediate Past President: Steve Hill
Boone Lions Club (828-265-8109) Boone Lions Club meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 12 p.m. at Sagebrush Steakhouse. “Boone Lions are in their 82nd year of serving the community. Boone Lions provide vision and hearing screenings, support those in need of eye exams and vision correction, and collect and distribute eye glasses and hearing aids for distribution to those in need world wide.” Officers: President: Rennie Brantz 1st Vice President: Norman Crotts Secretary: Susan Cole Treasurer: Will Burgin Membership Chairman: Roger Bodo
Appalachian Shrine Club (828-406-0871) Meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Fellowship is at 6:30 and the meeting is at 7:30. “The Appalachian Shrine Club organization is a Non-Profit that raises money for Shriner’s Children’s Hospitals. 100% of all funds and proceeds go directly to the hospital’s care centers. Officers: President: Darren Jones 1st Vice President: Jeff Fortenberry 2nd Vice President: Shawn Dyer Secretary: Carl Jackson Treasurer: Bob Kirky
West Jefferson Lions Club (336-977-4587) The West Jefferson Lions Club meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Smokey Mountain Barbeque. “West Jefferson Lions Club helps individu-
August / September 2018
als in need of eye care, helping hundreds of people and collecting thousands of used eyeglasses annually. The club is active in community service where there is a need locally and internationally.”
Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk meets every Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. at Lees-McRae College in Millers Commons. “Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time.” Officers: President: Jeff Davis Vice President: Brenda Lyerly Secretary: Ann Swinkola Treasurer: John Heinlein
Rotary Club of the Jeffersons: The Rotary Club of the Jeffersons meets Thursdays at 8 a.m. at Sweet and Savory. “Our club members are dedicated to people who share a passion for both community service and friendship. Becoming a Rotarian connects you to a diverse group of professionals who share your drive to give back.” President: Robert Giroux
Rotary Club of Avery County (828-387-6166) The Rotary Club of Avery County meets Thursdays at noon at Puerto Nuevo Mexican Restaurant. The Avery County Rotary participates in many charitable efforts throughout Avery County including the creation of the playground at Cannon Memorial Hospital, scholarships to Mayland Community College, donations to 4H, the YMCA, Habitat for Humanity, regular AdoptA-Highway cleanups in Newland, and a developing new partnership with Lees-McRae College as well as many other efforts to make our community a better place to live and work President: Jillian Rosato
who is probably best known in the community as “Mr. Woolly Worm.” “Our Golden Jubilee celebration has brought back many great memories of how the Banner Elk Kiwanis has served our community for the past 50 years. It has been inspiring to be involved in a club that has done so much for the children and adults in Avery County. I have considered it an honor to have served as a member and an officer in our club and the district for the past 50 years,” said Krege. Keeping a strong group of volunteers and adding members to the club has long-since been important to the Kiwanis Club and really any other organization that hopes to make an impact in their respective communities. “The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk has maintained consistent membership and became a much stronger club when women also joined as active members. The fellowship with fellow Kiwanians and the privilege of touching others’ lives has motivated me through the years to maintain my Kiwanis membership. I would challenge others who would like to serve to consider membership in the club,” Krege said. Brenda Lyerly, the club’s president-elect, feels really good about what the Kiwanis Club has done and continues to do in Avery County. “The Golden Jubilee Celebration has become a reunion of original Kiwanis Club members and newer members. There is a history lesson of how we have progressed and grown to the present. I am proud that being a member of Kiwanis is a service to the community,” said Lyerly. “Helping children through fundraising with the Woolly Worm Festival and the July 4 duck races and
other events assists us to bring books to school children and present the monthly Terrific Kids program to the Banner Elk Elementary School, to name only a couple of programs. A bonus to being involved in the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk is the involvement weekly with other likeminded people who are interested in helping children in our community.” The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk takes pride in reaching out to children to help them in as many ways as possible. One person who has seen that help firsthand, both as a student and now as the principal of Banner Elk Elementary School, is Justin Carver. “As an Avery County native, I have had the honor of knowing and hearing about Kiwanis of Banner Elk since I started elementary school. Each month, our teachers would pass out the prized Terrific Kid Award. Students worked so hard to get this award and the free fries at the Hardee’s of Banner Elk gift certificate that came along with the award,” said Carver. “Throughout my life, Kiwanis has not only impacted my own journey, but it has impacted the lives of so many in our small, rural community. As an educator, I have yet to work with an organization that gives so freely and asks for so little in return.” Carver added that being able to help teachers have the proper supplies and the best learning opportunities for their classrooms has such a positive impact on the school and the community. “Being a teacher is a most rewarding profession. However, in today’s society it can be a lonely and thankless job. I see teachers giving back to their classrooms and paying for sup-
“Helping children through fundraising with the Woolly Worm Festival and the July 4 duck races and other events assists us to bring books to school children and present the monthly Terrific Kids program to the Banner Elk Elementary School, to name only a couple of programs.
Jim Swinkola
Ann Swinkola
Fred France August / September 2018
Jeff Davis
Roy Krege
Brenda Lyerly
Justin Carver High Country Magazine
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Mary Jo Brubaker
Kathy Boone
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plies and projects out of their own pockets. But with the continued support of Kiwanis, we are able to provide students with opportunities that would never be possible,” said Carver. “I consider it both a blessing and honor to be able to work with the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk and know that each member has the best interest not only of our county, but our students.” Jim Swinkola and his wife, Ann, both see the crucial need for helping area children through the Kiwanis Club. “The Golden Jubilee for the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk marks lots of accomplishments, but my favorite project has to do with the distribution of RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) books. I am ecstatic to have participated in Kiwanis activities for 35 of our 50 years, and Reading is Fundamental has been going on with our club for almost 30 years,” said Jim. “Through this total distribution of some 100,000 books
to pre-K through fifth graders across Avery County, I’ve witnessed the well-being of children improved and enhanced time after time. In the early 1980s, I read storybooks to the first grade children at the Banner Elk Elementary School as part of being a Kiwanian. To encourage young children to read is good, and having parents read to children is also good. Those first grade boys and girls who I read to back in the 80s are now parents reading to their children.” Ann, who is the secretary for the club, said she started going to meetings with her husband before women were even allowed to obtain a membership to the club. “I was attracted by the programs, unfailingly interesting and full of information about our community. More than 30 years later, now with a full complement of female members, our club still hears great programs every week,” she said. “The fellowship of our weekly meals together and the gradual
“The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk celebrates 50 years of service to children in Avery County, the Carolinas and the world. I am humbled by the time, energy and resources that my fellow Kiwanians give to improve the lives of our children, one child and one community at a time,”
August / September 2018
growth of fundraising, work and social activities, help forge the bonds between members of the group. Our overarching concern about the welfare of children and the overall benefits we help provide to the community as a whole is the icing on the cake. Banner Elk and Avery County are small communities, and it is truly a blessing to feel that we are a civic band of merry men, and women, who have truly been able to make a difference for 50 years.” Dr. Mary Jo Brubaker, who was elected as the Governor of the Carolinas District of Kiwanis International, says that the emphasis that the club places on helping children is really what sets the Kiwanis Club apart from other service organizations. “The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk celebrates 50 years of service to children in Avery County, the Carolinas A playground area specifically as a safe place for pre-school children to play was built and the world. I am humbled by the at Tate-Evans Park and partially funded by the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk. It took three time, energy and resources that my fel- years to secure funding for this project, with Kiwanis funding half of the needed amount. low Kiwanians give to improve the lives ing to serve the children of Avery County for 50 years is an honor of our children, one child and one comfor me,” Boone said. “I think of the heritage of the members who munity at a time,” Brubaker said. Former club president Kathy Boone echoed the sentiments of served before who have laid a lasting foundation into the future. What I enjoy about our Kiwanis Club is that we have many differother club members celebrating the Golden Jubilee. “What a milestone for the Golden Jubilee for the Kiwanis Club ent ways in our organized fund raising events to volunteer.” Boone is currently the festival chairperson for the Woolly of Banner Elk and to be a member of the club that has been work-
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The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk officers proudly held the Grand Marshall banner in anticipation of the Fourth of July Parade in Banner Elk. Officers include (left to right) Brenda Lyerly, Dennis Quackenboss, John Heinlein, Jeff Davis, Tim Hollomon, Ann Swinkola and Melynda Pepple.
The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk Is Celebrating Throughout 2018
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he Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk got a chance to celebrate their Golden Jubilee in style, marking 50 years of service and support to the communities of Avery County. The club served as the Grand Marshall for the Banner Elk Fourth of July parade and had several banners made to hang on light posts throughout the town to commemorate the occasion. Following the parade, the Party in the Park at Tate-Evans Park featured the always-popular duck race, another key fundraiser for the club.
Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk President Jeff Davis (center) is flanked by charter members Don Baker (left) and Coman (Turk) Falls on March 20 for the cutting of the Golden Jubilee Cake. The club celebrated fifty years of service to the community, following the official charter date of March 19,1968. 48
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Worm Festival, one of the most popular events during the fall in the High Country. “We are one of the sponsoring organizations along with the Avery Chamber of Commerce that has been our major fundraiser for the last 41 years of our existence for our Club. We could not support our donations to the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, after school programs, RIF (Reading is Fundamental), Little League, leadership programs and countless teacher projects without the Woolly Worm Festival,” said Boone. The Banner Elk Woolly Worm Festival was also recognized by the state as the official Woolly Worm Festival of North Carolina, a huge honor for the event and the club that helps host it. The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk has even volunteered its time to help out with the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, selling programs at the event for the last 15 years, according to club member and club liaison to the Highland Games, Fred France. “For two years we did it as a service project to help the games after their offices were devastated by flooding,” France said. “The rest of the time we have received 20 percent of the price. This money has been returned to the community to help the children of Avery County. Our relationship with the games has been beneficial to both organizations and to the communities we both serve.” France says that between 30 and 40 volunteers from the Kiwanis club and from the community as a whole share their time to help sell programs.
What the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk Is Doing in 2018 The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk has been hard at work in 2018 donating their time to the Avery County community. In February, the Kiwanis Club started off its Golden Jubilee celebration by awarding $22,000 in school grants to help support classroom projects and child well being in Avery County Schools. Some of the projects supported in this grant were iPad headphones for second and third grade math students at Banner Elk Elementary School, the purchase of “Rooted in Reading” classroom books for second graders at Newland Elementary School, a Sphero robot ball for computer coding exercises at Newland Elementary, continued work on the new hiking trail at Avery Middle School and equipment for a rocket project at Cranberry Middle School. In addition to these projects, STEM learning materials were provided for Crossnore Elementary students, library books for reluctant readers were made available at Freedom Trail Elementary and the nationwide “Girls on the Run” program were made available at Riverside Elementary. At Avery County High School, the FFA and Beta Club students received leadership training as part of this grant and microwaves were purchased for the cafeteria for students who bring their lunches from home. The Town of Banner Elk and the Banner Elk TDA provided matching funds that helped Kiwanis build new playground equipment at Tate-Evans Park. The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk additionally helped the Avery YMCA provide summer camp scholarships, helped the Blue Ridge Partner-
ship for Children expand the Imagination Library book distribution and helped Reaching Avery Ministry, Feeding Avery Families and Volunteer Avery County be able to better assist in feeding the hungry throughout the county. Overall, the Kiwanis will distribute $85,000 in grants for programs such as this in 2018. In March of this year, the Kiwanis Club came together for one of its annual book distribution events at Avery County Elementary Schools. The club has been doing this for 27 years and has given over 100,000 books to children throughout the county. More than 50 volunteers donated part of their time on Saturday, April 14 as part of “Kiwanis One Day” to help put together new playground equipment at the Tate-Evans Park in downtown Banner Elk. Most recently, the Kiwanis Club was honored as the Grand Marshall for the annual Banner Elk Fourth of July Parade. “The Golden Jubilee activities have allowed our club to have more visibility with visitors and people in our area, thereby attracting new members and demonstrating the positive impact our Club has made and continues to make,” said John Heinlein, the treasurer for the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk. “I consider it a privilege to be in the club, because of the fellowship it affords with other members, and for the help it provides children and those in need through the monies raised from our various fund raising efforts.” One of those new members is Talia Freeman, the Director of Marketing at Beech Mountain.
John Heinlein August / September 2018
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Boy Scout Troop 807 is a charter organization of the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk. Some of the other programs that the Kiwanis Club works with is the Terrific Kids program, Yellow Mountain Enterprises, Aktion Club of Mayland and Reading is Fundamental where elementary students throughout Avery County are given books to read and enjoy. “Kiwanis is a great way to serve the needs of our local community, specifically focusing on the children of Avery County. As a new member of the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk, I feel motivated by the leaders of our club and I am exceptionally proud of the vision for the future,” Freeman said. “My fellow club members motivate me to achieve greatness and further serve the needs of the youth in our area.” Looking ahead to October will be the always-favorite Woolly Worm Festival, returning for its 41st year. The event is co-sponsored by the Banner Elk Kiwanis and the Avery County Chamber of Commerce and will take place Oct. 20-21. “Though I have enjoyed many Kiwanis projects, my favorite one would be the world-famous Woolly Worm Festival. Having dedicated 40 years of non-stop service Talia Freeman to that project and to realize 50
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the amount of lives that it has touched in our community and throughout the world means a great deal to me,” Krege said. Freeman said that the Woolly Worm Festival is also her favorite event that the Banner Elk Kiwanis plays a key role in. “As a native to the area, the festival is nostalgic for me. Knowing that the funds raised from the festival directly help the youth of our area makes it even more exciting,” she said. The Woolly Worm Festival is one of the things that Melynda Pepple, a Kiwanis Club member and the current Executive Director of the Avery County Chamber of Commerce, gets most excited about. “The Chamber and Banner Elk Kiwanis jointly plan and implement this annual event. The festival brings over 20,000 visitors to our Melynda Pepple beautiful region and to top
it all off, all proceeds of the festival help our children, schools, nonprofits and tourism in the region,� Pepple said. Pepple stated that she was first introduced to the Banner Elk Kiwanis in the early 1970’s when her father was the Director of Development at Lees-McRae College. “I was well aware at an early age just how vital the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk was and is today to stay committed to the children’s needs and to the community which it has accomplished for the last 50 years. I am honored to serve as a Kiwanis member and highly recommend to others to join this very active and genuine organization,� said Pepple. Some of the numerous programs supported by the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk are: Reading is Fundamental, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Kiwanis family programs (Key Club – high school, Circle K – college, Aktion Club of Mayland), 4-H summer and after school programs, Avery County Habitat for Humanity, Wildcat Lake (playground equipment and restrooms), Town of Banner Elk playground equipment, Avery County Head Start, Feeding Avery Families, Yellow Mountain Enterprises, special classroom projects and scholarship support for school trips, Avery YO after school programs, Reaching Area Ministries, Volunteer Avery County, Williams YMCA, Blue Ridge Partnership for Children and library books for Avery County Schools. On average, over 70 projects receive funds each year from the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk.
The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk meets on Tuesday from noon until 1 p.m. at Miller Commons at Lees-McRae College.
Becoming A Member As the years go by, club members will come and go. The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk hopes to continue to build its membership well into the future.
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Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk Was the Grand Marshall for this Year’s 4th of July Parade
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he Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk was chosen as the Grand Marshall for the Fourth of July parade in Banner Elk in honor of their Golden Jubilee celebration of 50 years of service to Avery County. Thousands of people were in attendance for the parade with numerous signs and banners bringing recognition to the rich contributions that the Kiwanians have made not only in Banner Elk but also the many other communities inside Avery County.
Kiwanis banners and cars lead the way • Photos by Todd Bush
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Tim Holloman “The next 50-year stretch is filled with a myriad of possibilities and opportunities to impact the lives of children locally and globally. I invite you to join a local Kiwanis Club and become a part of a global organization that makes a difference in the lives of children and our communities,” said Dr. Brubaker. Board member Tim Holloman has been a member since 2010 and sees the many projects and benefits that the club has to offer, especially with Boy Scouts. The scouts recently helped complete the playground work at Tate-Evans Park and also helped with the Kiwanis-sponsored Party in the Park on the Fourth of July for the first time. “I’ve been a Kiwanian since 2010 and Kiwanis constantly reaches out and helps multiple organizations and schools for the benefit of children. I maintain my membership because of the close ties to scouts and my personal belief that a person needs to be involved in their community,” said Holloman. “Recommending Kiwanis to others comes very easy to me. As a father of two children, I see how children benefit from opportunities to learn and serve.” The Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk meets each Tuesday from noon until 1 p.m. Meetings take place in Miller Commons, the private dining room adjacent to the MacDonald Dining Hall on the campus of Lees-McRae College. Those interested in becoming members should attend one of the regular meetings and pick up a membership application or find one online. Return the application and the annual club dues to the secretary. Dues may be paid as a lump sum or quarterly. t Membership options and more information about the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk can be found online at www.bannerelkkiwanis.org.
There From the Start: Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk Member Roy Krege
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oy Krege was there in 1968 and watched as the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk was formed with a small group of like-minded individuals ready to take on the challenges that faced children and families in Avery County. Although he joined the club a little later, Krege has dedicated 50 years of his life to the Kiwanis and is the longest serving member of the club. He’s also one of the main reasons why the annual Woolly Worm Festival continues to be one of the most popular events of the High Country each fall. Krege even carries the moniker of being “Mr. Woolly Worm” for his passion for the festival. He is still involved in helping organize the event as well as participating in many of the other Kiwanis fundraising events throughout the year. Roy was recognized as a Zeller Fellow in 2016, an honor that is one of the highest recognitions bestowed upon a member through Kiwanis International. “If you want to be great in God’s Kingdom, you have to learn to be a servant of all. Do what you can to help other people whether they’re rich or poor, black or white, regardless of circumstances,” Krege said. “We’re all equal and should help each other.” Due to some serious heart problems that required openheart surgery, Roy decided to announce his retirement as Mr. Woolly Worm at the 2016 festival, marking the end of a phenomenal era of promoting the festival. Krege says that he still
helps out with the event, but in more of a behind-the-scenes role. In January of 2017, Roy was chosen as the Person of the Year by the Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce for all of his charitable and volunteer work for Avery County. “If there’s a fundraiser going on, he’s promoting it. He’s a hard act to follow, even those of us who do volunteer work will only ever accomplish a small fraction of what he’s been able to do. That’s his legacy,” said John Heinlein, who is a fellow member of the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk. Former Kiwanis president Kathy Boone, who just happens to share a birthday with Roy, praised him for all of his volunteer efforts. “I have never met a person with more dedication to his community, and with his dedication, we all benefit. He’s made volunteering fun and he’s been a role model for others,” said Boone. In the fall of 2017, Krege was honored by the Kiwanis Club for his 39 years of dedication to the Woolly Worm Festival. “I enjoy seeing our community prosper and see that the lives of people that live here and visit here are good. What we can do to help improve that are what service clubs are about what God would have us to do,” said Krege. “I encourage everyone that can to get out and help to serve and be a part of their community to make a difference in other people’s lives and their own.”
How it Started for Kiwanis Carolinas Governor Dr. Mary Jo Brubaker
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iwanis Club of Banner Elk member Dr. Mary Jo Brubaker received a special honor in August of 2017 being elected as the Governor of Kiwanis Carolinas, the district hub that covers both North Carolina and South Carolina with over 175 clubs and 6,000 members. “It was a huge moment for me, it’s such an honor to be chosen by your peers to lead the organization,” Brubaker said. Mary Jo’s first venture into what the Kiwanis Club has to offer was during her time at Seminole High School in Florida where she was a Keyette. After she graduated high school, unfortunately all the service clubs at the time were just for men. However, in 1987, the Kiwanis Club of Marietta, Georgia voted to allow women to become full members. “I was asked to join the club in Marietta and I was one of the first five women in the club,” said Brubaker. During her time in Marietta, Brubaker helped with a number of committees and projects before moving to Banner Elk 13 years ago and becoming a member of the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk. She has served as a board member, vice president and president for the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk, as well as served as chairperson for the annual Woolly Worm Festival and coordi-
nated the club’s Reading is Fundamental program. “Service is a big part of who I am. Giving back and giving to others is just a natural fit for me. I was an educator so my whole life has revolved around children and youth, and that is the Kiwanis mission, improving the world one child and one community at a time,” Brubaker said. “When we come together, we are a very powerful force and can improve the lives of children.” While serving the Banner Elk community has always been a big part of her life for the last decade, Mary Jo says that working around the world has also been important to her. “I was ready to take the next step beyond my community. For me, it has been very exciting to work with people from around the world who are just as committed to improving the lives of children in their community in their own countries,” Brubaker said. Mary Jo says she gets emails from many different countries around the world in 10 to 12 different languages. Brubaker will serve as the governor until next year when she will still continue to serve the district and travel internationally as Past Governor of Kiwanis Carolinas. Mary Jo and her husband, Dan, have two children and six grandchildren and reside in Banner Elk. August / September 2018
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Kiwanis Club Duck Races
T The first 900 ducks are released at the beginning of the race. Photos by Todd Bush
he Party in the Park Duck Races entered its 10th year this year and raised $10,000 that will all be given back to the community. The race was sponsored by Big Duck Games for the fifth year in a row and provided half of the total funds raised. Big Duck Games, the title sponsor of the Duck Race makes family-friendly mobile games. Flow Free, an addicting puzzle game, is the company’s most popular app with over 100 million downloads. It is available for Apple, Android, Amazon and Windows devices. Big Duck Games was founded in 2012 by husband-and-wife team of Michael and Sharon Newman. It started as a side project while both were working at Microsoft. With the success of their game Flow Free, both Michael and Sharon now focus on their company full time. Michael has been visiting Banner Elk since he was a child. “We are so excited to support the Kiwanis Club’s efforts to fundraise and give back to schools and other worthy causes in Avery County,” said Michael. The race starts out with members of the Kiwanis Club selling tickets for the race. Each race has a maximum of 900 ducks and each duck is numbered on the bottom. The number on the duck has a corresponding number that is assigned to each ticket. For each race, ducks are dumped into the water all at the same time and cruise down the stream. Children will walk behind the ducks with rakes to make sure each individual duck does not get caught on the stream banks, making sure everyone’s duck still has a chance to win at the end. The fastest of all the ducks will be the first to enter the “Duckalator” which is a narrow triangular-shaped wooden funnel. Once the winning ducks separate themselves from the pack, the winning numbers are announced by the race judge. The fastest duck owner claims the top prize with other smaller prizes distributed in order of finish. The Duck Races each Fourth of July always turn out to be one of the biggest fundraisers that the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk hosts each year.
At the finish line the first ducks to make it through the “Duckalator” are declared the winners. Photos by Jim Swinkola 54
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Up here, it’s about the high country not the country club
Come Discover Eagles Nest: High Country living the way you want it. There is no better place to experience all the natural beauty and variety of the Western North Carolina High Country than right here. With one of the highest elevations in the area –and just 3 miles from the charming downtown of Banner Elk–Eagles Nest is a haven for year-round outdoor activity, catering to every age and interest.
Home sites available from the 80’s. Turn-key cottage packages from the 390’s. Call 866-370-1052 or visit DiscoverEaglesNest.com
August / September 2018
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Blue Ridge Garden Club Has Deep Roots Living A Legacy
By Sherrie Norris
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or nearly seven decades, the Blue Ridge Garden Club has been primarily responsible for the beautification of Boone. What many of us often take for granted can be credited to the hard work, dedication, creativity and foresight of the club and its members, past and present. As club member and publicity chair Quincy Parham shares, “We are living our legacy — and our goal is to thrive, not just survive !” As many garden clubs are disbanding across the country, Parham points out, the Blue Ridge Garden Club is still going strong. “From 16 charter members in 1949, the club now enters its 69th year with 37 members,” she said. The garden club began in 1949 with charter members Constance Stallings, Carrie Winkler, Mae Miller, Margaret Councill, Vivian Reynolds and Mrs. W. C. Greer realizing a great need in the community. It has certainly stood the test of time and has maintained a place of dignity through the years. While many members have come and gone, there are currently five members who have remained actively involved for 20 years plus. They are: Lucille Hipp, Judy Humphrey, Marie Schaedler, Marianne Suggs and Rebecca Kaenzig Hutchens. Today, the Blue Ridge Garden Club represents 15 states and two countries, and includes master gardener and noted neurosurgeon, Dr. David Kline. Kline also serves on the board of directors for the Daniel Boone Native Gardens, joined by fellow club members Hannah Hunt, Nell Kline, Emmy Stallings and Quincy Parham. Current officers of the garden club are president Kathleen Cascini, vice-president Janice LaCapra, secretary Hillary Alexander, treasurer Judy Williamsen and historian Joanie Venza. Currently in the care of the Daniel Boone Garden Club are five civic gardens which include the following: Greer Garden in the parking lot of Daniel Boone Native Gardens, Vivian Reynolds Memorial Garden on the Greenway, Coffey Garden at the Jones House, Queen Street Garden in the heart of Boone, and the gardens at Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center located behind Watauga Medical Center. 56
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FIRST CLUB PICTURE - 1952 Seated left to right: Ellen Payne, Constance Stallings, Florence Wilcox, Melissa Richardson, and Clesta Harmon. Standing: Margaret Councill, Carrce Winkler, Ina Van Noppen, Effie Moose, Vivian Reynolds, Lou Hall, Mary Lou Graff, Amris Gragg, and Clarice Wery.
Current members of the Daniel Boone Garden Club Seated left to right: Janice LaCapra, Susan Miller, Hillary Alexander, Kathleen Cascini, Pat Rusch, Judy Williamsen. Back Rows left to right: Gail Hawkinson, Lee Werner, (Guests Joanne Stuart, Barbara Pido and Dottie Hancock), In the middle: Liz Cornella, Sarah Jordan, Peggy Appleton, Kathy Canady, Marilyn Wright, Nell Kline, Marianne Suggs and Dr. David Kline, and Quincy Parham behind Marilyn. (Photo submitted)
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The Blue Ridge Garden Club is also credited with establishing the Daniel Boone Native Gardens, which was dedicated in 1963 and continues to attract hundreds of visitors each year. A very busy group of gardeners, the club members are involved in a number of community efforts on a regular basis, including planting trees for Arbor Day, participating in Litter Sweep, helping local schools with gardens and trees, decorating the annual Christmas tree at Watauga Medical Center, providing fresh flowers in the reception areas of the Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center and maintaining two “butterfly trails. ” The club has also installed bike racks in the parking lot of Daniel Boone Native Gardens, made a $ 2,500 donation to DBNG for the establishment of the Blue Ridge Garden Club Meditation Terrace, as well as ongoing support the of the Garden Club of NC and The National Garden Club. The club also participates in the “Adopt a Street” program by caring for the parking lot at Daniel Boone Native Gardens. Future plans of the group include repaving that same area, correcting current drainage issues and removing overgrown shrubs and weeds “We are looking forward to celebrating 70 years as a valued contributor to our community,” said Parham. The club would like to publicly acknowledge the following individuals for their generosity and assistance in helping its members make a difference in Boone’s overall appearance: Danielle Stewart of The Mustard Seed, Frank Butler of New River Power and Light, Tyler Dandy, Ray
Planting Day - Coffey Lot at Appalachian & King Street Lois Cooke, Lou Hall, Vivian Reynolds, and Lalia Hardin.
Life Membership in Garden Club of N.C. is given to Margaret Coffey and Lou Hall by Ellen Payne and Vivian Reynolds.
20th anniversary celebration - 1969 Seated: Effie Moose, Louis Cooke, Mary Lou Graff, Mae Miller, Ruth Reichart, and President Constance Stallings. Standing: Rena Glenn, Iva Van Noppen, Peggy Cline, Melissa Richardson, Bea Hendrix, Margaret Coffey, Martha Watkins, Vivian Reynolds, Lou Hall, Lona Qualls, Ellen Payna, Dotty Matheson, Lalia Hardin, Florence Wilcox, Carrie Winkler. Absent: Mrs, Greer, Margaret Councill, Bebe Plemmons, and Clesta Harmon. August / September 2018
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Presnell and Shannon Isaacs of Boone Public Works. “Without the support of our community, as well as ongoing financial support, neither our civic gardens nor the Daniel Boone Native Gardens would exist today.” Anyone interested in joining the garden club or otherwise. helping fund its work is welcome to get involved. More information is available on the club’s Facebook page at BlueRidge-Garden-Club.
Living The Legacy
Vivian Reynolds is pictured at the arbor at the dedication of the Margaret Linney Coffey Memorial Garden in 1996.
Passed down through the years — and through several capable hands of leadership —is a large scrapbook depicting the legacy of the Blue Ridge Garden Club. A club keepsake begun and maintained by Vivian Reynolds, a name synonymous with flowers and beautification efforts in Boone for many years, the book is filled with interesting memorabilia related to the garden club and its decades of service projects and community involvement. From a 1952 photograph of club members meeting at the Skyline Restaurant, to those of flower show exhibits from the ‘50s, garden dedications, home tours and holiday arrangements, the compilation paints a clear picture of just how involved the garden club has been and what an impact Vivian Reynolds is remembered for her love of gardening and left her touch on nearly every corner of Boone.
Mrs. Ruth Reichart, state president, prepares to “carve” the cake as Mrs. Lou Hall, Blue Ridge Garden Club President, quizzically watches. 58
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Picture of Scrap Book
A large scrapbook depicting the legacy of the Blue Ridge Garden Club has been passed down through the years — and through several capable hands of leadership. The club keepsake was begun and maintained by Vivian Reynolds. it has had on the town of Boone. Let’s take a closer look together at the gardens the club currently maintains: The Coffey Memorial Garden Established 1996 Located at The Jones House Chairperson: Lucille Hipp A dedication ceremony of the Margaret Linney Coffey Memorial Garden was held July 16, 1996 in the side yard of The Jones House in Boone. It pays tribute to a woman who gave much of her time and talent to making the
world around her a better place until her death on June 10, 1994. Coffey was born in 1906 and lived her entire life in Boone. She was caring for her invalid mother in 1949 and unable to participate in the Blue Ridge Garden Club when it was first organized. There was no vacancy when she was finally able to join, so she became an associate member at that time. She is remembered as one who loved roses, specifically the Queen Elizabeth Roses, and for her innate ability for flower arranging. She won numerous blue ribbons and Best of Show awards for arrangements
and table setting displays at many regional and state flower shows. Coffey served as club treasurer 19631965 and on many committees over the years. In 1968, she was presented a life membership in the Garden Club of North Carolina, Inc. A beautiful arbor constructed by Beach and Adams Builders, and landscape planting, designed by Vivian Reynolds, were presented at the dedication and included Coffey’s favorite roses, which were mainstays for a long time. Through the years, however, the roses —which required a lot of
The lovely arbor at the Jones House today continues to provide visitors a view of a lasting legacy. PhotosHby Sherrie Norris August / September 2018 igh Country Magazine
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Recently installed bike racks at the Greer Memorial Garden near the entrance to Daniel Boone Native Gardens in Boone prove helpful to area bikers. attention — were neglected and eventually replaced by various shrubs and flowers. Club member Lucille Hipps is now in charge of the Coffey Garden and plans to restore it to its original layout, complete with those beloved roses. A grant from the Boone Tourism Development Authority proved to be a huge help in establishing this memorial garden. The Greer Garden Located in the parking lot of Daniel Boone Native Gardens Established 1971 Chairperson: Kathy Canady The Greer Garden began as a raised flower bed memorial garden 46 years ago at the Daniel Boone Native Gardens in honor of Mrs. W.C. Greer (her first name was not listed in the archives), who was a charter member of the Blue Ridge Garden Club. The late Constance Stallings, one of the club’s past presidents, arranged for Greer’s memorials to be turned into a garden. Mrs. Greer was known as a dedicated horticulturist and was always a gracious hostess in her home for many extra club events. Mrs. Greer died November 18, 1970, and her memorial garden was dedicated in 1971. The original garden was a stone planter constructed in the parking lot of the Daniel Boone Native Gardens, and remains today, as does the original plaque bearing her name. Spring flowering bulbs, perennials and annuals have blossomed over the past 47 years; the memorial area was extended on both sides with stone walls to allow for two additional flower beds. Recent improvements include a dogwood tree planted in the center bed with sedum, peonies, blue spruce junipers, hostas and day lilies providing a year-round 60
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bloom effect for the area. Also, in the parking lot immediately behind the memorial, two bike racks were installed, as well as a gravel path in the front area separating the garden from the large grassy area. The garden club recently agreed to extend the reaches of the Greer Garden to the front edges of the Daniel Boone Native Gardens. This area needed tree pruning, general clean-up, extensive weeding, improvement Greer Garden in bloom earlier this summer. to drainage, as well as new Sherrie Norris photos flora and shrub installation. This was done in 2017 with three years ago, a large pine tree was lost at plans for further enhancement this year. The goal for this new flow- the Queen Street end, and two years ago, ering area is to obtain a “Butterfly Trail” an errant driver crashed through the split rail fence and crushed all the peonies and designation. Stella Doro lilies. Last year, the King Street end was damaged due to “infrastructure Queen Street Garden diggings” in the midst of peak flowering Located between season. But in spite of it all, Queen Street King and Queen Streets Garden continues to expand and thrive. Became a Blue Ridge Garden Club Two club members had the split rail Project in 2011 fence repaired at their own expense and Queen Street- Liz Cornella Adopted by the Blue Ridge Garden those responsible for the garden have been Club in 2011, this lovely garden can be generous with plantings from their own found between Queen and King Streets in flower beds. The garden is designated as a Butterfly downtown Boone. Highway by the NC Wildlife Association. Formerly known as the Carrie Winkler Memorial Garden, the area was “quite neglected,” according to club members, when they first began working with it. In addition to the “cardio-challenging steps,” it boasted a red fire hydrant, three Rose of Sharon bushes, a hydrangea, some periwinkle and a bumper crop of buttercups. The garden has had its share of setbacks, club members described, as about
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Vivian Reynolds Memorial Garden Located on the Vivian and Lee Reynolds Greenway in Boone Established 2005 Chairperson: Janet Stout Having moved to Boone with her husband, Lee, in 1949, Vivian Reynolds be-
came a founding member of the Blue Ridge Garden Club the same year and served as president from 1955-1957. Vivian and Lee, (a professor at Appalachian State University), grew and maintained approximately 40 garden plots around the town of Boone, planting an estimated 25,000 bulbs, annuals and roses. Vivian’s gardening efforts, in particular, served as the inspiration for Blue Ridge Garden Club to establish and continue the civic gardens. Her specialty was roses. She cared for several rose gardens around town, including those at the hospital, at the corner of King Street across from the Mellow Mushroom and at the Jones House. The roses were eventually replaced with other flowers and shrubs The Reynolds couple was active both in the community and at Boone United Methodist Church. Vivian served on the board of directors for Wa-
Queen Street Garden, designated as a Butterfly Highway by the NC Wildlife Association, thrives today despite a number of recent setbacks.
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Through the greenway and this lovely garden to its entrance, Lee and Vivian Reynolds are remembered fondly for their many contributions to beautification efforts throughout the town of Boone. Sherrie Norris photos
tauga Hospital. In 1991, the three-mile greenway along the New River was dedicated in their honor. In 1996, Vivian was named Watauga County Woman of the Year. In 1999, the Town of Boone honored her for her years of voluntary service beautifying the town. Vivian continued to work in the gardens after Lee’s death, until they were taken over by the town. She passed away February 8, 2011, but not before the garden
club gladly assumed the responsibility of the Reynolds garden. The memorial garden is currently maintained by seven members of the club: Janet Stout, Mary Horn, Marrianne Suggs, Marilyn Wright, Jean Perry, Peggy Appleton and Hillary Alexander. Marianne Suggs, who was helpful in providing historic information for this feature, was so inspired by the couple, she said, that she joined the garden club. Suggs, along with fellow club member, Anne Gade, worked with the Town of Boone to establish this memorial garden, which is located near the entrance of the Greenway, just off State Farm Road. The town of Boone built the wall and club members donated the plants. The club won a state award for the coordination with the town to establish the garden. Most recently, in May, the garden
Blue Ridge Garden Club is proud of all their civic garden projects, they said, but especially, these at the cancer center, where they hope to bring a little joy to the patients therein. Sherrie Norris photo
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gained a new look with the assistance of Sharlie Siegmund, owner of Charlotte’s Greenhouse. Today, you can see many beautiful plants in the Reynolds garden: blue salvias, fireworks, butterfly bushes, Russian sage, yellow weigela Rubicon, euonymus, red salvia, butterfly buzz, salvia black and blue, euphorbias Ascot Rainbow, dianthus, Shasta daisies, Agastache, sedums and catnip. Many of the gardeners in the club have fond memories of Vivian and say they hope to continue her vision, work ethic and motto for many years to come. Club members who maintain the Reynolds Memorial Garden plan to plant flowers reflecting Appalachian State University colors.
Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center Located behind Watauga Medical Center in Boone Adopted by the garden club in 2012 Chairperson: Janice LaCapra Relative newcomer to the High Country, Janice LaCapra joined the Blue Ridge Garden Club in 2006, served as its president from 2009-2011 and was instrumental in not only recruiting new members, but also obtaining a new garden. In 2012, Blue Ridge Garden Club sponsored a planting of pink flowers and plants at the Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center on the grounds of Watauga Medical Center in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Working with center director, Sandra Cassidy, the club decided to adopt the garden area, “spruce it up a bit,” and expand their efforts to include the entire area behind the center, which is viewed from the windows of the treatment room. Numerous planters, hanging baskets, shrubs and perennials were placed in the area, complementing the existing bird feeders and cement birdbath. Club member Doris Ratchford, and her peers from the local Audubon Society, took over the responsibility of caring for the feeders and implementing a program to introduce hummingbirds to the garden. Three beautifully hand-painted bird houses were added, as well as cobalt blue water bath. The garden club members also began taking turns providing fresh cut flowers, orchids or other plants for the reception area on a bi-weekly basis and divided up responsibilities to include the following: Susan Miller cares for the large cobalt blue planters at the entrance; Judy Williamson, Joanie Venza, Sandi Wells, Kathleen Cascini, Dianne Dougherty, Emmy Stallings and Janice LaCapra rotate watering duties during dry months. They also change the garden décor for each season and major holidays, such as Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Blue Ridge Garden Club is proud of all their civic garden projects, they said, but especially, the one at the cancer center, where they hope to bring a little joy to the patients therein. They would like to thank the staff of the cancer center and the hospital for their assistance in helping to maintain the grounds and watering the plants as needed. t August / September 2018
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Photos by Ken Ketchie
Homemade and Homegrown The Avery Agricultural & Horticultural Fair at Heritage Park BY Davin Underwood
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Avery A&H Fair Tuesday - Saturday
Aug. 28 to Sept. 1
T
he opening of school and the arrival of fall festivals announce the beginning of the end of summer. From the coast to the mountains, adults and kids, alike, begin anticipating funnel cakes, candied or caramel apples, twirling rides, game booths, raffles, and contests. While the first known American agricultural fair is thought have taken place in the early 1800’s in Massachusetts, the first North Carolina State Fair operated in 1853 giving way to the formation of various other county fairs across the state. By 1919, North Carolina’s one-hundredth and newest county, Avery, founded in 1911, had it’s own agricultural and horticultural fair. It was held yearly in the county seat of Newland, which was then known as Old Fields of Toe, up until the early 1930’s, when farmers and community members became unable to endure the devastating effects of the Depression years. Almost a hundred years later, the Avery Agricultural & Horticultural Fair is again an annual event attracting people from across the state. In continuous operation since 1993, the Avery A & H Fair draws at least 5,000 visitors to the event and county each year; the attendance approaches 8,000 if the weather is exceptional. “It is a family oriented mountain fair known for friendliness and preservation of the mountain heritage that has long been a part of the North Carolina High Country,” says the Fair Board’s mission statement. Made up of a group of spouses and friends, the Fair Board is a family that shares
Admission
Photos by Jamie Goodman
$5.00
Tuesday: 5:30-9:30 p.m. Goat Show at 6:00, Cow Patty Bingo at 7:00
Wednesday: 5:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Horse Halter Show at 6:00, Cow Patty Bingo at 7:00
Thursday: 5:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Chicken Show at 6:00, Cow Patty Bingo at 7:00
Friday, 5:30 - 10:30 p.m.
Dairy Steer Show at 6:00, Cow Patty Bingo at 7:00
Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Countrified Obstacle Course for Adults at 1:00 Little Britches Obstacle Course for 15 & under at 2:00 pm Beef Heifer Show at 6:00, Cow Patty Bingo at 7:00 August / September 2018
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Fair Information COMPETITIONS: There’s still time for those wishing to enter items in the farm and home tent right up to a couple of days before the fair begins. For information on livestock entries, call Michelle South at the Avery County Extension office (828-733-8270) for entry forms and rules. There’s no entry fee for livestock competition. To enter produce, crafts, quilts, woodworking, cakes, pies and more, call Jerry Moody at the same phone number for entry forms and rules. There is a small entry fee for these competitions.Judging takes place Tuesday before the fair.
RAFFLE: 250 tickets will be available at $50 each for this year’s raffle that takes place on Staurday. The winner will be determine in a “reverse drawing” were the last ticket drawn is the winner. You do not need to be present to win and tickets are available for purchase now through last day of fair on Saturday. This year’s winner will receiive 5.5 ft. by 10 ft. tag-along trailer, a Stihl chainsaw with a two-year warranty and a backpack blower with a two-year warranty, a Coleman cooler, a flattop grill, a pop-up tent, and a homemade corn hole game. 66
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a passion for growing and supporting solidarity in their community. Not only the newest, but as well one of the smallest counties in the state in terms of population and size, Avery is made up of Newland, Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, Sugar Mountain, Crossnore, Elk Park, and Linville. In this rural, isolated area where the local economy is largely based on tourism and summer residents, a strong community is key to the success of the individual. The county fair is a main attraction for the locals and the influx of visitors is beneficial to businesses. The Avery A & H Fair is the county’s is one of their bestknown events and provides an opportunity for the area’s children to engage in wholesome activities prompting learning and pride for their mountain heritage. But, nearly one-third of the county’s school age children lives in poverty and would not likely be able to attend such events outside the county due to their family’s limited income. In response to the disparity, the Fair Board puts on educational exhibits and demonstrations for students of Avery County Schools, hoping to ensure every child has the opportunity to enjoy the fair, to learn about their heritage and about what goes on in and around their county. “We provide educational programs, where the kids can go through stations to learn about different aspects of agriculture, husbandry, and cultural heritage,” said B.J. Beuttell, Fair Board veteran and president. Last year, the Fair Board focused on farm safety and the workings of the skeleton and skeletal muscles of the horse. The kids can walk through the livestock pens, too, giving them a chance to see the animals close up. Kids corner is an agricultural exhibit in which the kids learn about the Christmas tree industry, a big money crop in Avery County. Tree farmers help N.C. rank second in the nation in the number of Fraser firs harvested and sold. Inside the farm and home tent, the kids get to experience harvesting their own Christmas tree. They walk through a selection of Fraser firs and pick one to bring to market, which is a counter where they are given fake money in exchange for the tree they have chosen. They can, then, take their earnings and buy a prize. Having fun and learning is what the fair is all about. “We have always been focused
Fair Ride Tickets Ride Bracelets are $15 on Tuesday $20 Wednesday through Friday $15 from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday And $20 from 6 p.m. to close on Saturday. August / September 2018
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exhibits. A lot of people like on the kids of Avery County,” to come in and see what their said Beuttell. There are numerfriends and neighbors grew, or ous activities geared at making how big the pumpkins are,” agricultural education fun for the Fair Board said. The largest them and with as many animals pumpkin contest is a big deal at as are entered, and with almost the fair with last year’s winning 300 blue ribbon contest entries, pumpkin weighing in at almost the kids have plenty to see and 400 lbs.! The farm and home do. Bulls, chickens, turkeys, blue ribbon competitions allow rabbits, ducks, donkeys, horses, the community to see the variety goats, sheep, pigs, and even aland abundance of craftsmanship pacas make appearances at the from the farmers and tradesfair. Michelle South, Charisse man in Avery and surrounding Cutherbertson, is the livestock counties. Aneda Johnson, board agent for Avery County and a The farm and home tent is where entries for produce and member, handles the domesFair Board member. She estabcrafts items are displayed. tic heritage exhibits, which are lished the Avery County Feathmade up of different implements ers and Fur 4-H Livestock Club until the early morning hours. Michelle, and “as the livestock agent, [she] likes to also, leads livestock shows that teach the of mountain and farm life, like old tools, take every opportunity to educate the kids kids the proper handling techniques of equipment, and living necessities. Aneda on the humane treatment of animals and husbandry. She has put on horse shows is an Avery county native and remembers to show them how well [they] care for the where the kids take a halter class and then when “her dad still used his horse and plow animals… the fair really is an education present the horse. The kids are judged and before getting a tractor.” She set up a farm event for kids,” she said. “The games have awarded on how well they show and han- kitchen clad with old cookery last year and to be humane for the animals and fun for dle it. This year’s project is a chicken show. has, also, set up a general store. The comthe kids.” Games such as chasing down a The kids took home chicks from 4-H and petitions are open to anybody and there are greased pig or chasing down a pig to re- from those donated by Rural King, a na- many different categories in which to enter move a ribbon tied to its tail keep every- tionwide feed store, and will be evaluated the homemade and homegrown. The largest one laughing and the animal safe. Another on how well they raised the chicks. The pumpkin is only one of the largest vegetable game used for not only entertainment, but Avery County chapters of F.F.A. and 4-H categories. “They can bring in canned foods, as a fundraiser for the Livestock and 4-H are a large part of the fair, as their mem- cut flowers, baked goods, vegetables, fruit, Clubs is one called Cow Patty Bingo. A bers volunteer their time to help make the we have fine art and photography categolarge grid is drawn on the lawn and the fair a memorable and worthwhile event. ries, wood working, crocheting, knitting… boxes are numbered. Contestants buy a Last year, they hosted other chapters from you name it, we judge just about anything,” box and when all the boxes are sold, the surrounding counties to enjoy the fair and Debbie Smith said, another longtime board member and volunteer. cow is fed and left to pasture over the to take part in jovial competition. The farm and home tent houses all of homemade game board. The person with Of course, there is something for evthe number of the box in which the cow eryone to enjoy at the Avery A & H Fair. the entries and the Fair Board invites state poops wins the game. Now, how fun is Plentiful exhibits, carnival rides, live bands, judges from other agricultural offices and that? Contestants and on lookers wait and and competitions make for a good time to specialist from N.C. State University to wait, but sometimes the cow does not go be had by all. “We have a lot of different judge the items and to give their expert
“The county basically told me, “I can do anything I want as long as I provide the money,” say Jerry Moody, County Extension Director who is pictured to the left. The Avery Fair Board, pictured during a recent meeting, has its sights set on the construction of the community center, the third phase of the Heritage Park development. 68
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Top Ten Reasons Why the Citizens of Avery County Needs Heritage Park
Heritage Park Development Phases 1-6
1. This is the best way to provide an opportunity to help children and adults to grow and prosper by building a positive future; 2. The Community Center will provide a new meeting place that 30-40 non-profit groups can call home; 3. Entrepreneurs can try out a business in the proposed certified kitchen; 4. Farmers can coordinate livestock sales and increase their profitability; 5. There will be new facilities for educational programs for the citizens of Avery County; 6. The Summer WOW camp that has served up to 125 children daily will have an outdoor facility for gardening, cooking, hiking, learning about trout and water quality issues, learning about animal husbandry, learning about nature, and other life skills; 7. The citizens will have a place to have a small raised bed garden; 8. The facility can serve as an Emergency shelter location for Avery, i.e. fire, hurricane, snow, or flood; 9. The campus will provide a wonderful location for nature hikes, dog walking, and beginning horse trail rides; 10. The campus provides a wonderful location for regional trade shows, county wide events, concerts, wedding/reception venues, graduations, family reunions, fairs, and craft events.
Phase 1: Avery County Cooperative Extension Center Building • Estimated Completion Date: 2018 • Estimated Cost: $1.7 million Phase 2: WNC Regional Demonstration Pesticide Storage, Mixing, and Loading Facility for Small Farmers • Completion Date June 1, 2018 • Funded by a Grant from the PETF (Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund operated by the NCDA&CS (North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) • Cost $15,305.00 Phase 3: Community Center • Estimated Completion Date: 2021 or when funds are acquired • Estimated Cost: $920,000 - $1.2 million Estimated cost is based upon Architect’s estimate Phase 4: Equine/Livestock Facility • Estimated Completion Date: 3 years or when funds are acquired • Estimated Cost: To be determined Phase 5: Walking/Nature Trail • Estimated Completion Date: When funds are acquired • Estimated Cost: To be determined Phase 6: Community Garden/Heirloom Apple Germplasm Repository • Estimated Completion Date: When funds are acquired • Estimated Cost: to be determined
ENVISIONING HERITAGE PARK From a NC State College of Design Report
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he overarching goal of the collaboration between Avery County Cooperative Extension and North Carolina State University’s College of Design is to develop a vision plan for Heritage Park to consider opportunities for its future development to be bene cial to the whole of Avery County. While the county fair is extremely valuable to the county, it only occurs one weekend a year. By programming spaces throughout Heritage Park to be used year- round, the site has the potential to be a destination for both residents and visitors. With added venues like the community center and equestrian center, the goal is to increase tourist activity and provide much needed venues for local organizations to operate and thrive. While the site should attract visitors from neighboring counties, daily needs for those residing in the county also need to be considered. Building off of the existing amenities, spaces are developed that can be used throughout the year by residents: a community garden, outdoor movies, horseback riding, a trout demonstration site, and an outdoor amphitheater. By developing these different elements throughout the vision plan, Heritage Park can help to support an engaged, healthy, and vibrant community.
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advice to the contestants. The animal entries are judged only on confirmation that is how their bodies are structured for their use, such as for riding, breeding, meat, or eggs, which can also be entered and judged. Eggs are judged by candling to look at the yolk, the size of the air pocket inside the shell, and to see if there are any cracks in the shell. Also, the shape and size of the eggs are judged according to the breed of chicken that laid the egg. The state mandates that any birds entered into the judging must be tested for avian influenza to be considered. A specialist is brought in for this and Michelle said he amazingly gets all the birds tested within an hour; they had about 150 bird entries last year. During judging, the tents are closed so the judges can deliberate and decide the rankings anonymously and fairly. Other contests are the countryman obstacle course where local he-men can test their agility and strength, and the draft pull, which is like a tractor pull, but with horses. The Avery A & H Fair is a non-profit event and the prizes are not major purses, as the first place prize is the blue ribbon and three dollars. “We’re not a major money maker, but it’s an opportunity for us to do a couple of things good for the kids and community and show off the cultural history of the county and the agricultural history. I think it’s a good fit for our county,” said Jerry Moody, director of the county Extension office and whose wife, Lisa Moody, is the Fair Board Treasurer. “What seems to matter most, I think, than the tangible awards is the notoriety the individual gains through sharing their passion and labor of love with their community.” The Fair Board and its volunteers orchestrate the fair in order to raise money for scholarships that are offered to graduating seniors at Avery High School. The students do not need to have straight A’s to be awarded the money. Their merits are based in volunteerism and community engagement. Generally, the kids who are applying for the scholarships are members of F.F.A or 4-H and have worked at the fair since they were small, having been a part of its growth and success. The funds for the scholarships are raised using fair admissions and contest entry fees. The Fair Board raises money by selling chances at a raffle, as they are a mainstay of any genuine county fair. The raffle is a reverse draw and the proceeds help to sustain the Fair Board throughout the year. Chances are $50.00 each and the kitty includes a 5.5 ft. by 10 ft. tag-along trailer, a Stihl
chainsaw with a two-year warranty and a backpack blower with a two-year warranty, a Coleman cooler, a flattop grill, a pop-up tent, and a homemade corn hole game. Also included is $250.00 worth of gift certificates to Bass Pro Shop and two six packs of oil for the small engines. Gates open from 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday, September 5 to 8, with rides opening at 6 p.m. Gates open at 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 9. Gate fees are $5 per person and free for children younger than five. Ride bracelets are $15.00 on Tuesday, $20.00 Wednesday through Friday, $15.00 from 1:00 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and $20.00 from 6 p.m. to close on Saturday. A major component that parallels with the success and ease of putting on and enjoying the fair is the further development of Heritage Park. It is an elevated plateau created through major land excavation offering desirable views of the landscape with a suitable location and elevation for community functions. It also carries historical significance as a farm, itself. “I want to interject just a little bit of history about
“We have a lot of different exhibits. A lot of people like to come in and see what their friends and neighbors grew, or how big the pumpkins are.” where Heritage Park is… years ago there was a huge farm on the land, my dad has told me the man had a saw mill, he had a grist mill, he had everything he needed up on that farm,” Aneda regaled. Avery County purchased the property from the Fair Board in 2000-2001 for its development as fairgrounds and as an educational and recreational public space for the communities of the area. “Heritage Park has the potential to become a powerful driver for community development through… focusing on Avery County’s unique culture it would ultimately serve the needs of Newland and Avery County as a whole,” said Moody. The strategic approaches would focus on tourism and downtown development attempting to establish Heritage Park as a public space with the potential to be a destination for residents and visitors. Armed with a six-phase development plan, “every brick we put in the ground now, we
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High Country Magazine
don’t have to dig up and redo later on,â€? wanted a place to meet and the answer was but the lack of funding creates a hold-up. a building that could accommodate small or “The county basically told me, “I can do large groups. They are currently waiting to anything I want as long as I provide the acquire the funds for the building that will money,â€? Moody chuckled, evoking a roar abut the new offices into which the Extenof laughter from everyone listening. Much sion will soon move. The Extension staff easier said than done, as there is a lot of and the Avery County Government have work to do if Heritage Park will become completed the new cooperative extension office by redeveloping an existing buildthe hub of activity for the county. Further establishment of hiking trails ing that acted as the fair ticket booth. In that existed when Avery County bought preparation for the construction of the new the property will serve as a recreational community center and for disaster relief, “ opportunity for many different groups I was able to get the county to go ahead of people, including children, elderly and and put the bathrooms in for the facility, handicap. “I’m looking at a trail like Mo- and also, to put the power in‌ we have a ses Cone,â€? Moody said. Having the poten- manual switch out there, so that when the tial to be interconnected with a larger net- power goes out, F.E.M.A. generators can be brought in and power work of footpaths, “Heritage Park has the provided to the entire including the river facility,â€? said Moody. walk in Newland, potential to become Currently, there is the trails could cona powerful driver for no place for evacuanect to surrounding tors to gather during community development towns becoming part of the greenway ini- through‌ focusing on Avery emergency situations and a major push for tiative that is taking County’s unique culture it funding is the complace in many bigger cities where pedeswould ultimately serve the munity center’s catrian highways are needs of Newland and Avery pability to serve as a disaster relief shelter needed. They can County as a whole.â€? for the area. The probe used as dog walkposed building will ing and horse riding trails, too, and can act as a lasso in tour- be a 5,700 sq. ft. facility with a projected ism. Trout fishing is a $300 million dollar cost of nearly a million dollars that will per year industry in western North Caro- house a certified kitchen, with a shower, lina and Heritage Park provides access to washing machine, and dryer to not only Whiteoak Creek at its southern end. “We provide aid in emergency situations, but are working with Bill Lord of N.C. State to also benefit food industry entrepreneurs hoping to try and do some work on the wanting to test a business. “Many times all creeks‌ as to make it more suitable for anyone needs is an idea and a chance to trout, lowering the temperature of the make that idea work, and if we can provide run-off‌ but, all of this is grant funded,â€? that snap, then, it can happen,â€? encouraged Moody told me. Designating creek access Moody. “Once we can raise the funds for sites will stimulate the local economy and the building, it will not only be used by the provide an ideal setting for outdoor class- fair, the community at large will benefit rooms for students to lean about ecology from it, too,â€? Charisse Cutherbertson said. and biology. Although the Avery County It will be the new shelter for the farm and A & H Fair is valuable to the county, it’s home exhibits, being greatly beneficial to only once a year. The future development the handmade items, like quilts, paintings, of Heritage Park, with its added venues and photographs that can be ruined from like the community and equine centers, moisture or mud. The winds and rains can will provide much-needed meeting and be extreme in Avery County and one year recreational space for local organizations a tent was lost to monsoon like conditions. Aneda and the domestic heritage exhibits to use. The current focus of the Fair Board will benefit from the community center, and the Avery County Extension is the too. “I’ll be glad because I won’t have to construction of the community center, the move all the stuff back and forth‌ I’ll be third phase of development. Moody told able to park it,â€? she said. The building will meetings were held last year where com- protect mountain and farm life relics and munity members and local non-profits will keep the ware and tear to a minimum, were asked “what do you need, we’re go- as repeated disassembling and reassembly ing to build something?â€? The community causes damage. Charisse’s husband, Larry
August / September 2018
The new Extension office is now complete at Heritage Park shown above and plans are underway for the proposed 5.700 ft addition attached to the right of this building at a cost of nearly a million dollars. Cuthbertson, told me, “we get very little negative feedback from fairgoers… they only thing negative we get is when it rains and people have to walk in the mud holes.” The success of the development of Heritage Park will strengthen community and create opportunities for recreation, cultivation, and education.
The Avery County A & H Fair, along with Heritage Park, has and will continue to be a building block of the community. With successful completion of the development of Heritage Park and with generous outreach from caring individuals who dedicate their time and energy providing wholesome educational opportunities for the youth and
future, and who support a healthy, engaged, and vibrant community, the Fair Board and the Extension center will reach their goals. County and state fairs stand as an American pastime, instilling in people a pride and interest in agriculture, horticulture, husbandry, and domestic heritage while, also, preserving the nation’s integrity. t
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Summer Treats!
HIGH COUNTRY Dining Guide 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. 74
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PLACES TO DINE THIS SUMMER 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 83
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 ABC permits compliment any dining experience. Come see what the Boonies already know! n 828-264-7772. www.cafeportofino.net. See ad on page 81
CASA RUSTICA BOONE. Conveniently located right off of Highway 105, Casa Rustica offers some of the finest Northern ItalianAmerican 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 to include interesting vintages and newFAIRWAY organics for CAFE guests to try. Enjoy live jazz every Thursday night and&clasVENUEa full sical guitar every Sunday. The restaurant also features bar and fantastic drink selections to delight even the pickiest patron. n 828-262-5128. www.casarustica1981.com. See ad on page 83
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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 page 77
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 catering 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 83
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 825-414.9230. www.greenparkinn.com. See ad on page 77
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 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 page 78
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. 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 829
Chestnut Grille
Divide Tavern Dinnerfood service is Serving & drinks available seven days a seven nights a week! weekOpens starting at 5pm. at 5pm
Open 7 nights week Thursday - Sundayaevenings 6:00pm - 9:00pm from 6pm - 9pm Reservations recommended.
Offering comfort cooking in a warm inviting setting, WE gourmet ARE PROUD AND EXCITED TOand INTRODUCE the Chestnut Grill features a seasonal menu inspired by the North CHEF SAMAnd “FtheRYDivide � BEASLEY , perfect Carolina High Country. Tavern is the setting enjoyMENU an evening of conversation over a glass of wine or AS: AS WELL ASto NEW SELECTIONS AND PREPARATIONS , SUCH hand crafted cocktail complimented by an extensive bar menu.
GRILLED FLAT IRON STEAK FRIED CHICKEN Garlic yukons, Sweetwhipped tea brined and grilled asparagus, buttermilk battered chicken crispy shallots, and breast, mashedjus Yukon blackberry potatoes, pan gravy
LECHON THE C UBAN ASSADO ANDWICH Traditional Cuban slow Roast pork, ham, Swiss roasted pork, cheese, pickles, mojo house marinated, andand served with seasoned mustard on ciabatta bread black beans and rice
HRIMP AND SSHRIMP &G GRITS RITS grits,over a HerbLime-thyme sauteed shrimp wilted spinach, bed of cheddar grits, mushrooms, bacon, and lemon-butter sauce, white winepan sauce bacon crumble
GRILLED RIBLAMB EYERACK Achiote spiced rubbed half Watauga County grown rack of lamb with limeCascade hops-rubbed & thyme grits, fried brussels, grilled eye, bourbonand rib blackberry jus peppercorn demi-glaze
MACT-HE N-C HICKEN CUBAN Traditional shredded Macaroni pasta, house roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese sauce, roasted cheese, house pickles, chicken, bacon & sriracha and whole grain mustard on ciabatta bread
FFISH CHIPS HIPS ISH & &C Beer batter fried cod,cut Batter-fried cod, house house cut chips, chips, tartar sauce, lemon & tartar sauce, lemon &malt maltvinegar vinegar
www.greenparkinn.com 828.414.9230 9329 Valley Boulevard, Blowing Rock
Facebook.com/GreenParkInn Instagram & Twitter: @thegreenparkinn
August / September 2018
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fairway cafe & venue
EAT CROW EAT PIE
EAT CAKE
EAT PIE
EAT CAKE EAT PIE EAT CAKE
Delicious Sandwiches
F.A.R.M. CAFÉ
(Served on our homemade bread)
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Serving Dinner Twice Monthly Call or Check our Website for Dates & Menu
828.963.8228 www.eatcrownc.com
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Dominic& Meryle Geraghty
Open Tuesday - Saturday 10 am-4 pm Lunch Served 11am - 3pm 9872 Hwy. 105 S. in Foscoe
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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 dogs anyway you like them and hamburgers from the classic to the fancy. The spacious indoor area features a beautiful 32 foot handcrafted maple bar. FAIRWAY Our venue is also CAFE & perfect for any of VENUE 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 833
boone. In May 2012, F.A.R.M. Cafe opened its doors with our mission to build a healthy & 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 & delicious! Some meals include items with meat, some are vegetarian and/or vegan. Our menu changes daily and is served by our volunteers and staff. F.A.R.M. Feed All Regardless of Means Cafe tries to have REAL. GOOD. FOOD. 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 80
August / September 2018
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 81
THE LOCAL BOONE. a place to enjoy a fresh meal, crafted in-house from local High Country ingredients. Serving traditional southern favorites, shecrab 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 Fri-
day and Saturday nights. Experience Local. Open Daily 11am. Sunday Brunch 11am-4pm. n 828-266-2179. www.TheLocalBoone.com. See ad on page 79
LOUISIANA PURCHASE FOOD & SPIRITS BANNER ELK. Celebrating 34 years in beautiful downtown Banner Elk, Chef Owner Patrick Bagbey’s menu evolves with the changing seasons, and will always include all the favourites. Featuring house made Cajun and Creole cuisine and always fresh North Carolina seafood. We are AAA three diamond award winner and recipient of Wine Spectator Magazine’s Best of Award of Excellence since 1994 through 2017. Our delicious meals begin with beautiful ingredients thoughtfully prepared and our seasonal menu features fresh NC seafood, local produce and proteins from Trosley Farms, Springhouse Farm, Charlotte’s Greenhouse and Heritage Farms to name a few. We make every effort to keep our ingredients seasonally relevant and enjoyed at their peak. Each item is prepared daily in house and made to order. We offer a full bar, craft cocktails, fourteen wines by the glass and a selection of local beers Although reservations are preferred, we are happy to seat walk-ins. Our dress code is business casual. We want you to come comfortable and hungry. Be sure to browse through the many selections on our menu. n 828-963-5087 or 828898-5656. www.louisianapurchasefoodandspirits.com. See ad on page 75
Proper BOONE. Located in an old jailhouse build in the late 1800s, Proper offers 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. August / September 2018
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www.propermeal.com. See ad on page 80
Red Onion Café
Homestyle Southern Cooking with a modern, seasonal slant
BOTTLES AT HALF PRICE
Open Monday - Saturday: 11:30am - 9:00pm Sunday: 11:30am - 3:00pm
142 S. Water St.|Boone NC 28607 828-865-5000|www.propermeal.com
RESPECTABLE. CORRECT. GENUINE
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 82
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
*// t 3&45"63"/5 t 41" t &7&/54
TABLE AT CRESTWOOD 10% OFF THE Must present this coupon to receive offer. Excludes Gratuity & Tax. EXPIRES 9/30/18
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.
Boone’s Donate-What-You-Can Community Cafe “Where Everybody Eats” The Spa at Crestwood is pleased to offer a variety of treatments for rejuvenating mind, body, and soul. BREATHTAKING MOUNTAIN VIEWS AWARD WINNING RESTAURANT | RELAXING SPA
Feed All Regardless of Means REAL. GOOD. FOOD.
617 W. King St. (across from Mast General Store) www.farmcafe.org 80
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THE INN AT CRESTWOOD RESTAURANT & SPA 3236 Shulls Mill Road, Boone NC 28607 828.963.6646 | www.crestwoodnc.com
possibilities ranging from traditional favorites to ethnic flavors from around the world. This summer Reid’s Cafe boasts a beautiful new space that has doubled their seating capacity and added a bar area with both beer and wine taps as well as handcrafted cocktails. n 828-268-9600. www.reidscateringco.com. See ad on page 79
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 local waRestaurant & Pub tering hole a local favorite. From traditional British favorites like Shepherd’s Pie and fish and chips to American-style burgers, house made soups and salads, this eatery and bar alleviates everyone’s hun-
Six Pence
ger 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 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 76
STONEWALLS BANNER ELK. The High Country’s premier steak and seafood house since 1985. Enjoy your favorite steaks, prime rib, chicken or baby back rib entrÊe or choose from the extensive seafood selection or daily specials. Serving daily from 5:00 p.m. in a casual, family-friendly dining atmosphere. Also serving Brunch 10am-2pm on Fridays, Satur-
828-264-7772 3JWFST 4USFFU r #PPOF
Follow us on facebook for our daily food and drink specials
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August / September 2018
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High Country Magazine
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Where flavors reach new heights.
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Over 33 Years in Boone!
CASUAL SOPHISTICATION
CAJUN CHICKEN FETTUCINI • PESTO • CHICKEN FAJITAS WRAP SOUTHWESTERN WRAP • CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD • LASAGNA LOW COUNTRY SALMON • CHICKEN PESTO PIZZA TUSCAN RED PEPPER CHICKEN BOURBON GLAZED CENTER CUT RIBEYE ARTICHOKE DIP WITH TOASTED GARLIC FRENCH BREAD SOUP & QUICHE OF THE DAY... Outdoor Covered Patio Dining 227 HARDIN STREET IN BOONE
We have Wi-Fi!
828/264.5470 redonionboone.com
SERVING LUNCH & DINNER 82
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SEVEN DAYS A WEEK
August / September 2018
days and Sundays. All ABC permits. n 828-898-5550. www.stonewallsresturant.com. See ad on page 80
The Table at Crestwood BOONE. Here at The Table Restaurant, fresh is always in season. 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. This rustic Blue Ridge Mountains resort is just 3.9 miles from historic Blowing Rock and 7.3 miles from Boone on the scenic Shulls Mill Road. The Inn at Crestwood is a hidden jewel. Beautiful surroundings, spectacular views and excellent service. n 828-963-6646. www.crexstwoodnc. com. See ad on page 836
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 78
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 828-262-1600. www.bbwaterwheelcafe.com. See ad on page 83
)0634 .PO 4BU BN QN 4VO BN QN
Boone’s Original Bagel Shop Since 1988 Serving Breakfast and Lunch All Day Espresso Coffee Bar 14 Varieties of Freshly Baked Bagels Vegetarian & Gluten Free Options Available Featuring Deli Sandwiches, Fresh Salads, Home made Flavored Cream Cheeses, Omelettes, Pancakes, French Toast, Burgers, Gyro
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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
Food & Spirits 8960 Valley Blvd, Blowing Rock 828.414.9922 www.ridgelineblowingrock.com
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.
Come for the view & stay for the food!
www.CRCateringCo.com | 828.406.7721 www.CasaRustica1981.com | 828.262.5128
FAIRWAY CAFE & VENUE
August / September 2018
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Some of the 17 CD covers released by the Hayes Family
1st Album - 1978
1979
1982
1983
The Hayes Family Singing and Telling the Good News
T
By Tim Gardner
including old convention songs with just he North Carolina High Country and alto when she sings with the family. The Hayes Family performs a diverse se- Janet playing the piano and Mylon the bass has long been considered a Southern Gospel music haven and home lection of songs—but only those with pow- guitar for accompaniment, typical Southern to many of the genre’s most talented sing- erful lyrics and a God-centered message. Gospel with soundtracks, piano and bass ers and musicians. Some of those make Its sound features various musical styles, and various old church hymns. And if you want to find out if, and how well, up the Boone-based Hayes Family, you can sing individually and as a a long-time fixture on the profesgroup, sing acapella. And that the sional circuit. Hayes Family also does well. Comprised of Lucy Hayes; “We have discovered that by usher children, Janet Hayes, Sharon ing particular styles and hymns, we Hayes Hodges (married to Jamey can better appeal to our listeners,” Hodges), Mylon and his wife, Lucy stated. “But we won’t ever Wendy, the latter whom sings perileave the basics of Southern Gospel odically with the group, this family because it has always been our muhelps wake up the world with ensical foundation. It’s time-tested.” ergetic, Christ-centered Southern A special treat for those attendGospel Music. And together they ing a Hayes Family concert is when create sweet harmony in the rich Janet and Sharon sit at the piano tradition of Southern Gospel family and play as a duet on an old consinging groups, delighting listeners vention song, displaying their conand becoming audience favorites siderable keyboard wizardry. Janet most everywhere they sing. also is a prolific songwriter, having As a result of having such verpenned more than 100 songs, insatile and talented voices, there is cluding Walking Toward Home and much vocal part switching within Closer Home, both of which the the group. Lucy and Sharon sing Hayes Family has recorded. both alto and soprano. Janet sings Howard and Lucy Hayes in a 1987 publicity photo Another popular feature at a tenor and soprano. Mylon sings that appeared on album Christmas Joy when the Hayes Family concert is when all Lulead and tenor and handles the emHayes couple were in their late forties. cy’s grandchildren—Toby and Tory cee work. Wendy supplies soprano 84
High Country Magazine
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A promotional studio picture of the Hayes Family in 1995 includes (Left-to-Right): Mylon, Janet, Sharon, Howard and Lucy. This was one of the photos made over the years that was available for purchase from their merchandise booth that they had at their concerts. Haas, Lucy Elaine and Jameson Hodges and Conner, Bailey and Kennedy Hayes— joins the group on stage to sing as a choir.
A Rich Musical History The musical history of the Hayes Family spans 62 years and always has been based from deep in the heart of the North Carolina High Country in Boone. It originated in 1956 when group patriarch, Howard Hayes, began singing weekly in area churches. A year later, he met a young lady, Lucy Earp, who shared Howard’s love for Southern Gospel music and was musically inclined herself. Howard and Lucy fell in love and were married November 16, 1958. Lucy, the gracious Hayes Family matriarch recalled the initial time she met Howard, who would become her husband and musical partner. “We first met at the church he attended,” Lucy told. “There was a revival meeting, and the Gospel quartet I was playing piano for (Harmony Home) was singing there. I was introduced to this very kind and polite man,
who I noticed was also tall and I thought, quite handsome. Howard was singing with the Goodwill Quartet then, but he later talked his way into tagging along with my group for a concert in Tennessee. He even got up that night and sang bass with us. We started dating after that and got married a year-and-a-half later.” Howard’s parents, Joe and Harlena had their children singing almost as soon as they could stand. The children once competed in a talent search, and with their mother playing piano for them, they won what then seemed a large monetary prize of $10.00. The Hayes youngsters sang a song entitled Old Time Preacher Man, which ironically, Howard, Lucy,
Janet, Sharon and Mylon later recorded. Lucy’s parents, Clarence and Blanche
Howard and Lucy on their Wedding Day, November 16, 1958. They were married in the old Mount Vernon Baptist Church building in Boone. Over 350 people attended the ceremony. August / September 2018
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1984
1985
The Hayes Family picture from their first LP (Long Play) album recorded in 1978 and entitled On The Sea Of Life. (Back) Howard; (Middle Row) Lucy, Janet and Sharon; and (Front) Mylon.
A publicity photo of the Hayes family in 1985 at the time the their first single – Pay Day Some Day – that went on reach number 14 on the Singing News Gospel Music charts. 86
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1985
1986
Earp, were active in Mount Lebanon Baptist Church in Boone, and sang in its choir. Lucy recalls sitting on her mother’s lap in church to sing and also learning to play piano at an early age. Lucy attended the Stamps-Baxter School of Music and studied and taught the highly-acclaimed Henry Slaughter Piano Course for many years. She also taught Janet and Sharon how to play piano. And Lucy was the Hayes Family’s pianist until she relinquished the role to her daughters. Because Howard and Lucy both came from music-loving families, it wasn’t surprising that the idea of traveling and performing together seemed a natural fit. “Howard always said if we ever had a family, he would like all our children to sing together and with us,” Lucy remembered. “And that suited me fine because we both dearly loved Southern Gospel music.” Luckily for all concerned, the three Hayes children, Janet, Sharon and Mylon — born barely a year apart — showed early musical promise, including having perfect pitch. Lucy started giving them singing lessons by the time they were four years old. Their first performance occurred when the child of a family member passed away, and Howard was asked if his children would sing at the memorial service. He and Lucy sat down with the kids and taught them their parts, and the next day the Hayes children stood up together and sang Jesus Loves Me in three-part harmony. Shortly after, they began singing with their parents to fulfill the latter’s dreams of their family members singing together. To further their Gospel music expertise, Howard, Lucy and their children attended numerous singing schools and learned musical theory and how to read shaped notes, which are by their shape—round, triangular, square, flag-shaped, bowl-shaped-- and are called Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do. Howard was always at ease and a natural on stage and Janet and Mylon quickly followed suit. However, Lucy said it took a little more prompting for her and Sharon to feel at ease on a concert stage singing. Lucy fondly remembers Howard’s support. “He was always a great encourager in that respect, because he was such a people person,” she said. “And that’s a gift from God, too. Howard would strike up a conversation with people, shake their hand and they felt like they’d known him their entire lives. “He tried to get me to be more outgoing. Sitting on a stool and playing a piano came easy for me. But it took awhile before I became comfortable standing and singing before a crowd. Howard
Just recently, on August 1st, Janet and Sharon joined their Mom for a picture at the front door of the old sanctuary of Mount Vernon Baptist Church, the place where Lucy would begin her life as a Hayes in 1958. Lucy’s son, Mylon was on the road with his family on a concert tour so he missed being in this picture. The four of them are still doing singing performances together. would tell me ‘You’ve got to be friendly to make friends.’ When we first started singing Sharon was shy too, so when we got up to sing, Howard would stand behind her and nudge her toward the microphone because she kept backing up. His nudging and encouragement helped so much. I became more outgoing and comfortable singing on stage and Sharon became the same and possibly the most talkative of any of our family members. She and I both grew into it.” Lucy also spoke about the pleasures of living, traveling and working together as a family. “It wouldn’t work for everybody, but we all got along so well, and it was such a blessing to be together. We’d be riding down the road and Howard and I would look at each other and think, ‘We’re making memories!’ We consider being active in Southern Gospel music a Godly calling…. an anointing.”
Traveling the Full-Time Circuit The Hayes Family embarked on heavy travel schedule soon after Janet, Sharon and Mylon finished high school. Then in 1986, the family began traveling full-time, singing all across America, and released its first national recording from the Ed-
die Crook Company. Shortly after, The Hayes Family produced Payday Someday, which peaked at Number 14 on The Singing News Top 80 National Radio Airplay Chart. Lucy said that song is the family’s “most popular and the one we have sang the most.” Three more of the group’s songs that have been among their most requested are Heaven Is Waiting For Me, which soared to number 10 on the radio airplay charts, Tell and Sing The News and The Last Blood. Through the years, the Hayes Family has recorded more than 30 projects on albums, 8-Tracks, cassettes, compact discs, videos and DVDs, some of which were produced in-house. The Hayes Family has sung on many of the Gaither Videos, DVDs and Homecoming Concerts as well as maintaining a multi-dates tour schedule most weekends for many years. Howard and the Hayes Family also began the Radio Gospel Time program on WATA Radio in Boone that was broadcast for 23-plus years and Howard served several years as chairman of the Watauga County, NC singing convention. Lucy, Janet, Sharon, Mylon, Wendy and the rest of the family’s foremost goal
is to praise and honor God through their music while, hopefully, helping lead the lost to get saved. And everything they do in music generally, and in life, particularly, is in memory of Howard, who was promoted to Heaven in 2011. Janet elaborated about the Hayes Family’s primary purposes with the following comments: “The Hayes Family considers it the ultimate privilege to serve our Lord in music for so many years. Our mission has been, and remains, to magnify God, to gently lead the congregation we sing to or those who listen to us through other ways into a spirit of worship, and as our ultimate priority, to point the lost to the saving grace of our Lord.” Janet also told of specific intangible rewards the Hayes Family receives through their professional craft. “It’s a special thrill for us when we see people at our concerts and learn about others who hear our music having burdens lifted and start feeling better about their lives,” she said. “God said to edify one another which means to benefit our fellow-human beings morally and spiritually. It also means to love them by encouraging, blessing, helping, and forgiving them when you should. We try to
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Lucy and Howard sing Come And Meet Me At The Throne to each other on stage in 2008 at the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, Kentucky’s Freedom Hall.
Howard Hayes 1936 - 2011 Howard was born April 4, 1936 in Watauga County and passed away on September 6, 2011 following a brave battle with Multiple Myeloma cancer. He had a Gospel music career spanning more than 55 years, creating the Goodwill Quartet and then the Hayes Family. Howard was the chairman of the Watauga County Singing Convention and did the Saturday edition of the Radio Gospel Time of WATA Radio for more than 23 years. Howard also was a Sunday school teacher for many years at both Central Baptist and Mountain Vernon Baptist churches, both in Boone. Additionally, Howard also was a self-employed contractor for 17 years, and then retired from the Preventative Maintenance Department at Appalachian State University, after 20 years of service.
The Hayes Family on stage at the National Quartet Convention in 1998. The Annual convention featured quartets from across the nation that were invited to perform before some 20,000 people who would be in attendance at the annual event. 88
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live our lives and conduct ourselves in ways on and off concert stages that will witness to others and make them remain mindful that God’s love endures and can help them through any problem or circumstance.” Mylon interjected: “Our burning desire to encourage the saints and to see the sinners converted has kept us going all these years.” Members of the Hayes Family are known by their peers and other knowledgeable Southern Gospel music followers as “by-the-book” singers and musicians, and that was primarily because of Howard’s practical philosophy for such as Lucy noted: “Howard wanted music sang and presented correctly in every aspect. You had to practice the song, the timing, when to dip the words and when not to, when to hold them, how to pronounce the words right and how to breathe correctly. He believed in repetition-after-repetition and made us do just that until we got it right. He was a stickler for musical presented correctly and his mandates made us sound better.” Since Howard’s passing and because Mylon, Wendy and their children sing as their own full-time group, the Hayes Family doesn’t travel as much as it previously did. But the group remains
The Hayes Family yet again in from of the camera for a picture for their 2003 album Good For His Glory. Through the years, the Hayes Family has recorded more than 30 projects on albums, 8-Tracks, cassettes, compact discs, videos and DVDs.
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active on the circuit because, foremost Lucy, Janet, Sharon, Mylon and Wendy believe God still wants them to, and they know it also was Howard’s wish. Lucy noted: “The Hayes Family plans to sing every concert date we can fill when it doesn’t interfere with Mylon and his family’s travel schedule. And both groups are available to sing at the same concerts. Every time we’ve done so, that has gone over really well with those attending. And all songs we sing are for uplifting God and then they’re all in Howard’s memory.” Lucy’s gentle spirit is matched by the strength of her faith, and she eagerly offered her further thoughts on the subject. “I believe the Hayes Family and the Mylon Hayes Family will both flourish by continuing to travel and sing. It’s so hard without Howard, but I can hear him saying, ‘You all go on and give out the message that you were called to bring.’ And I don’t think any of our family would be happy if we were not involved in some Southern Gospel music fashion.” Sharon declared similar sentiments: “Although we feel we’re missing the foundation of what we do in some aspects after Dad’s passing, we still seek to and spread the news of the Lord through our music. We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive responses we’ve received through the years to our music and we’re so grateful to all who have prayed for us, attended our concerts, purchased our products and helped us in other ways. Without those people, the Hayes Family would not have continued to remain on the road. We earnestly seek God’s wisdom and continued direction in our lives. The Lord has greatly blessed us and we eternally thank Him.” Gospel music can have a powerful impact on people as Sharon alluded. “Gospel songs can touch people’s hearts in ways that nothing else will,” she noted. “They truly have an everlasting effect in people’s lives. Professional Southern Gospel music is not about fame and fortune, but its purpose is to encourage Christians, to provide the Gospel of Jesus Christ through songs and musical instrumentation in hopes of bringing salvation to nonbelievers and to give Christians and non-Christians alike Godly messages and values.” Besides traveling the Southern Gospel circuit, Lucy and Sharon still play the piano and sing in the choir at their home church, Mount Vernon Baptist in Boone. Janet also plays piano at her home church, Middle Fork Baptist of Boone, and at special events. Janet, Sharon and Mylon have performed studio work, supplying background vocals and instrumentation for other singers and singing groups’ recordings. In fact, Mylon still does. And Janet and Sharon teach the Henry Slaughter Piano Course to those who want to learn how to play piano or those wanting to better their piano-playing skills. “Our constant prayer is that God will use our songs and actions to encourage people who are discouraged or with whatever problems they might be having,” Lucy added. “We want to make sure 90
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The original Hayes Family kids are (Left-to-Right): Sharon, Mylon and Janet, and are pictured at a concert at Fellowship Baptist Church in Vienna, West Virginia in 2008 when they were in their early 40s.
Lucy is seen here setting up their merchandise display before a concert. This was also part of their music business responsibilities where they sold albums, CDs and memorabilia.
Howard stepping off the Hayes Family bus, which was purchased in 1995 and had previously been owned by the musician known as Vanilla Ice. The coach provided the Hayes Family all the luxuries of home while traveling the Gospel music circuit. It was quite a big step. As Lucy says. “We did a lot of singing and saving to pay for that bus, but it did help us cut down on traveling expenses because not only did it have beds, but a shower and a place to cook.” The Hayes family had it paid off in a few years.
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Find Your Perfect Home, Second Home, or Mountain Property— We’ll Handle All the Details. Can you tell the Hayes Family twins apart? Bailey (Left) and Conner (Right) when they were 7 years old. they know that they can find hope, help and forgiveness in the Lord.”
The Mylon Hayes Family Carrying on the Hayes Family tradition in a similar manner, but with its own identity in the Mylon Hayes Family. Based out of Hudson, NC, this family travels the Gospel music circuit on a fulltime basis and has become one of the more popular newer groups on the road. In 1995, Mylon married the former Wendy Young of Morganton, NC. Like Mylon, Wendy was a gifted singer, who had sung solo’s in her home church throughout
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Three Generations of the Singing Hayes family The Third Generation Hayes Family (the family choir) featured at a 2008 concert at Winklers Grove Baptist Church in Hickory, NC. Left-to-right: (Front) Wendy-in behind, Kennedy, Bailey, Conner, Lucy Elaine, Tory, Jameson and Toby. (Back): Mylon, playing bass guitar, and Sharon. The oldest was 10 at the time and the youngest was just two. her life. After their union, Mylon contin- recordings. And some of our songs such set out to try to have any kind of sound ued to sing with his father, mother and sis- as One More Opportunity and What An like the original Hayes Family and by ters with Wendy joining them on stage to Anchor began appearing on the national choice we do not sing any Hayes Family sing certain songs. But in 2012, Mylon and radio charts. From there, our work has re- songs,” he said. “There’s an obvious difference in the Wendy decided to form their own singing ally expanded and grown.” The Mylon Hayes Family has produced make-up of the groups, so we sound difgroup with their twin sons, Conner and Bailey, currently age 19, and Kennedy, six compact disc recordings and their new- ferent than the original Hayes Family. age 15. Conner and Bailey were home- est entitled Enjoy Our Journey is sched- Conner’s and Bailey’s voices have gone schooled as is Kennedy, which has allowed uled for release in September. The family through the change that most all males also has been featured on DVD’s and CDs experience. Theirs and Kennedy’s voicthe family the flexibility it needs to travel. Like in the Hayes Family, there also is with multiple singing groups. One such es have gotten better. So our sound has various vocal-part switching done when compact disc features newly discovered evolved and matured since we started singthe Mylon Hayes Family sings, depending old hymns and songs written many years ing as a separate family group. “But with our love for convention style on the song. Mylon, Conner and Bailey ago by the famous Fanny Crosby, who all sing tenor, baritone or bass and Wendy penned more than 8,000 Gospel songs de- music and the influence from the Hayes Family, it’s hard not to have some and Kennedy both sing alto or similarities. We’re just singing soprano. the music that’s in us. It’s part of “Wendy and I felt the Lord who we are and the heritage we leading us in the direction of have. And we’re very proud of singing full-time with our chilthat. In fact, Conner, Bailey and dren a couple of years before we Kennedy have attended shapedactually started,” Mylon told. note schools and our family sings “And later we felt the urgency of the shaped notes in songs at some it when God seemed to be speakof our concerts. O Happy Day is ing through many circumstances particularly one we get requests in our life and we knew it was for to sing the shaped notes on. time to make a recording with We’re happy that we can conour still very young children. tinue that convention sound in at Kennedy was 8 and our boys least part of how and what mawere 12 then. We thought we terial we sing, although we have at least would have their voices diversity in song styles.” preserved on a recording at their Wendy added: “Through our early ages. We made the recordThe Hayes Family in 2012—the first publicity picture songs, we want others to realing and ordered a few copies to made after Howard’s passing. From left-to-right: ize God’s love for them. Gospel give to some family and friends. (Back) Janet and Sharon. (Front) Lucy and Mylon. music is the Gospel in song...that We then started doing a few loJesus came to this earth, died on the cross cal dates together. And many people re- spite being blind. Mylon explained the differences and to pay the penalty of sin for everyone, rose sponded with encouraging words and we received more invitations to sing. We start- similarities in the two Hayes Family sing- from the dead after three days and whoed filling more singing dates and making ing groups. “My immediate family didn’t ever comes to Him, repenting of their sin 92
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message through their music will be saved.” in towns, small hamlets and Kennedy remarked about big cities. how much she and her family The Hayes Family can be enjoy their work: “We absocontacted for bookings, to oblutely love it. We grew up travtain its products and for other eling with the Hayes Family, so purposes by US Mail at: 5111 it wasn’t an adjustment when Bamboo Road, Boone, NC we started traveling full-time 28607; by phone (828-264as the Mylon Hayes Family. We 3806) or via email (famhayes@ pray God will keep using us in bellsouth.net). Further inforeven mightier means.” mation about the group may Conner and Bailey interalso be obtained by logging jected related sentiments. onto its web site at: hayesfamiSaid Conner: “We love singlyministries.com. ing and we’ve never wanted to And to book, purchase do anything else. So it’s really The Mylon Hayes Family in a 2017 publicity picture. products or to obtain further a dream come true. I’ve seen From left-to-right: (Back)-Bailey, Conner and Kennedy. information about the Mylon first-hand the profound impact Sitting) Wendy and Mylon. Hayes Family, write via US Mail: it can have in people’s lives.” The Mylon Hayes Family, 161 Bailey then added in conof perfectionist and traditionalist when clusion: “I think it’s so important that it comes to their chosen craft. And per- Deer Creek Drive, Hudson, NC 28638; those of us active in our music devote at- forming Gospel music has been a continu- call (828) 381-5928; or email info@thetention to letting our hearts be seen and ous golden experience in many ways for mylonhayesfamily.com. The group’s web heard. The way that happens is when we both groups. Lucy, Janet, Sharon, Mylon, site is: themylonhayesfamily.com. -Some information in this article first seek God to work through us. And we’ll Wendy, Conner, Bailey and Kennedy have continue to do so.” no regrets and their sacrifices have been appeared in Singing News Magazine-Tim Gardner is a High Country Press minimal. To meet these eight individuals Summation is to sense their musical talent, but even journalist, a life-long resident of the North The Hayes Family and the Mylon more to realize their eagerness to inspire Carolina Mountains and a Southern GosHayes Family are both a combination others as they faithfully deliver a Godly pel music connoisseur.
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It’s More Than Just a Meal Wild Blessings During a Forage to Feast with Holly Drake Story and Photography by Hailey Belvins
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hances are, you’ve been to the grocery store at least once in the last week. What was the experience like? Was it crowded? Loud? Overpriced? Holly Drake experiences quiet, nature, free food, and God’s love when she visits the grocery store. If that sounds like a grocery store you’ve never been in, you’ve just never realized you were there. For Holly Drake; an herbalist, a cook, and a Christian; a grocery store means something a bit different. Her “shopping centers” are found all around her, in her own yard and in her neighbors’ yards and
farms. “I have shopping centers all over the place, from here to Tennessee,” said Holly. Any place that has an abundance of wild, edible foods becomes one of Holly’s shopping centers. “Altitude matters. If I’m out of something here because nature’s wave has gone by, all I have to do is go to Snake Mountain where everything is just beginning,” Holly added. Holly finds her grocery stores simply by asking the owners of the properties. “When I see something I want, I’ll go right up to the farmer, give them my card, and say ‘I’m Holly Drake. I teach people
Holly enjoys teaching her foraging students about the different types of edible plants nearby. Here, she shows them lambsquarter. 94
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how to eat off the land, and I noticed that you have autumn olive berries on you’re property, and they’re an invasive species. I was wondering if I could collect some for my group?’” People are usually curious and open to Holly’s suggestion. “I’ve only had one person turn me down,” she said. Early each morning, Holly gets up to watch the sunrise with Max, her faithful dog, and get ahead of the heat as she forages for edibles. From roots to flowers to leaves off plants, Holly forages a wide variety of edible plants. Often, she has extra hands with this, such as on a Foraging
The foraging for the feast starts ahead of time as Holly gathers many of the ingredients, tempting the foragers with sneak peaks of what they’ll be looking for, like this one.
Holly starts the foragers off with looking for lambsquarter among the grass and weeds.
After a long day of foraging and cooking, the cooks sit down to their meal. Pictured left, from front to back: Tracey Terry, Zoe Paxton and Sherry Colwell. Pictured right, from front to back: Trish Saunders, Susie Terp and Mallie Billing. August / September 2018
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Holly shows the foragers what the burdock root looks like.”
“A forager shows off her harvested plantain.”
It All Started with Minnows in Her Pockets
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With full baskets, the foragers headed back to Holly’s home to start cooking.
A basket full of mint, plantain, and lambsquarter.”
A basket filled with burdock leaves and flowers for eating, decorating, and creating. 96
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any of the foragers who join Holly for Teaching Tuesdays, Foraging Fridays, and Forage to Feasts are looking for a healthier lifestyle. In the past few years, there has been a movement towards buying foods that are organic and nutritional. For Holly, those foods are wild foods. Even if her foragers choose not to pursue foraging as a lifestyle choice, it’s still good to have knowledge of what’s edible and what isn’t. After all, that’s part of the thinking that got Holly into wild foods. Holly’s closeness with nature goes back to when she was a child. She was always outside. Her grandfather, who was a naturalist, started a boy’s camp in Minnesota. “He would take the kids on nature walks, and when the boys weren’t interested I always was,” Holly told me. She often spent a lot of time in the woods gathering things, though they often weren’t edible back then. “My mom would wash my clothes and there would be minnows in my pockets. And there’d be acorns and seedpods.” Despite her closeness with nature, Holly didn’t get serious about her hobby until after her boys left home. “I was like, ‘Who do I want to devote myself to?’ That’s when I decided I wanted to pursue herbalism,” Holly said. She was concerned about current events and the way the world looked. “The wise man prepares for the days and difficulties ahead, but the fool goes blindly on and suffers the consequences,” Holly recited, commenting on how God’s word tells us not to sit idly but to prepare for the days ahead. “This was after Katrina. I thought, ‘What if there was no food in the grocery store? What would we do?’” Holly’s concerns grew as she reconsidered her own lifestyle before going back to her close link with nature. “I knew that some of the wild plants were edible, but I had never eaten them before or used them for medicine. That propelled me into learning how to cook and eat [them]. Once she started foraging and cooking wild foods, there was no turning back for Holly. “I just fell in love with it. They’re very tasty. The nutrition in these plants is 5-7 times higher than even organic.” And as she continued this lifestyle, the more secure she felt. “The more I did this, the less worried I was about future events because I just honestly feel this is worship to me. With the time I spend in nature and when I see the abundance we’re provided, I feel loved. I just feel taken care of.” Now, if anything were to ever happen, Holly knows she can live off the land and hopes to share her lifestyle with as many people as she can. “I love teaching people to do the same,” she said.
Nature’s Wave Through the High Country
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olly Drake says that she follows nature’s wave, the natural cycle of plant life and growth. “God makes everything beautiful in it’s time (Maybe set this apart as a quote). It’s about following this energy,” she explains. It’s easy to see how Holly does this in the spring and summer when green is everywhere you look, but it’s harder to imagine there being much life going on with plants in the winter. But Holly says there’s plenty going on during the winter months as well, “It starts in the winter when everything looks dead, but there’s so much life. It’s all going on down below and in the bark and sap of the trees. Then the energy shoot up into the shoots, and these early shoots are delicious.” As Holly explained the cycle of nature’s wave, it was easy to see that there definitely is more than enough food to go around in the summer. “And it starts really slow. In February, you’re out there looking and it’s like ‘Oh my gosh, there’s garlic mustard!’ Then, all of a sudden, it just starts coming so fast that it’s overwhelming… It’s a lot easier to follow nature’s wave when we start [in spring] than it is right now.” As nature’s wave rolls on, Holly stays busy gathering and preparing her forages to store for use in the winter, when less is going on but life still goes on below the surface.
Friday, when Holly takes a group out to learn about the history, botany, and edible and medicinal value of plants and teaches the group how to make wild teas, vinegars, oils, and stir-fries. Her “wild students” come back again and again to learn more about the nature surrounding them and to fellowship with one another. For the past two years, Holly has offered a free chance to take part in a plant walk and learn about five different edible and medicinal plants and receive a handout on Holly’s favorite free wild, edible plants ranging from roots to fruits through Teaching Tuesdays. But once a month, Holly takes it a little bit further and holds a feast, which she calls Forage to Feast. She opens the feast up to twelve people based on a first come, first served basis. From there, it’s a load of work for Holly as she prepares for the feast. The planning for the next Forage to Feast often starts as soon as the current one ends. Holly starts preparations for her feast by considering the learning curve. Attendees must know or be taught what is edible and what is poisonous. To help with this, she creates a handout with a list of edible foods, discusses what they’ll be looking for, and shows them each plant (and sometimes its dangerous lookalikes). For example, during the July Forage to Feast, Holly pointed out some second year Burdock. She said that it would have a tough stalk and most likely be bitter since it is a second year plant; however, she pointed out that it’s root would still be wonderful to eat. To finish this handout, Holly plans the menu for the feast. Holly picks international cuisines for her menus. She’s held Asian, Italian, French, American, and Greek Forage to Feasts. In July, the Forage to Feast menu was Mexican inspired. Once she has her menu planned out, Holly sets up an event page on Facebook and invites people to attend, capping it at around twelve. Holly will then decide what shopping centers to take the attendees to. She bases her decision on what the recipes on the menu call for and “the way nature’s wave is rolling.”
Susie Terp prepares lettuce for the Wild Salad pictured below.
Holly’s table overflows with dishes like Quelites and Pinto Beans and Autumn Olive Berry Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Lynn Maxwell blends together ingredients for her Wild Salad Dressing. August / September 2018
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Foragers used Holly’s jewelers loupes to get a closer look at the plants and flowers.
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After this, Holly starts cleaning, making sure the house and yard is tidy. She claimed to the attendees of July’s Forage to Feast that “weed whacking is fun,” but no one believed her claims. She continues by making posts to the page to keep attendees informed and excited about the feast. By the day of the feast, everyone is hungry and ready to eat with Holly’s sneak peaks of her forages as she prepares for the feast. Along with doing some foraging, Holly makes all the wild teas in advance so, “they are chilled in the fridge for the day of the big event.” Before the guests arrive to forage, Holly sets up the craft table and sets up stations with all the non-wild (also known as store bought) ingredients. Though Holly does do quite a bit of foraging before the feast, she doesn’t do all the work herself. Part of what makes this feast such a wonderful time is wandering around the Todd community in search of the last ingredients. During the Mexican Forage to Feast in July, the time together in the outdoors formed a sense of community in the group as everyone added Lambsquarter, Burdock roots, Milkweed, and whatever else they could find to fill each other’s baskets. Returning foragers helped newcomers find and identify the plants. Flowers were picked for eating, decorating, and creating. Holly promises that no one has ever left one of her feasts hungry. And with a table full of wonderful, fragrant dishes, it’s easy to see why. Add in the scrumptious teas and desserts and everyone leaves stuffed. Some people can’t imagine wild plants that we ignore and most people view as
13 Women, 1 Kitchen: Creating a Sense of Community and Togetherness in a Tight Space
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fter foraging, everyone met at Holly’s home to start on the feast. Laying out the haul of wild foods, everyone looked on at the beauty and abundance we were provided with without having to spend money at the grocery story. Everyone was neck deep in garbling, cleaning and sorting, the wild foods. Soon, handouts were being passed around and shared as everyone started on their recipes. A kitchen that would be expansive for just Holly was crowded with thirteen women. As the volume rose in the kitchen, chaotic laughter and jokes broke through the noise as everyone enjoyed their selves. Knives and spoons were shared among cooks. Some bargained how much of each ingredient they would get for recipes that called for the same ingredients. But despite all the noise and mess made in Holly’s kitchen, no one wore a frown as we all talked, tasted, and cooked. As some finished their meals and put them into the oven or covered them to be served later, they headed out to the porch where an array of flowers awaited them. Returning feasters taught newcomers how to fashion a flower tiara with a bit of wire, floral tape, and as many flowers as they could fit. Compliments and more jokes and laughter filled the evening air. 98
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weeds as being tasty, but the food Holly and her foragers make would surprise them. There are no “boring salads” at Holly’s house, only beautiful, tasty salads and a variety of other wonderful dishes. Mallie Billing commented on this, saying, “What I really love about wild food is that it is so open to experimentation and new ways to create it and using spices to get new flavors you’ve never had before.” But before dishing out the food, everyone gathered around Holly’s dining room table. Each person told the group the dish they made and what wild foods are in it. It’s a great chance to remind yourself of which plants were which. Maybe in a side story?) Soon after, everyone grabbed a plant and merged into the line around the table to fill their plate with the fruits of their labor. “It’s never ending goodness, and my body feels better. It’s been great. I love it,” commented Alaina, a returning forager, when asked before the forage about her experience with eating wild foods. On Holly’s porch, everyone sits and tastes the wonders of the wild food. As everyone leaves one by one, Holly is left in peace after a long day. She says she goes to bed thinking about the next wild event.
Once a month, Holly takes it a little bit further and holds a feast, which she calls Forage to Feast. She opens the feast up to twelve people based on a first come, first served basis.
Purslane Mango Salsa Recipe
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alsa is a dish that many people associate with Mexican cuisine, but Holly drake has recreated this dish with new and exciting ingredients. This bright and colorful salsa is made with purslane and primrose flower buds, adding a new twist on a classic dish. What’s really amazing about this salsa is that it’s incredibly easy to make and you can play with the ingredients and their amounts. Ingredients: 2 mangos, peeled and diced Purslane to taste, cleaned and chopped 1 cup evening primrose flower buds 2 tomatoes, diced 1-2 tbs finely chopped jalapeno
¼-½ red onion, diced Lime juice to taste 1 tbs whey cilantro to taste salt pepper
Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate until use. Serve with your choice of chips. You can also add ½-1 cup of blackberries if they’re ripe and available for an extra colorful and tasty treat.
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Autumn Olive Berry Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Mallie Billing shows off her decorating skills with lower petals on a chocolate cake.
A Trick from Holly for Befriending Plants
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t the end of the night, Holly gave her advice to all attendees on how to become better acquainted with wild plants. “Every day, I walk along and greet every tree. I know them all by name. I go, ‘Hi, Sassafras.’ I get to watch them evolve and grow. Just be observant.” Befriending plants is all about learning their purposes. She says it’s as simple as repeating their name as you would a new friend, “You’ve all met each other and know each other’s names and the only way you’ll remember is by repeating those names. Like you go ‘Trish’ a couple of times and there’s Trish. You do that with plants and you’ll remember them and befriend them.” By doing this, you’ll soon be able to recognize them easily, as well as know if they’re edible, when they grow, and where they grow.
Wild Salad Dressing
Wild Guacamole with violet, osalis and lambsquarter
If you’re up for learning more about the abundance of food God provides for us right outside our homes, Holly leaves you with this as you consider it: “Plan on joining us and expanding your horizons. Rediscover the green gifts that God has so graciously provided for our food and medicine. Reconnect to our roots. Reclaim knowledge that will feed your body and your spirit.”
Holly’s Vision for Future Wild Blessings Holly hosts classes and feasts for more than just teaching people about alternative sources for food. “I do it because I love nature, I love nature’s Creator, and I love people. I hope I lit some wild fires tonight,” she said. Holly hopes that her classes, forages, and feasts not only help people but Verdalogo con Huevos with Milkweed Broccoli
Wild Green Chicken Taco station 100
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Wild Green Chicken Taco station
A few days before the feast, Holly starts working on the drinks for the meal as she prepares for everyone’s arrival. She creates drinks like Hibiscus Tea, Peach Tea and Apple Kefir, complete with wild ingredients. Then, they’re placed in the fridge to chill to perfection.
also help them grow closer to God and be more at peace. She uses her own property to do this and has big plans for the space she has. “My vision is to create a retreat of rest, regeneration, and healing. Every corner of this acre, I want to have a sitting spot.” She spends a lot of time foraging around her home. When she isn’t foraging, she is working to make her home a healing place. “There’s all these paths through the back and wild plants I’ve transplanted onto my land. All along the cow fence, I’ve reclaimed that area to make it a place to enjoy,” Holly said. And though she wants to make it a place for rest and regeneration, it already is for her. t August / September 2018
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A Cleaner World..................................... www.cleanerworld.com................. 47 Abingdon Virginia........................................ 888-489-4144........................ 89 Anvil Arts Sculpture Garden & Gallery.............. 765-6226........................... 13 Appalachian Blind & Closet Co........................ 264-1395............................. 4 AppOrtho......................................................... 386-2663........................... 61 Art Cellar......................................................... 898-5175 ���������������������������� 9 Ashe County Arts Council............................. 336-846-2787........................ 71 Avery Heating & Air Conditioning..................... 733-5842........................... 72 Banner Elk Realty............................................. 260-1550........................... 38 Blowing Rock Estate Jewelry............................ 295-4500......................... 101 Blowing Rock Frameworks & Gallery................ 295-0041........................... 35 Blowing Rock Woodworks................................ 459-6636........................... 91 Boone Bagelry......................................262-5585 and 262-1600................ 83 Cafe Portofino.................................................. 264-7772........................... 81 Carlton Gallery................................................. 963-4288 �������������������������� 31 Carolina West Wireless................................. 800-235-5007 . ..................... 49 Casa Rustica.................................................... 262-5128........................... 83 Chestnut Grille at Green Park Inn...................... 414-9230........................... 77 Christmas in Blowing Rock............................... 295-9696......................... 101 Consignment Cottage Warehouse..................... 733-8148........................... 51 Dande Lion...................................................... 898-3566........................... 31 DeWoolfson Down ...................................... 800-833-3696 ���������������������� 19 Dianne Davant & Associates . .......................... 898-9887 ��Inside Front Cover Divide Tavern & Restaurant............................... 414-9230........................... 77 Doe Ridge Pottery............................................ 264-1127........................... 98 Eat Crow.......................................................... 963-8228........................... 78 Echota......................................................... 800-333-7601 ��������� Back Cover Elk River Club.................................................. 898-9773............................. 5 Ericks Cheese & Wine...................................... 898-9424........................... 72 Eseeola Lodge.................................................. 733-4311........................... 82 F.A.R.M. Café.................................................. 386-1000........................... 80 Florence Thomas Art School........................ 336-846-3827........................ 98 Fortner Insurance Agency................................. 898-6366........................... 38 Gamekeeper..................................................... 963-7400 ������������������������� 81 Grandfather Golf and Country Club................... 898-4531........................... 17 Grandfather Mountain.............................. www.grandfather.com................... 37 Grandfather Vineyard & Winery......................... 963-2400........................... 14 Graystone Eye...............................................888.626.2020.......... 153, 37, 63
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Hound Ears Club.............................................. 963-2137............................. 7 Inn at Crestwood Restaurant & Spa................... 963-6646........................... 80 Linville Falls Winery......................................... 765-1400........................... 99 Linville Ridge................................................... 898-5151............................. 2 Local, The........................................................ 266-2179........................... 79 Lodges at Eagle Nest........................................ 771-9343........................... 55 Louisiana Purchase................................. 963-5087 & 898-5656................. 75 Mast General Store .....................................866-FOR-MAST ���������������������� 11 mhs Technologies............................................ 733-0141........................... 29 Monkees of Blowing Rock................................ 295-0708......................... 103 Mountain Land............................................. 800-849-9225 ����������������������� 71 Mountain Tile................................................... 265-0472 ���������������������������� 6 Mountaineer Landscaping................................ 733-3726 �������������������������� 27 Piedmont Federal Bank..................................... 264-5244............................. 1 Premier Sotheby’s International Realty.......... 877-539-9865.......................... 3 Proper Southern Food...................................... 865-5000........................... 80 Red Onion Café................................................ 264-5470........................... 82 Reid's Cafe & Catering..................................... 268-9600........................... 79 Re/Max Realty Group....................................... 262-1990........................... 39 Ridgeline, The.................................................. 414-9922........................... 83 Serves You Right!............................................. 295-4438........................... 33 Shoppes at Farmers Hardware.......................... 264-8801........................... 63 Six Pence......................................................... 295-3155........................... 76 Southern Highland Craft Guild.......................... 295-7938........................... 49 Steve Lambert.................................................. 266-1836.... Inside Back Cover Stone Cavern................................................... 963-8453........................... 41 Stonewall's Restaurant...................................... 898-5550........................... 80 Sugar Mountain Resort................................ 800-SUGAR-MT....................... 21 Summit Group................................................. 898-3500........................... 91 Tatum Galleries & Interiors............................... 963-6466 �������������������������� 15 Todd Bush Photography................................... 898-8088........................... 73 Tri-Cities Airport......................................... www.triflight.com...................... 93 Vidalia Restaurant............................................ 263-9176........................... 78 Village Jewelers............................................... 264-6559........................... 74 Water Wheel Café............................................. 262-1600........................... 83 Watsonatta Western World................................ 264-4540........................... 69 Windwood Home Furniture & Home Decor....... 295-9600........................... 40
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Parting Shot...
By
Joan Brook
Watauga County Veterans Memorial Dedicated July 4, 2018
All Gave Some, Some Gave All
T
he unveiling of the Watauga County Veterans Memorial on July 4 was a special moment for the military veterans and their families that live in the county. The dream became a reality after about two and a half years of planning, fundraising and building a memorial that everyone can be proud of. The memorial is located on King Street in downtown Boone. One thing that made the dedication event even more special was that there were military veterans on hand from World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, the first Gulf War and the recent and ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last 17 years. The High Country Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America helped get the ball rolling on this project by leading the fundraising efforts to be able to complete the memorial. “This monument honors all those in our community who served and sacrificed in the defense of our country and its freedoms, and we need to honor them with 104
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this and keep this as a permanent reminder as we visit Boone each day. We need to think of those that sacrificed and served this country,” said Boone Mayor Rennie Brantz at the dedication ceremony. The design of the monument was chosen after numerous submissions from artists all across the country. Banner Elk native Suzie Hallier was chosen to design the sculpture and she named it “Time and Honor.” There are over 3,500 veterans that call Watauga County home, and now they have a rightful marker in downtown Boone as a reminder of their service to the United States. Lt. Col. George Brudzinski was the
August / September 2018
funding sub-committee chairman and played an instrumental role in raising funds for the memorial while also bringing awareness to the community on just how important this veterans memorial will be. “We have to show support for our military. The sacrifices our young men and women in the military are making by going on these repeat tours is just unreal,” Brudzinski said. “It is a tremendous strain on them and their families. We want to recognize and honor all those who have served, and are serving, in protecting the freedom we enjoy today.” The planning and construction of the Watauga County Veterans Memorial would have never happened if not for a select group of individuals that formed the Watauga Veterans Memorial Committee to help spearhead this effort that included finding a location for it, the fundraising needed to make the memorial happen and the selection of a design for the memorial. The fundraising goal that was reached for this project was set at $250,000. – by Nathan Ham
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