High Country Magazine October 2016

Volume 12 • Issue 2 October/November 2016

The Big Time Comes To

APP STATE

ABC Stores • F.A.R.M. Cafe • LMC May Center • Elk River’s HCCF October / November 2016

High Country Magazine

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

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High Country Magazine

October / November 2016

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SEVEN DEVILS DISCOVER OUR POSITIVE ALTITUDE!

Play tennis, hike, shop, tube, zipline or just relax while enjoying some of the best views around! From nature lovers to adrenaline junkies, there is so much to do and see in the area. And living in Seven Devils makes everything easily accessible from our great central location. You will find an array of residential choices... whether you stay for a weekend, a season or a lifetime!

Town of Seven Devils For Information on the Town of Seven Devils:

828/963-5343 • www.SevenDevils.net For Zip Line: 828/963-6561 Ad Sponsored by the Seven Devils Tourism Development Authority

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High Country Magazine

October / November 2016

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Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission.October Each office is independently / November 2016ownedHand i goperated. h C o uEqual n t rHousing y M aOpportunity. gazine 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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High Country Magazine

October / November 2016

October / November 2016

High Country Magazine

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High Country Magazine

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High Country Magazine

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C O N T E N T S

20

The Day Miami Came to Boone

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Local ABC Stores Give Back

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Everybody Eats

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Walk on the Wild Side

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Fancy House

Nearly 35,000 fans witnessed the action at Kidd Brewer Stadium (and a million more on TV) when the Miami Hurricanes came to town to face off against the App State Mountaineers. The game was a huge moment in App State’s football program even if the final score wasn’t pleasant.

Did you know local ABC boards invest its store profits back into the community? After taxes and expenses, the ABC stores in Boone, Blowing Rock and Tynecastle set aside hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for law enforcement, alcohol education and general government funds.

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Never been to F.A.R.M. Café in downtown Boone? Get the scoop on this nonprofit restaurant and see why its novel pay-as-yougo concept is changing everything you know about food service agencies and the restaurant world.

What is wildlife rehabilitation and why is it important? Find out what experts are doing to rescue wild animals, educate the public and conserve natural mountain ecosystems at this oneof-a-kind facility at Lees-McRae College.Get to know this oneof-a-kind facility in Banner Elk, as well as the inspiring people behind it.

Frank and Nancy Brenner's 8,800 square foot home at Linville Ridge was a blank canvas when they bought it in 2013; that is, until Pamela McKay, ASID, of Dianne Davant and Associates in Banner Elk put her magic touch on it. See how her carefully selected design elements create a dream home for the Brenners.

74 Investing in Avery County

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Down in the hollows of Avery County, many local families are separated from the resources, the nutrition and the jobs they need. Moved to make a difference, a group of residents of the coveted Elk River Club are making strides, and sizeable financial contributions, to facilitate long-term positive change and invest in the future of families in surrounding communities.

on the cover Miami Came To Town At the September 17th game with Miami, App State Athletics announced that Kidd Brewer Stadium featured its largest crowd in history: 34,658, which was the maximum capacity that the stadium could “safely and legally hold.” This photo was taken at the beginning of the 3rd quarter.

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Photo by Ken Ketchie

High Country Magazine

October / November 2016

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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.

Farmhouse Showroom

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

HAND CRAFTED BED ROOM SETS

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.

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

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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

Contributing Writers

Enjoying The Success of App State Football

Jessica Isaacs

I

Jim Swinkola

’m pretty much your casual App State football fan type. I can recognize the coach and quarterback’s name, and I enjoy going to home games where I take fan photos for our website, HCPress.com – something I’ve been doing since 2006. Like many folks around town, I lived through that famous Armanti Edwards-and-Coach Moore era and even went to Chattanooga to see ASU win its third-straight championship. Those were exciting times.

It’s amazing to see how far football has come since I was a student at ASU in the ‘70s.

Today, there is a fabulous stadium that can hold nearly 35,000 fans. They have over-thetop facilities for Yosef Club members and the press. On game days, the town fills up and thousands of folks have the time of their lives.

Last year, the euphoria of success seemed to bubble again. In a remarkable feat, Coach Satterfield and the 2015 App State team became the first FBS football team to win 11 games and a bowl game in its first year of eligibility.

This year’s season opener against Tennessee was much anticipated. I was out working in the yard, hauling wheelbarrows of dirt that Saturday evening as the game was on. As it was getting dark, I started to hear people shout around the neighborhood … strange I thought. Then after a few more outbursts of cheers, it dawned on me that these folks must be watching the game and App must be playing well.

App State was winning 13-3 at the end of the first half and the announcers were going nuts over how well App State was playing. Wow – this was looking pretty good. I decided I should probably hold off on that beer because it really looked like they might pull off the upset, which meant I would be heading down to campus to take pictures of students celebrating the second biggest upset ever. It took to the very end of the game – after overtime, in fact – before I had that beer! It was a game that had this casual fan glued to the TV and jumping around and shouting as App State held its own during the second half.

And then came the Miami game. It was the talk of the town, and was even making headlines on national TV. I was at the stadium 45 minutes before the game. Folks were hawking tickets for $300 to $500. The stadium was electric and filling up fast. The fans were psyched, and for me, getting great fan pictures was easy. I was down by the goal line as the game got under way checking out my pictures on my camera when I happened to look up to see a Miami player run by me with football in hand to score a TD on the opening play from scrimmage. The crowd fell silent. Boy, was I glad I got my fan pictures early!

Though App State lost, the game was just another example of the great fun, entertainment, employment and education opportunities that App State provides - that sometimes, I think, we have the tendency to take for granted. Let the good times roll . . . GO APP! 10

High Country Magazine

October / November 2016

Jesse Wood Alison Azbell Linda Kramer

Contributing Photographers Peter Morris Faisuly Scheurer 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. © 2016

by High Country Press. All Rights Reserved.

WE SUPPORT

SHOP LOCAL

October / November 2016

High Country Magazine

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Calendar of Events OCTOBER 2016

1

Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, wataugacountyfarmersmarket.org

1

BLACK Saturday: Appalachian State Football v.

Georgia State, ASU, Kidd Brewer Stadium,appstatesports.com

1

Creatures of the Night and Bonfire Delight, Grandfather Mountain, grandfathermountain.com

2-8

Birthday Week Events, Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, blowingrockmuseum.org

6

Blowing Rock Farmers’ Market, downtown Blowing Rock, blowingrock.com/farmersmarket

6

Film Screening: “Remember” The Schaefer Center, theschaefercenter.org

7

First Friday Art Crawl, downtown Boone, downtownboonenc.com

8

Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, wataugacountyfarmersmarket.org

8

Art in the Park, downtown Blowing Rock, lowingrock.com/artinthepark

8

Leaf-lookers’ Hayride, Beech Mountain, townofbeechmountain.com

8-9

Oktoberfest, Sugar Mountain Resort, skisugar.com

9

Boone Heritage Festival, Hickory Ridge Living History Museum, booneheritagefestival.com

11

Theatreworks USA’s “We the People” The Schaefer Center, heschaefercenter.org

15

Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, wataugacountyfarmersmarket.org

VALLE COUNTRY FAIR, VALLE CRUCIS, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15

29

Beary Scary Halloween, Grandfather Mountain, grandfathermountain.com

29

Sugar Mountain Job Fair, Sugar Mountain, skisugar.com

31

Boone BOO, downtown Boone, downtownboonenc.com

NOVEMBER 2016

1

Spyder Sample Sale, Sugar Mountain, skisugar.com

3

North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble“ Percussive Dance Review,” The Schaefer Center, theschaefercenter.org

4

First Friday Art Crawl, downtown Boone, downtownboonenc.com

5

Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, wataugacountyfarmersmarket.org

5

FAMILY WEEKEND: Appalachian State Football v. Texas State, ASU, Kidd Brewer Stadium, appstatesports.com

14-23

19th Annual Preseason Sale, Appalachian Ski Mtn., appskimtn.com

Valle Country Fair, Valle Crucis, vallecountryfair.org

12

15-16

Woolly Worm Festival, downtown Banner Elk, woollyworm.com

Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, wataugacountyfarmersmarket.org

19

22

Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, wataugacountyfarmersmarket.org

SENIOR DAY/HEROES DAY: Appalachian State Football v. UL Monroe, ASU, Kidd Brewer Stadium, appstatesports.com

22

HOMECOMING: Appalachian State Football v. Idaho, ASU, Kidd Brewer Stadium, appstatesports.com

25

Christmas in the Park and Lighting of the Town, downtown Blowing Rock, 828-295-5222

28

Town Halloween Celebration, Beech Mountain, townofbeechmountain.com

26

Blowing Rock Christmas Parade, downtown Blowing Rock, blowingrock.com/Christmas-parade

29

Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Horn in the West, wataugacountyfarmersmarket.org

26

Thanksgiving Kiln Opening, Bolick & Traditions Pottery, traditionspottery.com

29

Blowing Rock Halloween Festival, downtown Blowing Rock, blowingrock.com/halloween

26

Holiday Market, Beech Mountain, townofbeechmountain.com

12

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High Country Magazine

October / November 2016

CARLTON GALLERY DON’T FORGET 1SZSP`ObW\U !"GSO`a

EVENTS

Tweetsie’s Ghost Train Friday and Saturday Nights | Ghosts and ghouls abound at Tweetsie’s Ghost Train Halloween Festival. Daytime visitors can still enjoy everything they know and love about the park, and can expect the unexpected when the sun sets and the Halloween Festival comes to life. Ride the Ghost Train, which runs every half hour, and follow monster hunters as they try to uncover rumors of terrifying creatures that roam these mountains. The festival features fun that’s safe for all ages. Tickets are limited, so get yours online now! For more information, visit www.Tweetsie.com or call 877-893-3874. All aboard!

Sept. 23 Oct. 29

Autumn Group Exhibition

0DUPCFS UI o /PWFNCFS UI Opening Reception: 0DUPCFS UI QN

@Sa]\O\QS ]T bVS 6SO`b

TONI CARLTON AND FRIENDS Winter and Small Works Exhibition /PWFNCFS UI o "QSJM UI

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

/PWFNCFS UI UI BN QN 1"*/5*/(4 t $-": t (-"44 t 4$6-1563& t 800% t '*#&3 "35 t +&8&-3: Located 10 Miles South of Boone on Hwy. 105 in the Grandfather Community

56&4%": 4"563%": t 46/%": t Call or check our website for workshop dates XXX DBSMUPOHBMMFSZ DPN t DBSMUPOHBMMFSZ!DBSMUPOHBMMFSZ DPN

Valle Country Fair Ring in the glory of the harvest season amidst the natural wonders of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Valle Crucis at the 38th annual Valle Country Fair. The fun carries on all day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the fields along N.C. Highway 194 across from Holy Cross Church and the Valle Crucis Conference Center. Admission is free and ample parking is available in the adjacent field at $10 per car, $25 per small b us or van and $50 per large bus or motor coach. Enjoy the fair’s famous Brunswick Ste, chili, BBQ, fresh baked goods, homemade jams and jellies and apple butter made while you watch. Shop juried handmade arts and crafts and tape your feet to all-day live music or sit back and listen to the storytellers. Featured exhibitors donate 10 percent of proceeds to the event’s charitable work, which supports various nonprofits in the community. To learn more, visit www.vallecountryfair.org or call 828-963-4609.

Oct. 15

October / November 2016

High Country Magazine

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mountain

echoes

Marcia Greene Bids Farewell to Chetola Resort After 20 Years as Marketing Director

A

fter 20 years at the helm of devel- her being in the right environment and that continued commitment to the resort and the community, reiterating her ability to opment for one of Blowing Rock’s she would want to stay with us here.

“But, she said some magical words in the pull things off that may otherwise seem immost coveted destinations, Marcia Greene bid farewell to her role as Chetola interview. I think my favorite that she said, possible without her leadership.

“You can be a magician in creating a new Resort’s marketing director at a retirement and I’ve used it over and over, is: A lot of places I’ve worked, we take photographs formula or a new concept, but unless you party on Wednesday night.

Friends, family, colleagues and neighbors and then we doctor up the photographs and can get the word out, it’s pointless, because gathered at the resort to celebrate Greene people get there and go, ‘Where is this place no one knows it’s there. Marcia does an and the lasting impact she’s had on Chetola that I’m looking at in the picture? It doesn’t incredible job with that and always has,” said Tarbutton. “Along the way and on the town of Blowing Rock. though, she’s done more than that.

Kent Tarbutton, Chetola’s owner, She’s touched a lot of lives, and I’m who has worked alongside the New happy to be one of those lives she’s York native turned Florida resident touched and I’m going to be forfor the past two decades, took to ever grateful for that. the podium to share about her be“She is the master of words and ginnings in the High Country. she’s been an incredible giver to “Gosh, it was 19 years ago yesChetola. Her mark is definitely terday that Marcia took a job at here and it stays. I love that.”

Chetola … I had gotten here about six to eight months earlier and imShortly thereafter, a teary-eyed mediately hired the wrong person Marcia Greene stood up to say a few for her job. Gratefully … we got words. rid of that person real quickly. My “There’s no place on earth, as far family knew her boss down in Dayas I’m concerned, that could match tona, so when she came up I’d alup to working here. It’s fantastic. ready talked to him and he was like, It’s like working for a family. He ‘Oh, send her back, send her back.’ is a boss, but he’s not a boss, and Chetola Resort Owner Kent Tarbutton is pictured at the resort with Marcia Greene, He said, ‘She does everything and I anybody that’s in here that works at her recent retirement celebration. Photo by Ken Ketchie. won’t be able to live without her, at Chetola now will know that. It’s but she doesn’t want to be down like one big family,” she said. “It’s here anymore and she’s starting her life over match up.’ She said, right out of the gate, ‘I been wonderful. I have loved my time here. don’t think I can take photographs that rep- I have loved working with my girls, which and coming to the mountains.’

“I thought, does she know where she is? resent what we have here.’ Well, that sound- they’re here tonight and I have to say I’m From the Manhattan world to the Daytona ed like a marketing director to me.” going to miss you terribly. Thank you, very As he continued speaking to the guest of much, for coming.” world to Blowing Rock. Well, I didn’t need to spend hardly any interview time ask- honor and a heartfelt crowd of her friends Before her closing off her last day at the ing about her qualifications; we knew her and family, Tarbutton shared more about resort and heading into retirement, she exboss and knew that she was way more than the difference she’s made at Chetola. pressed deep gratitude toward the folks at “I was going to write a speech until I re- the Bob Timberlake gallery and other Chewhat I could afford to get, honestly. I knew that, so I spent very little time asking her alized that I’d have to have her edit it,” he tola colleagues with whom she has shared the traditional questions and said, do you said. “If you think my writing sounds good, friendship over the years. know where you are? Do you know that at it’s because it’s gone through the marketing “All of my friends that are here … as I 9 o’clock at night you’re not going out to department. Let’s just be frank and say it look around the room, it’s been so wonderdinner in Boone? This was like 20 years ago always looks better when Marcia’s got her ful working with all of you. All of you,” … so there was not much you could do at 9 hand on it.” she said. “You’ve made my job a delight, so Tarbutton continued to thank her for her thank you.” o’clock at night, and I was so worried about 14

High Country Magazine

October / November 2016

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High Country Magazine

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mountain

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Fly Like a Girl: Get Your Copy of Kim Jochl’s Book, The Aviatrix

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16

High Country Magazine

ave you ever decided to face your fears head on?

That’s exactly what local resident Kim Jochl has done, and she’s written a new book to tell her story of triumph.

Jochl, a wife and mother, is the Vice President of Sugar Mountain Resort and a former member of the U.S. Ski Team. She’s also a certified pilot, and now an author.

After years of being scared to fly, she decided to take flying lessons in May of 2013 and become a pilot.

“I was scared to fly, so I thought this would help me conquer my fear, and it has,” she said. “Now I understand what’s going on and I’m focused on flying an airplane rather than being afraid.”

As she began her lessons, she carefully kept a journal about the experience.

“In the process, I wrote things down, and that seemed to be therapeutic for me.

After every flight lesson, I would write down everything that happened, physically and emotionally how I felt that day and what we did that day,” she said. “I kept those notes with no intention of writing a book.”

When friends and family wanted to hear more about her experience, Jochl turned those journal entries into a narrative to better explain what she went through. Then, at the urging of those who read her story, she began the process of turning them into a book.

“One of the people who read the story format was constantly encouraging me to write a book. At first I said, that’s silly, I’m not a writer,” said Jochl. “Eventually, I said ‘You find me an editor and I’ll turn it into a book.’ I kind of said that half-heartedly, but she found me an editor.”

Jochl worked with content editor Betsy Thorpe and copy editor Maya Packard for nearly two years on the manuscript, which

October / November 2016

she self-published under Wilfred Lee Books as The Aviatrix: Fly Like a Girl earlier this year.

In late July, nearly 100 people showed up at the Elk River Airport to celebrate the launch of the book.

“I was really surprised,” Jochl said. “I definitely didn’t expect that kind of turnout.”

Her family members were on hand to talk about their respective characters in the story.

“It was wicked fun,” she said. “It was nice to have their support and to tell stories about them.”

The Aviatrix is now available for purchase through Amazon, Barnes and Noble and local retailers including Fred’s General Mercantile, the Appalachian State University bookstore and the Elizabethton Municipal Airport, and will soon be available at the Grandfather Mountain Gift Shop.

“I think the book is unusual. First of all, there are not a lot of female pilots in the world of aviation. Second of all, there are even fewer people who take on flight lessons who are scared to fly,” said Jochl.

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Groundbreaking for Avery County's Williams YMCA Expansion

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he Williams YMCA of Avery County held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the $1.2-million John M. Blackburn Indoor Athletic Facility in late August.

The 20,000-square-foot facility is an expansion of the popular YMCA in Linville and will give residents of the High Country a place to workout and play throughout the year, especially when the weather is at its worst.

Plans for the facility include two basketball courts with multi-purpose flooring and a 6,000-square-foot indoor turf and batting cage facility. Overall, the facility will accommodate open play, practice and tournaments in basketball, baseball, volleyball, indoor soccer, golf, pickleball and more. It will also provide space for general fitness programs.

“For the Avery County community, I think it’s going to be one of the bigger things that’s happened here since the Y itself was built,” Williams YMCA of Avery CEO Trey Oakley said. “For the community, it’s incredible. For the Y itself, it’s a crowning point for us to be able to continue to find quality programs for families here.”

The YMCA opened in 2007, and this expansion project has been a dream for about two years now and started to become a reality after an anonymous matching donation of $250,000 for an indoor athletic facility was made. Earlier this summer, Oakley said

the organization was working on raising the final $75,000 for equipment to go in the building.

Next April, the Williams YMCA of Avery will celebrate its 10th anniversary, and if the stars align, the grand opening of the Blackburn Indoor Athletic Facility will be celebrated at the same time. If nothing else, though, the facility should be up and running before the 2017-18 school year begins.

The building’s namesake, John M. Blackburn is a community leader in the High County. General Manger of Linville Resorts, Blackburn has served or is serving on the following boards: Appalachian State University Board of Trustees, UNC

Board of Governors, Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, Crossnore School Inc. and, of course, the Williams YMCA of Avery County – among others.

“It’s just a really big thank you to him for all he’s made possible in Avery County [and Watauga County], and without John, the Y wouldn’t be here and Cannon [Memorial Hospital] and quite a few other opportunities wouldn’t exist without him,” Oakley said.

The indoor facility is located on the campus of Cannon Memorial Hospital as is the existing Williams YMCA of Avery County in Linville. For more information, click to http://ymcaavery.org Jesse Wood

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October / November 2016

Miami Visit Electrifies App State Football Program

By Jesse Wood | Photos by Ken Ketchie

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App State packed a record 34,658 fans into Kidd Brewer Stadium, the maximum allowed by the fire marshal.

The Friday night before the game felt electric.

Folks were hootin' and hollerin' as traffic zoomed by heading to the pep rally on campus.

he Miami Hurricanes football team of Miami athletes that played in the NFL at coming to little ol’ Boone, N.C. was some point ranges easily in the triple digits. a big deal. Though the Hurricanes From 1983 to 2001, the Hurricanes won scored on the opening play from scrim- five national championships, which ranks mage, an 80-yard run to the house, and them behind Alabama, Notre Dame and won in dominating fashion, 45-10 this past Oklahoma and tied with USC (University September, it was a we-have-arrived mo- of Southern California) and Ohio State – all ment for the Appalachian State University of which are among the top programs in the football program and athletics department. history of college football.

The Hurricanes entered the season unHousehold brands in college football like the Hurricanes – with their tradition ranked. But after decisive victories in weeks and the FBS championship rings to back it 1 and 2, the Hurricanes found themselves up – usually don’t play out-of-conference, ranked No. 25 in the AP poll. Following the away games against foes on the lower rung win over the Mountaineers at Kidd Brewer of the totem poll, especially in an area Stadium, the Hurricanes stock jumped more that isn’t a recruiting hotbed. While the than 10 spots to No. 14, which appears to “money games” against lower-quality op- give credence to the football program at ponents get scheduled, big teams aren’t App State. The Mountaineers opened the jumping at the bit to schedule home games season ranked No. 43 or higher than nearly against the elite, lesser-known programs at half of the SEC, which is arguably the stronhome because the risk just isn’t worth the gest conference in NCAA football. App reward; see the aftermath of App State’s State has a strong football tradition, a pashistoric upset of No. 7 Michigan in 2007 sionate fan base and consistently produces or current FCS-powerhouse, North Da- NFL players, but not quite on the scale as kota State, that is 6-0 against FBS teams in Miami. This is less of a knock on App State the past six seasons as examples. The rea- as it is praise for the Hurricanes. son for a big program’s hesitancy The Friday night festivities at Peacock Hall lot before is that if you win, nobody really the big game was fun for the whole family. notices or they’ll say, “You should have won that game.” But if you lose … your alma mater will trend on Twitter for all the wrong reasons and its ranking will fall like a rock in the standings.

Now, App State is no longer an FCS team to be clear, but it is not a perennial college football program like the University of Miami. Over the years, a who’s who of NFL stars played at the university including Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, Jim Kelly, Vince Wilfork and Greg Olsen. Nearly 40 players currently in the NFL donned the green and orange in college, and the number October / November 2016

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Miami players observe the atmosphere at Kidd Brewer Stadium during the third quarter.

The passionate, traveling fan base was something that App State pitched to Miami as it cold-called top-tier schools about playing at Kidd Brewer Stadium, App State Athletics Director Doug Gillin told the Winston-Salem Journal. While Miami Athletics Director Blake James told SBNation that App State wasn’t Miami’s first choice, James said, “Scheduling’s a complicated thing.”

It’s also a given that this particular home game would have never materialized if App State wasn’t in the FBS. Capable of enticing Miami with a home-and-home series in 2016 and 2021, the App State football program that exists today was built without reproach by Hall of Fame Coach Jerry Moore. Though a handful of other coaches put together quality records and won some conference championships in the North State and later Southern Conference at the helm of App State, Moore compiled a 215-87 record in 24 seasons on his way to legendary status.

During his tenure, which ended questionably in 2012, App State embarked on a three-consecutive national championship run, amidst the slaying of No. 5 Michigan Wolverines in front of more than 100,000 22

High Country Magazine

Miami fans throw the up “U” sign. stunned fans in The Big House to become a household name in sports lore.

This success led to App State Feasibility Committee recommending the jump to the FBS in 2011 and eventually to the school being plucked by the Sun Belt Conference in 2014. The move was criticized by some football fans – and more if you consider those worried about the priority of athletics over academics – because some enjoyed App State’s status as a big fish in a little pond. Even the elite programs in the FBS such as the Alabamas and Ohio States don’t win three consecutive national championships like App State did in the mid-2000s or in North Dakota State’s current case, fiveconsecutive national championships. That

October / November 2016

just doesn’t happen, (although Alabama certainly is making a case with four championships in seven years from 2009-2015).

App State’s inaugural season in the FBS started out pretty awful from a record standpoint, feeding into the critics’ reluctance about or outright opposition to the Mountaineers moving up to the FBS. Ironically, the opener in the Mountaineers’ inaugural year in the FBS was against Michigan, once again in The Big House. They lost 52-14, and thus no ceremonial couch burnings on King Street or goalpost mobs on Rivers Street occurred.

Three games later, the Mountaineers had a 1-3 record and an ESPN columnist had the program in his tongue-and-cheek sights as one of the worst teams in the FBS. Halfway through the season, the Mountaineers slogged to 1-5 before things began to click.

The Mountaineers then reeled off a six game winning streak and finished the season with a respectable, winning record (7-5) during a transition period from the FCS. Last season bore even more fruit. App State head coach Scott Satterfield guided the Mountaineers to an 11-2 record with the only losses coming to the eventual

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ESPN (see right side of top image) was on hand, airing the App State-Miami game live on national television. the FCS and the MounFBS runner-up Clemson taineers, wrote prior and Sun Belt Conference to the season that the champ Arkansas State. opener against the TenThe 2015 season was also nessee Volunteers was, the first year that Appalaas Coach Moore liked chian State was eligible to say, an “opportunity to play in a holiday bowl, game.” The possibility and the Mountaineers he spelled out, if opdidn’t disappoint. timistic, was certainly At the Camellia Bowl plausible – as long as invitational in Montgomthe ball bounces in your ery, Ala., the Mountaindirection along the way. eers won 31-29 with lastsecond heroics from field “The 2016 schedule goal kicker Zach Matics offers Appalachian the to become the first team opportunity — there is to win 11 games in its first that word again — to poseason as a bowl-eligible sition itself for something The student section of Kidd Brewer Stadium was fired up before kickoff. member of the FBS and that a Sun Belt Conferthe first FBS team to win a bowl game in its inaugural season of eli- ence squad has never achieved, the chance to play in a major bowl gibility. Just as they did in 2014, the Mountaineers also finished the game as a member of the Group of Five, lower-level Football Bowl year with one of the longer FBS winning streaks in the country.

Subdivision leagues.

This immediate success, which silenced the naysayers, and the Should the Mountaineers navigate past Tennessee and then beat anticipation of two high-profile games against potential national Miami in a much-anticipated home game in a couple of weeks and championship contenders – No. 9 Tennessee in historic Neyland make it through the non-conference schedule unscathed, an undefeatStadium and the hosting of the Hurricanes at Kidd Brewer Sta- ed Sun Belt championship could put this FBS newbie in position to dium – fueled an excitement in Boone that was palpable. play on New Year’s Day as the top team among the Group of Five.”

As David Coulson, author of “Magic on the Mountain: AppaThe FBS is made up of 10 conferences: the Power 5 and the lachian State’s Amazing Journey to the 2005 NCAA I-AA Football Group of 5. The Power 5 conferences include the ACC, Big 10, Championship” and an authority on college football, particularly Big 12, Pac 12 and SEC. These are where you’ll find the traditional 24

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October / November 2016

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The Miami mascot, country music star Eric Church and a slew of Mountaineers fans donning black and gold turned out for the big game.

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powers such as Alabama, Ohio State and the independent Notre Dame, for three examples.

The Group of 5 is represented by American Athletic Conference, Conference-USA, Mid-American Conference, Sun Belt Conference and the Mountain West Conference. Historically elite squads in the Group of 5 like Boise State and Marshall don’t get much love in the playoff rankings, although Houston, which is coached by former Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman and ranked No. 6 in the nation as of late September, is proving to be the exception.

While an away game against a Power 5 school happens about every year for App State, a Group of 5 school such as App State hosting a Power 5 school – especially one with the pedigree such as the Hurricanes – was certainly something to write home about and the perfect time for the Yosef Club to hold a $170,000 fundraiser for ASU Athletics’ new vision for Kidd Brewer Stadium.

In fact, App State, in just its second year with full standing in the FBS, was the first Sun Belt Conference team to ever host a Power 5 school.

As for the dream scenario that Coulson spelled out prior to this season, it didn’t pan out as such. The Tennessee Volunteers – and the SEC and ESPN’s SEC Network – breathed a sigh of relief. Like the App State game against Auburn in 1999, where App State lost 22-15 in front of nearly 80,000 fans late in the game, the Mountaineers just couldn’t come away with a victory, losing to Tennessee 20-13 in overtime in Knoxville, Tenn. Appalachian State was a bounce away from winning that game. Here a CBSSports.com headline pretty much summed up the game: “Appalachian State had Tennessee on the ropes, but miscues and luck cost the Mountaineers.”

That loss, though, couldn’t dim the reality of Miami coming to the High Country, which is known for its seasonal residents who are fortunate to live in both the Sunshine and Tar Heel states. That Florida connection provided just a little bit more enthusiasm for this game.

For folks to have secured Miami tickets, the only guarantee was to purchase season tickets. In May – about four months prior to the season opener – the App State athletics department announced that 2016 season-ticket sales surpassed the entire amount sold in 2015.

And when single-game tickets went on sale on Aug. 2, the Miami game sold out within an hour. This led to people putting out comical ads hawking a kidney – and their first-born – to try to get into The Rock. A single ticket was selling for as high as $749 a week prior to the game, and sports writers and pundits across the country were talking about Boone and App State, including how the Hurricanes had to stay out-of-town because there were no hotel rooms available in Boone.

With App State battling with Tennessee toe-to-toe and with the fact that Clemson, which was the college football championship runner-up last year after it beat App State 41-10 early in the season, put away Miami even easier (Clemson whipped Miami 58-0) and though App State feels like a classic tweener, one that outgrew the FCS but hasn’t shown the ability to compete with, say, a Florida State week-in-and-week-out

for the next decade or so, fans in the High Country believed they could win. Even some of sports talking heads picked the Mountaineers to take down the University of Miami.

The Friday night before the game felt electric, and I was just sitting in my office typing on a computer, writing this issue’s magazine story about ABC stores in the High Country. Folks were hootin’ and hollerin’ as traffic zoomed by Highway 105 heading to, I presumed, the pep rally on campus, where university officials extended tailgating for the Friday night and early Saturday festivities.

That Friday evening, my boss was sending me photos of the long lines at the Boone liquor store as folks stocked up on a record $70,000 worth of adult refreshments for the big game.

The fun spilled over into the early hours prior to the noon game. ESPN was in town, and everyone was giving the cameras their best shot. Inside Kidd Brewer Stadium sat or stood a record 34,658 fans, which was the maximum capacity the local fire marshal would allow under the temporary seating expansion. About a million more people watched the game on TV, according to Sports Media Watch.

But a win just wasn’t in the cards. So while the end result didn’t go as well as Mountaineer fans or Miami haters wanted, downtown Boone was the place to be on Saturday morning. Either way, though, as an ESPN reporter wrote a few days before the game: “The Hurricanes’ trip to Boone, North Carolina, provides some legitimacy for a program that has only been playing at the FBS level for two years.” t

For the Miami game, App State installed an additional video board near the north end zone to give fans more views of the action.

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A Toast to the Local ABC Stores: Boone, Blowing Rock & High Country

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Local ABC Stores By The Numbers in 2015 In 2015, Boone sold more than $5.6 million of liquor. This compares to the roughly $1.5 million worth of liquor bought in Blowing Rock and $2.7 million bought in the ABC store in the Banner Elk, Sugar Mountain and Seven Devils region.

Note that the income includes sales to the public through walk-in customers at the ABC stores and to the establishments with mixed-beverage accounts like restaurants and bars, golf clubs and ski resorts. Pretty much all of the taxes go to the State of North Carolina.

Expenses include costs of goods sold, payroll and other general operating costs. Most of the distributions go to the government operating the ABC store.

In the case of High Country ABC, the municipalities of Banner Elk, Seven Devils and Sugar Mountain split the profits three ways. Distributions to law enforcement and alcohol education are also required and included in overall distributions line item.

Boone ABC

Blowing Rock ABC

High Country ABC

Total Income: $5,670,754

Total Income: $1,487,402

Total Income: $2,772,734

Taxes:

$1,342,802

Taxes:

$363,845

Taxes:

Expenses:

$3,644,727

Expenses:

$974,622

Expenses:

$654,880 $1,831,690

Profit:

$683,225 (12%)

Profit:

$148,935 (10 %)

Profit:

$286,164 (10%)

Distributions:

$564,073

Distributions:

$138,449

Distributions:

$284,341

Law Enforcement: $26,198 Alcohol Education: $62,875 Local: $475,000

Law Enforcement: $5,437 Alcohol Education: $7,612 Local: $125,400

Law Enforcement: $15,600 Alcohol Education: $13,741 Local: $255,000

Story by Jesse Wood | Photography by Ken Ketchie

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he day before Kidd Brewer Sta- Store made headlines by sending patrons $1.5 million. After subtracting for opdium welcomed a record 34,658 out the door with this info on crack-and- erational expenses, the Town of Blowing Rock received $160,000; Watauga County people for the historic game be- peel labels on the brown bags.

The labels thanked customers for buy- received $3,500; and the State of North tween App State and the University of Miami, the Boone ABC Store broke ing liquor in Blowing Rock and educated Carolina received $360,000 in the form of a record of its own. On the eve of the col- the public on the fact that more than one- taxes, statutory distributions and outright lege football game, Boone’s liquor store third of the revenues the ABC store gener- donations – a total of about $532,000 in sold “just a hair” shy of $70,000 worth of ated last fiscal year were invested back into all after other funds are added.

“Basically, this is just telling [custombooze in one day. Until this past Septem- the community. In the 2015 fiscal year, the ber, that had never happened before in its Blowing Rock ABC store generated nearly ers] where our money goes,” Blowing Rock ABC Store General 30-year history.

Manager Edith Nations “Well, Friday just said of the labels on the about killed us … We had brown bags. “A lot of a record-breaking Friday, people are unaware of it. the biggest day ever,” said They don’t realize that Boone ABC Store General a lot of the money goes Manager Ronnie Hayes. back into the communi“It was crazy. There were ties.” lines out the door. If they The monies given could have got on the to the Town of Blowroof, they would have ing Rock are above-andbeen on the roof. It was beyond the required something else.” distributions, and Town While the bustle at Manager Scott Fogleman the ABC store before a noted that annual monies big game isn’t necessarily given to its coffers supsurprising, I wonder if any port the town’s general of those folks standing in operations such as police, line for airplane bottles fire, public works and realized how much ABC general government. revenues are invested “The last couple back into the commuNote that the income includes sales to the public through walk-in customers at the ABC stores and to the nity. This past summer, establishments with mixed-beverage accounts like restaurants and bars, golf clubs and ski resorts. Pretty much all of years, the [Blowing Rock] ABC Board has the Blowing Rock ABC of the taxes go to the State of North Carolina.

October / November 2016

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From Left: Cameron Newman, Jim Harris, Tim Watson, Ronnie Hayes, Steve Combs and Eric Harmon

Boone Store

The Boone ABC store opened in November of 1986 after town voters approved of the sale of beer and wine in stores and the establishment of an ABC store. Today, the Boone store is the No. 1 single-store system by volume of sales. Since opening, the Boone ABC store has expanded several times. Originally operating out of a 2,861square-foot building, the current space – including warehouse and retail – spans nearly 7,000 square feet.

Bottles Sold in 2014-15 The Boone ABC Store, which is the No. 1 selling single-store ABC system in the state, sold nearly 400,000 bottles of liquor in the 2014-15 fiscal year, according to records archived with the N.C. ABC Commission. The number of bottles sold included mini-bottles, fifths and halfgallons sold to walk-in customers and establishments with mixed-beverage permits.

See the exact figures for the Boone, Blowing Rock and High Country (Sugar Mountain, Seven Devils and Banner Elk) ABC stores, too.

Regular Bottles Sold Boone ABC: 251,830 High Country ABC: 108,399 Blowing Rock ABC: 45,422

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Mini-Bottles Sold Boone ABC: 91,421 High Country ABC: 27,001 Blowing Rock ABC: 17,705

High Country Magazine

Mixed-Beverage Bottles Sold Boone ABC: 54,495 High Country ABC: 24,254 Blowing Rock ABC: 21,521

October / November 2016

made additional distributions to the Town,” Fogleman told High Country Press in August. “For example, the ABC Board contributed $65,000 above their typical distribution of funding to the Town to support the renovation of the American Legion Building.”

While every local ABC board distributes funds a little bit differently, state law requires boards to set aside a portion of profits for alcohol education (5 percent) and local law enforcement agencies (7 percent). The state immediately takes about a third off the top, some of which goes to the N.C. Department of Revenue and Department of Human Services with the mixed beverage tax that each retailer pays per bottle. A “1-and-5” bottle tax (a penny for each mini liquor bottle and a nickel for each fifth) is also levied. The Watauga County government, for example, collected about $17,000 from the Boone ABC Store’s “1-and-5” tax last year. The rest of the profits go to the municipality or county operating the store.

Last year, the Boone ABC Board distributed $475,000 to the Town of Boone government, $26,198 for law enforcement and $62,875 for alcohol education. A portion of the alcohol education line item included a combined $5,000 in grants to Watauga Youth Network and Mountain Alliance. This doesn’t include the $1.34 million in taxes given to the state for $5.67 million in sales for 2015. Of the $475,000 distribution, Boone

Town Manager John Ward said that these funds support police operations.

The High Country ABC Store in Avery County had $2.77 million in income last year and distributed $284,341 – again not counting the $654,880 in taxes to the State of NC. The statutory distributions included $15,600 for law enforcement, $13,741 for alcohol education (Avery County Schools, Western Youth Network, Alcohol Abuse Education taught by Mary Howell); and $255,000 split three ways between the towns of Banner Elk, Sugar Mountain and Seven Devils.

From the mountains to the coast, the ABC Commission of North Carolina estimates that the sale of spirituous liquor generated roughly $933 million in revenues in 2015 with $354 million in distributions.

Today, 50 counties and a 118 municipal ABC boards operate retail ABC boards, and only one county doesn’t have an ABC store: Graham County.

North Carolina’s system to control alcohol started about a year after prohibition ended. In late 1933, the N.C. General Assembly authorized Gov. John C.B. Ehringhaus to appoint a commission to study the control of alcoholic beverages and recommend either a state licensing or a state monopoly system. Those were the two types of systems operating throughout the country in that day. In 1937, the legislature enacted the law establishing the state’s current monopoly system. That law allows voters to determine whether or not they want alcohol to be sold by the drink in restaurants and bars and/or by the bottle in ABC stores.

North Carolina is one of 17 control states in the U.S. Like those other states, the state controls the sale of alcohol with a central warehouse. But North Carolina is different because rather than the state owning some facet of the operation, each city or county owns the individual franchises. The elected leaders appoint a local board of two to six members to run the ABC store pretty much how they see fit, while the State ABC Commission provides oversight at the state level.

The state establishes prices across North Carolina and allows the stores to operate during the times of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday through Saturday. Under North Carolina’s unique control system, High Country ABC Store General Manager Sara Brewer said that each store is afforded autonomy, where “you can fashion the store depending on the customer base.”

Brewer started working at the BanOctober / November 2016

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From Left: Larry Rupart, Sean Ulmer, Sara Brever, Bob Hagadorn and Bonnie Betz

High Country

The roots of the High Country ABC go back as far as the late ‘70s, whenever Banner Elk voters approved of an ABC store where the town’s police station is today. Whenever Seven Devils and Sugar Mountain opened their own stores in the ‘90s, the three towns decided it would be in the best interest of all to consolidate.

Today, the store operates in Tynecastle.

ner Elk ABC Store in 1982, which is about five years after it opened to the public. She started as a clerk at the Banner Elk store and worked her way up to assistant manager and then manager. When she started out, the ABC store was located where the Banner Elk Police Department off of N.C. 194 is stationed today.

In the ‘90s, the Town of Seven Devils voted in an ABC store and located it nearby where the BB&T at Tynecastle is situated today. Not too much time went by before Sugar Mountain voters decided to do the same thing. The Village of Sugar Mountain opened a store in the Food Lion shopping center. To top it off, the Banner Elk ABC Store then moved across town and across the street from the current Best Western hotel. “You had three

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of us less than a mile apart and nobody was making any money,” Brewer said. “[Each store was] basically splitting the pie three ways.”

In 1998, the three ABC stores merged to form the High Country ABC Store.

Now after expenses (goods, payroll, etc.), taxes and required distributions, the gen-

October / November 2016

eral funds of the three towns – Banner Elk, Sugar Mountain and Seven Devils – each receive an equal 33.3 percent share of net profits. Brewer noted that the High Country ABC store served as a “guinea pig” in the state for merging ABC boards and stores at that time.

“It’s worked out for everybody to join three into one, and all three towns get a fair share of what’s going on,” Brewer said. “It’s [been] neat to watch three towns work for the same goal.”

Although she’s worked in the local ABC stores for the past 34 years, Brewer has a statewide perspective of the North Carolina’s ABC system as she has also served on the N.C. Association of ABC Boards for more than 10 years. Currently, she is one of four general managers serving

Local ABC boards in North Carolina are established and operated with no state funds. However, through the sale of spirituous liquor in ABC stores, approximately $933 million in revenue is generated annually.

Distributions benefit the state’s General Fund and the cities and counties where alcohol sales are allowed. Total revenue distributions during fiscal year 2015 amounted to $354,168,403.

General Fund .......................................... $268,810,296 County - City Distribution ..........................................$62,215,505 NCBAB & ABC Distribution Center ............................................................$13,342,543 Local Alcohol Education ............................................................................................... $11,259,821 Local Law Enforcement .......................................................................................................... $7,539,680 Body Magazine - November 2014 Counties - Rehabilitation ............................................................................................................ $2,839,774 Dept. of Health & Human Services ................................................................................................ $1,503,327

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on the state board.

“You can’t put us into cookie cutter situations. Our stores here in Western North Carolina are prosperous in different times of year. We have a huge summer season. Everyone thinks ski season is the biggest time of year but that’s not necessarily so because our summer folks are here much longer,” Brewer said. “The middle part of the state is all out all the time because of growing cities. You go into the rural eastern North Carolina where a lot of people are out of work and populations [offer]

Blowing Rock The Blowing Rock ABC Store was the first in the High Country to open. That was way back in 1965. For 12 years, it was the only ABC store in Avery/ Watauga region, and for more than 20 years, it was the only ABC store in Watauga County. Once the Boone liquor store opened, sales at the Blowing Rock liquor store “declined sharply,” according to an AP article in 1992. As one local ABC official said, “They made all of the money for years.”

Edith Nations (left) and Karen Griffin

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October / November 2016

totally different dynamics.”

As Brewer mentioned earlier, each local system or store is able to pick and choose from the price list of brands and liquors to suit the tastes of its residents and visitors. Of course, the tastes have to match the budget, and this is part of where the High Country ABC Store, located at the base of Grandfather Mountain, sets itself apart from most of the rest of the state. The High Country ABC Store has about 35 mixed beverage accounts, which are your restaurants and bars, ski resorts and golf clubs.

“We are just different here at High Country because of our clientele in the summer. We have a lot of people that really enjoy the high-end and smallbatch bourbons. We have a lot of single malt scotch drinkers,” Brewer said.

“We can sell a lot of the higher end liquors, whereas [some ABC stores in other parts of the state are] not going to sell a $59 bottle of bourbon every day or a $120 bottle of tequila once every two weeks.”

Like the High Country ABC Store, Blowing Rock and Boone stores both have a seasonal clientele, too. Though the Blowing Rock and Boone stores are located on the same highway about 6.5 miles apart, the stores have their differences, especially with Appalachian State University situated in Boone. For example, the Blowing Rock store doesn’t sell half-gallons of tequila, but as you might guess, the college students in Boone can make quick work of that in a weekend or two. Vodka, however, is popular everywhere because of its versatility.

“It’s kind of cyclical,” said Boone ABC Store General Manager Ronnie Hayes. “Good tequila and good bourbons are really hot. We sell a lot of high dollar bourbons, and they are good now.

Scotch and gin are also good this time of year. We sell a lot of gin this time of year for people drinking martinis or whatever.

And Vodka, it’s a year-round seller.”

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The Boone ABC Store opened in 1986 when Boone finally came to its senses. The Blowing Rock ABC store, which opened in 1965, had been open for more than 20 years already, and the Banner Elk ABC Store also had more than a decade on Boone. Folks in and around Boone were traveling to those stores to buy liquor for years.

Boone ABC Store Assistant Manager Barry Horton has worked at the store since day one. He along with Ronnie Hayes, who has been general manager for more than two decades, said that while the business side of things is about the same, the amount of traffic and flavored liquors are about the most noticeable changes over the years.

More folks are walking through the doors than in the past, and business for the Boone store increased whenever – Boone came to its senses again and – voters approved the sale of liquor by the drink in Boone in 2008. (Each establishment that buys a bottle of liquor to sell drinks in bars, clubs and restaurants must pay an additional $3.75 per bottle that a walk-in customer doesn’t pay when patronizing the ABC store.) Today, the Boone store is the No. 1 selling single-store system in the state, according to Hayes. While the ABC system in Charlotte, for example, has about two-dozen stores and a clientele that far outnumbers Boone’s, Hayes said the Boone store is tops in volume as far as single-store systems go.

The success of the store is also evident by the four or five expansions of the Boone ABC Store over the past 30 years.

The last – and likely final – expansion occurred in 2014, when the store expanded by more than 1,000 square feet to accommodate more storage and retail space. The number of parking spaces also increased, too. When the store was originally converted from warehouse and office space, the original building was 2,861 square feet. Today, the entire building (warehouse and retail) is nearly 7,000 square feet in size. “We are maxed out. The only place we can go is up, and I don’t think a two-story liquor store would be a good idea,” Hayes said. “But, of course, I’ve never seen a two-story Wendy’s [outside of Boone] either.”

Another trend that’s occurred is the flavoring of everything that seemed to take off about 10 years ago; the craft, smallbatch and local liquors that came into style in the past five years; and the gluten free liquors like potato-based vodka. “We’ve got everything from cotton candy flavored

'Grain to Glass'

Just like craft beer, small-batch distilleries in North Carolina have become a booming trend in the past five years. Much like the farm-to-table concept, local liquors today advertise the “grain-to-glass” approach. “Many of the distilleries take the moonshine route of white liquor, Mason jars and fruit flavorings as they play on the state’s colorful history. Others are exploring traditional spirits such as gin, rum and aged whiskeys,” according to a 2015 Charlotte Observer article.

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to bacon flavored vodkas. If you can think of a flavor, sooner or later, they’ll have it in a liquor drink,” Horton said, citing Jim Beam Apple, Crown Royal Vanilla, Jack Daniels Fire (cinnamon and bourbon) as some not-too-wacky examples.

In Avery County, High Country ABC Store General Manager Sara Brewer has noticed this trend as well. While flavored vodkas were around when she started in this line of work, it slowly filtered out into the rums, the bourbons and other liquors.

“I never thought you would ever have chocolate flavored bourbon, but it’s out there,” Brewer said. She also listed other interesting vodka flavors like the glazed donut, tomato, bubble gum and Mountain Dew varieties. Asked if some of the crazy flavors over the years were popular, Brew-

A

er described them as fads with a short shelf life: “They were for about a week. People heard about it and wanted to try it. Then that went away real quick.”

In speaking to the good folks who’ve spent their careers working at the ABC stores in the High Country, you can tell they know their liquors. But you also instantly recognize that they enjoy the camaraderie with their co-workers, fellow board members, business associates and, of course, the customers. “I enjoy working with the public and getting to know people,” Horton said. “I’ve been here 30 years in November and have met a lot of nice people … It’s an environment where 99 percent of the people are nice and appreciate us being here and appreciate our help.” t

Stores Uniquely Fashioned

lthough ABC stores are overseen by the State ABC Commission, the individual county and municipal systems are afforded a local level of autonomy with a local ABC Board appointed by the town’s elected representation. The state sets the hours of operation and the prices across the state. All sales are statewide, too. Liquor you buy in Blowing Rock costs the same as if you purchase it in the Outer Banks or Kinston, but you can outfit your shelves by picking and choosing from a statewide liquor menu. Or as High Country ABC Store General Manager Sara Brewer said, “You can fashion your store depending on the customer base.”

ABC stores in communities with populations in lower-income brackets and those in second-home resort towns are likely to stock totally different liquors. Other factors A $4,696 bottle of liquor come into play when you add private clubs and college students as customers. For example, the Boone ABC Store, which is the closest liquor store to the App State campus, sells both fifths and half gallons of tequila.

But Blowing Rock only sells fifths.

At High Country ABC in a locked case sits a $4,696 bottle of liquor. According to a description provided by General Manager Sara Brewer, the Hennessy Richard is a “blend of exceptional and rare fruit brandies … (eaux-de-vie) aged 40 to 200 years … and slowly matured in oak barrels.” Each bottle is numbered and made of pure hand blown crystal. The bottle for sale in the Tynecastle shop is No. 48. “We have had this bottle for a year or so and probably sell one every two - three years,” Brewer said. “Our store does sell a lot of ‘high end’ liquors, but this one is the most expensive. Usually our ‘high’ sales are in the $200 to $300 range.”

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The Top Ten BOONE ABC - 01/01/16 - 09/22/16 1) Jack Daniel’s Black (.750ml) 2) Jameson Irish Whiskey 3) Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey 4) Tito’s Vodka (.750ml) 5) Smirnoff Vodka 6) Maker’s Mark Bourbon 7) Tito’s Vodka (1.75L) 8) Jagermeister 9) Jack Daniel’s Black (1.75L) 10) Grey Goose Vodka

blowing rock ABC - year round 1) Tito’s Vodka 2) Maker’s Mark Bourbon 3) Jack Daniel’s Black 4) Grey Goose Vodka 5) Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey 6) Ketel One Vodka 7) Absolut Vodka 8) Smirnoff Vodka 9) Dewar’s Scotch Whiskey 10) Hendrick’s Gin

high country ABC - January - June 1) Aristocrat Vodka 2) Smirnoff Vodka 3) Burnett’s Vodka 4) Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey 5) Tito’s Vodka 6) Seagram’s Gin 7) Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey 8) Bacardi Light Rum 9) Jack Daniel’s Black 10) Pinnacle Vodka

ACROSS THE STATE 1) Jack Daniel’s Black (.750ml) 2) Tito’s Vodka (.750ml) 3) Tito’s Vodka (1.75L) 4) Grey Goose Vodka 5) Smirnoff Vodka 6) Maker’s Mark Bourbon 7) Jack Daniel’s Black (1.75L) 8) Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey 9) Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey 10) Burnett’s Vodka

I

It’s Not All Rosy

t’s not a coincidence that the local ABC stores are required to give funds to law enforcement agencies, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and supply grant monies for alcohol education for youth and adults.

Too much alcohol – or just about anything for that matter – is not a good thing. Liquor has ruined many a good life, such as those who let the drink lead them astray and others who were unfortunate victims to no fault of their own in alcohol-related incidents.

During the interviews for this story, some in the industry acknowledged these woes. As one ABC employee said, “I kind of look at it as … the town voted us in, and we are here to provide a service for the town and patrons who come in here. You like to be sometimes, but you can’t be the moral conscious for everybody.”

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In 2010, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a study that stated that excessive alcohol consumption cost the U.S. $249 billion in 2010 and that excessive consumption kills about 88,000 people per year. More than 20 years ago, the U.S. Department of Justice released a report that stated about 36 percent of people incarcerated for violent offenses were drinking when committing their crimes and that many had a blood alcohol content of more than three times the legal limit.

Also, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism notes that drinking too much can take a serious toll on your health, but they also cite research that moderate drinking (one drink for women and two drinks for men) can improve your health.

As Oscar Wilde once famously said, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”

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F.A.R.M. CafĂŠ

Where Community Happens 40

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October / November 2016

W

hat would happen in our community if no one went hungry? If every man, woman and child had healthy food to eat every day? If no family or person had to worry about where they would find their next meal?

What could be accomplished in our schools if every child showed up with a full belly, in a healthy state of mind and ready to take on the world? What would happen if local parents could spend more time focused on their work during the day than how they will buy dinner for their families at night?

What would the High Country look like if everyone could afford healthy food?

One local nonprofit is not only looking for the answers to these questions, but also working toward them one day at a time.

Feed All Regardless of Means — that’s the idea behind downtown Boone’s pay-as-you-can F.A.R.M. Café, which has effectively turned the tables on the restaurant world (and the nonprofit world, for that matter).

See the Need

Although small tables are available for folks who’d like a little privacy, most diners enjoy making new friends and meeting new faces through community seating and shared lunch counters at F.A.R.M. Café in downtown Boone.

Story by Jessica Isaacs Photography by Peter Morris

Like most folks across the nation, residents of the High Country were affected by the economic downturn in 2008.

The following year, Renee Boughman, who had been working in fine dining for several years, couldn’t help but notice that her hometown hadn’t done much healing and that a lot of people continued to suffer.

“I had been listening to programs on the radio, reading the local newspaper and talking to people,” she said. “I knew folks from the Hospitality House, so I knew there was a problem with food insecurity.”

With neighbors in need tugging at her heartstrings, Boughman got a few friends together to begin a discussion about what they could do to help.

“We had our first organizing meeting, if you want to call it that, at the public library. It was myself, Andy Long, who is the current chef/owner at Over Yonder restaurant in Valle Crucis, and Shelley Wilson, the minister of High Country United Church of Christ,” Boughman explained.

“We all went to the same church together, so the idea kind of blossomed out of that community, but we quickly knew it wasn’t that select.”

A brainstorming session sparked an interesting idea that they were each willing and excited to get behind.

“We were originally thinking about starting some type of culinary program that would help train people who were unOctober / November 2016

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Patrons at F.A.R.M. Café stroll the buffet line and check out what’s on the menu, which usually includes entrées, sides, salad and dessert. able to be employed: people who were chronically unemployed, either because they had a minor criminal record or because they found themselves on the fringes of society,” said Boughman.

Shortly thereafter, a friend at church found an article online that inspired them to go in another direction — an article about a pay-as-you-can community café in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“That’s what got us started on really researching the need.

I know in this area, because we’re not an urban city, you don’t see the type of homeless plight you might see in Asheville or somewhere else; but, I went to graduate school here and I recognized there was definitely a homeless population here,” Boughman said. “I knew that there was a consistent group of people who were struggling in this community and thought that this model might certainly be a way to address that issue in a more creative and community-oriented style.”

During a three-year process of planning, homework and impact study, Boughman and company were drawn to Salt Lake City’s One World Café, which was planting the seeds for a nationwide initiative to create access to healthy foods with a pay-what-you-can business model.

Everybody Eats

Volunteer Coordinator Tommy Brown, Executive Chef Renee Boughman and Front House Manager Kim Short are pictured welcoming folks to F.A.R.M. Café on King Street in front of the restaurant.

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At the time, Boughman and her team were on the ground floor of what would soon become a national movement. They soon learned that a handful of similar restaurants were in the works in other parts of the country, like S.A.M.E. Café (“So All May Eat”) in Denver, Colorado.

“Out of One World Café grew a sharing of that idea, and it soon traveled to other communities. Once the idea kind of took hold, others began to contact the founder, Denise Cerreta, as did we, and they actually created a movement called

The café is staffed almost entirely by volunteer workers who carry out a multitude of tasks on a daily basis.

Volunteers sign up online and schedule their own hours, and the café relies on a database of 500 or more interested workers.

One World Everybody Eats,” said BoughCareful research showed that there folks in need are able to get where you need man. “Their goal is to connect as many were enough critical factors to make it them to be to get the food. groups together as they can to educate work here in the High Country, although “You see a lot of nonprofits and agenthe public about food insecurity and fight the Boone community is significantly cies in this community who try to do things hunger in the United States and globally by smaller in size and population than the cit- to help their neighbors. Every community doing this type of model.” ies that host many of these similar cafes. does that, I believe, but geographically it’s The One World network, a loose affili“Boone has a university; a good, sup- close here. You’ve got a good rural comation of like-minded café owners, offered porting community that seem to really, re- munity, so we knew that the food would a helpful blueprint that would allow the ally embrace its nonprofits and care about be high quality.”

Boone crew to better develop their own its neighbors; and a strong faith-based comAfter the former Boone Drug space on ideas around a set of seven core values, munity,” said Boughman. “Those things are King Street in downtown Boone became which play an important role in the busi- central, and then you have to be sure that available, the long-awaited F.A.R.M. Café ness model: was officially opened for business • Pay-what-you-can pricing in May of 2012, and it’s been goExecutive Chef Renee Boughman builds her menu each week • Patrons choose their own portion based on what local ingredients are available, and her fine dining ing strong ever since. It was one of size experience guarantees there’s always something good in store. the first 10 to use the One World • Healthy, seasonal foods model in the United States and is • Patrons can volunteer in exchange now among more than 50 similar for a meal community cafés. As the movement • Volunteers are used to the greatcontinues to blossom, similar estabest extent possible lishments are in the works in more • Paid staff earns a living wage than 35 states, as well as in Canada, • Community seating allows paChile, Haiti and Nicaragua. trons to cross social, economic What’s for Lunch? and other societal boundaries If you’ve never been to a buffet While these seven values are the style pay-as-you-can place like this pillars of the concept, One World before, F.A.R.M. Café Volunteer encourages each café to fine-tune its Coordinator Tommy Brown gives us operation according to its individual the scoop on the operation: goals.

“They can look at the sign out“They truly believe that it should side and if the menu looks good they be organic and adaptable to the comcan come right in and we’ll welcome munity that it’s serving. They don’t them to the café. If they’ve eaten treat it like a franchise, and everyhere before and they know how it body does it a little bit differently. works, we’ll send them on through For example, Jon Bon Jovi’s Soul the line,” he said. “If they haven’t, Kitchen community cafés in New we explain to them that we are a Jersey are part of this organization,” pay-what-you-can community café Boughman said. “We do a full buf— Feed All Regardless of Means — fet, but Bon Jovi’s is full sit-down, and we work on a donation basis. white tablecloths, waiters coming to We have two plate sizes with sugyour table and fancy chefs working gested donations — $7 for the small with volunteers. I’m a chef, but he’s plate and $10 for the larger plate. got money, so it just depends. Either “If they pay the suggested donaway, it’s doing good work.”

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tion, then they are covering the cost taurant is also intentional in developing of their meal. We also invite folks to menus that are practical in using what’s pay more than the suggested donation, fresh and on-hand, which results in which then contributes to the others. little waste.

Folks can also pay less than the suggest“Because we’re on a tight budget, ed donation, which is fine, or they can and because it’s the right thing to do, actually work for an hour in exchange we throw very little food away. We’re for their meal if they choose. Those who really good at reincorporating. We pay more than the suggested donation serve soup every day and people ask are helping to feed those who can pay us, ‘What’s in the soup?’ and we look less, and that’s how it all works.” back at the menu for the past week,” Approximately 85 percent of the he laughed. “People love that. We cook café’s expenses are covered through like we’re at home.” donations made by patrons throughout Its close proximity to the adjacent the day, and year-round fundraising university also makes F.A.R.M. café a campaigns for the nonprofit restaurant teaching kitchen in many ways. provide the remainder.

“There’s an educational component “How it breaks down, roughly, is being in a college town. We’re teaching that 60 percent of people pay the sugstudents what to do with leftovers. We’re gested donation; 20 percent will pay stretching students’ palettes, because we more, and 20 percent will donate less serve what’s grown locally,” said Brown.

Volunteers typically carry out one-hour shifts and or work in exchange for a meal,” Brown “We buy from local farmers what grows fulfill various roles throughout the day, which includes said. “We also have $10 meal tokens. up here in the short season, so we’re serving patrons in the buffet line as pictured here.

We’ll do online fundraising campaigns updating some things they might not to get, say, 500 tokens, which we then be used to eating. We create really good distribute to local agencies. Folks who are in contact with those food out of what we have to work with.” agencies can then come in and exchange them for a meal.”

The menu may be resourceful, but don’t think for a second that Boughman, executive chef, and Brown develop the café’s it means the food is anything short of delectable. So, you must be ever-changing menu each week based on what local products thinking, what’s a typical menu look like at F.A.R.M. Café? are available to them.

“Monday has been Meatless Monday, but for the tourists we “It includes everything from soup, entrées, sides, usually a added a Meat Option Monday — add a little chicken to your salcouple of different salad ad, or something. Tuesday choices, dessert and a in the summer is Tomato drink, all for the suggestPie Tuesday, which is a big ed donation,” said Brown. hit. In the winter, we turn “We have a recipe book, that into ‘Stewsday,’ where although we don’t always we have three stews. Peofollow recipes, and we alple love that,” Brown said. ways try to offer a vegetar“Wednesday is flex — it’s ian option and list what’s working with what we’ve gluten free, what’s dairy got. Thursday is always the free and what’s vegan. We Boone Patty Melt Reuben, work with our customers a really good variation for their dietary needs.” on the Reuben sandwich F.A.R.M. Café purchascombining it with a patty es close to 95 percent of its melt. We use local saufood, or as much as possage and beef, sauerkraut, sible, from local sources. homemade slaw and Swiss “We could get product cheese on Rye bread. cheaper, but buying local, “Friday, then, we lean and especially intentionally toward fish, but not alsupporting local farmers, is ways. Usually, I’m in charge a way that we can actually of Fridays, so it’s either fish work to fight food insecuor something ethnic. I’ll do rity in the High Country.

Greek or Italian or Korean If there are more local — something that we don’t farms and there is more lohave much of here. I’ve The café often distributes $10 meal tokens, which are usually afforded cal production, then more been wanting to do a lot through online fundraising campaigns, to local agencies, which then people will be fed, because more Greek since we don’t distribute them to folks with identified needs in the community. that great, local produce is have a Greek restaurant in going to be more available.” town. We’ve gotten local lamb and made lamb bowls before.”

Brown, who grew up cooking in a camp kitchen, said the resWith topnotch local ingredients and a fine dining chef in the 44

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kitchen, you can always bet on finding something great to eat at F.A.R.M. Café, no matter what’s on the menu.

Making it Happen

I know what you’re thinking. If 20 percent of customers pay less than what it costs to provide their food, how can the café afford to feed them? In addition to generous donations from local businesses and patrons who can afford to pay more than what their meals cost, F.A.R.M. Café minimizes expenses by operating with a staff that’s 90 percent volunteers.

As one of the largest volunteer-operated nonprofits in the area, the café pulls from a bank of more than 500 local folks who are more than willing to give their time.

Interested volunteers sign up online to join the café’s database.

They’re later assigned a pin number and use a software program called “Volgistics” to schedule their own hours.

Serving lunch between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday, the café needs about 20 volunteers in various capacities for one-hour shifts between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each business day.

The software program allows volunteers to sign up for the time slots that suit their own needs, allowing Brown a little extra time here there to wear a few more hats in marketing and development, as well as in the kitchen.

Some volunteer spots are left open each day for walk-in customers who would like to work in exchange for a meal.

“We get a lot of folks from the university and a lot of folks needing community service hours. We like to make sure that it’s a mix of people volunteering and folks working in exchange for a meal,” said Brown. “People getting to know each other happens around the tables and around meals, but it also happens in the

F.A.R.M. Café is one of the largest nonprofits in the High Country that is operated almost entirely by volunteer employees.

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This colorful fish is one of many bright and cheerful artworks that you’ll find on the walls at F.A.R.M. Café. folks who are doing the work, which is again different from your typical soup kitchen.”

When another organization in town could use some extra help, Brown encourages folks in his database, which sometimes nears 700-1,000 volunteers, to lend a hand.

“If we know of other agencies that need volunteers, I try to let people know,” he said.

“I do a weekly update to our volunteers, so I communicate with them weekly through email and let them know of any other volunteer opportunities with other places. We just have that great system in place.”

Building Relationships

Community seating gives patrons a chance to make new connections with their neighbors in downtown Boone.

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Because the café gives 15-20 percent of the food it serves to patrons at no cost, it largely depends on community support, corporate sponsorships and fundraising to keep its operation afloat.

Some of that funding comes from grant writing through organizations including the Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, Blood Sweat and Gears cycling events and many more.

“Like any nonprofit, we have a core mission, and grants can sometimes require more or draw us out of our core mission in some respects, so we are always careful with the grants we write,” Brown said. “We’re also careful that we don’t go after government funding, because we want it to be very much tied with the community.

G A L L E R Y

&

F R A M E M A K E R S

The buffet style café draws in large crowds for lunch throughout the week, giving the community a perfect chance to take a break from the work day and come together to catch up.

“To make this place happen, it requires the whole community, so we’re really a café for the whole community where people can be involved and engaged. That’s where business sponsorships come in.”

Many of the High Country’s established businesses make supporting the café a priority.

“Corporate and business sponsorships are important because we can’t do it without them. It’s an opportunity for them to be a part of this community in this unique way, and for them to participate in what we’re doing as far as fighting food insecurity in the High Country,” Brown explained. “It helps us because that many meals have to be paid for and those costs have to be covered in some way.”

F.A.R.M. Café also enjoys positive working relationships with other restaurants in town.

“If they’ve got overstock, they’ll sometimes bring it in and just give it to us. Our relationship with Our Daily Bread down the street is a really great one,” said Brown. “If they run low on something, they’ll come over and get it from us. If we run low on something, we’ll go down and get it from them. You know, spices, butter and that sort of stuff.

“A lot of people were concerned that this model would be seen as unfair competition because we’re a nonprofit restaurant, but it really has worked out great, I think, for everybody. We do a menu like nobody else does in town.”

Moving into another year, the café aims to establish and grow more connections with Boone’s business community. It has recently begun a series of breakfast events, which invite local entrepreneurs and organizations to come in early, start the day with a closer look at the café and learn more about how their support would benefit its mission.

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Good Eats There’s no denying that F.A.R.M. Café is one-of-a-kind in the High Country, and its menu is just as creative. Here a few of café favorites that you definitely ought to try: The Boone Patty Melt Reuben: Served every Thursday, this interesting dish brings together the best of a patty melt burger, a grilled cheese sandwich and a classic Reuben. Built on rye bread, it features Swiss cheese, grilled onions, a blended mustard sauce and a blend of sauerkraut and the café’s signature chipotle Gunsmoke Slaw. Try it with a patty made with all local beef and sausage or go meatless for a vegetarian option.

The Famous Tomato Pie: What goes great with fresh local tomatoes? Cheese, cheese and more cheese! This fresh Southern favorite serves up a blend of sliced heirloom tomatoes, spinach, goat cheese, Parmesan and mozzarella with a crispy cornbread or Panko crust on top. Served every Tuesday during the summertime, you may also choose to try it with a meat option, which is usually bacon or country ham.

The café suggests a $7 donation for small plates and a $10 donation for large plates, but most folks who can afford it pay an extra dollar or two in order to help pay for neighbors who are less fortunate.

Many of F.A.R.M. Café’s fundraising efforts are designed to include both businesses and individuals, such as online donation campaigns and its annual “Real Good Party” benefit function held in the spring at Blowing Rock’s Meadowbrook Inn. Plans for new campaigns in the future include a oneday music festival in 2017 and a “Buy Boone Lunch” initiative, which would allow local businesses to effectively double the amount of contributions collected at the café during a one-day period.

If you’re a business owner or a local neighbor and you’d like to get involved, contact Brown at the café to get a conversation started and find out how you can help.

Tuesday is Stewsday: In the winter months, beyond the short local growing season, Tomato Pie Tuesday becomes “Stewsday,” on which the café features a series of three hot soups that are perfect for cold mountain days. Gumbos and stews abound at F.A.R.M. Café when the weather’s cold, and there are always meat and vegetarian options.

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Who’s Hungry?

F.A.R.M. Café envisions change on a broad scale and aims to eliminate hunger in the High Country altogether. As they continue this work, Boughman, Brown and their team have learned firsthand that hunger doesn’t always look the way that the general public imagines it to look.

In fact, with 26 percent of its more than 51,000 residents living in poverty, it should come as no surprise that 18 percent of that population (and 25 percent of all children in the county) are food insecure. Nearly half of the county’s residents are low-income families, who are working hard to make ends meet but still need help getting access to healthy foods.

“Who we see as food insecure in the café are sometimes the transient population, the homeless population, persons who are mentally ill, but also the working poor.

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Boone and the High Country are filled with the working poor,” said Brown.

“Folks who are working full-time, maybe multiple jobs, but still having to make some difficult decisions about eating and/or heating their homes or getting clothes for their children to wear to school.

“Hunger is not one thing. It includes Real. Good. Food. a range of people Want to try your favorite F.A.R.M. Café recipes at and situations. It home and still make an impact? Get a copy of may be a temporary situation, or it Renee’s cookbook for $20! Order on Amazon may be long term. or pick up a copy in the restaurant.

What we see as our mission is to not only feed those folks, but in effect to give a face to those folks. Everybody deserves a good meal. Everybody deserves to be fed. Everybody deserves to have that in a place of dignity and respect.”

The café also serves a large population of college students who are eager to work in exchange for a meal.

“There’s been a recent study that shows that 25 percent of college students are food insecure, which is something we don’t think about. We think of the students at ASU as being relatively wealthy, and many of them are, but many of them are also on a very, very fixed income and taking out ridiculously large loans for their education,” Brown explained. “Therefore, when they have to choose between eating healthy or buying books, eating healthy is often sacrificed.

“We see a jump in students at the end of each month who need to volunteer in exchange for a meal because they’ve run out of their financial aid funding. We see that during the semester increase because they’ve been on very tight budget. That’s been a revelation in many respects.”

No paperwork or proof of need is required, and the honor system provides an environment of trust that seems to work well in Boone.

“A lot of people thought that people would take advantage of the café. That’s not to say that nobody takes advantage, but it’s less than one percent in our experience. We don’t see those people come back,” said Brown. “If people come and get a free meal and work in exchange for a meal, they understand this place and how it operates and they will keep coming back because they want to be a part of it. They want to be part of something that’s helpful to them, but they also want to be helpful.

“Most people are good people, whether they’re poor, hungry, wealthy or whatever. Most people are good people who want to help others out if given the opportunity, and that’s what we see. It’s cool.”

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Coming Together

The food is great and the mission commendable, but there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about F.A.R.M. Café that truly inspires magic.

“It works very well in feeding people who are in need and are food insecure, but it’s not just about getting food to people. It’s about connecting them and including everybody in community, which is why I’m passionate about it,” said Brown. “If it were just a soup kitchen with people who are of means giving to people of less means … well, that’s all well and good, and it’s needed. We need those places, but what this place is about is that the ‘means’ and the ‘less means’ don’t really describe who’s here.

“Who’s here are people, and the rest doesn’t matter. Because of that structure and the model, everybody is welcome and included and everybody has dignity.”

The concept of working in exchange for meal gives confidence to patrons who would otherwise not be able to afford dining out, at the same time effectively turning the tables on what people expect from traditional food service agencies.

“When you come in as a customer, you may be served by somebody who’s working in exchange for their meal,” said Brown. “It’s the person of less means serving the person of means, which kind of flips everything that you’re used to in service agencies around a little bit. That way, everybody is included and everybody’s on the same level as far as we’re concerned.”

F.A.R.M. Café also makes an effort to feed people outside of The former Boone Drug location on King Street has made a perfect home for F.A.R.M. Cafe, giving locals a convenient spot to grab a bite to eat and make a difference while they're at it.

Buy Boone Lunch

F.A.R.M. Cafe's downtown Boone location still features some of the great things we all knew and loved about the old Boone Drug storefront, like shared lunch counter space and this vibrant vintage wallpaper. the downtown Boone area by sharing’s food and resources with other local nonprofits, including the Children’s Council, Western Watauga Food Outreach, RISE (formerly Circles of the High Country) and local senior centers.

The café serves 85-90 meals per day on average, with 15 or more of those folks working in exchange for a meal or eating for less. Although some small private tables are available, the majority of diners choose to mingle and make new friends at community tables and the shared lunch counters that have been staples in town since the days of Boone Drug.

“It really is a very fluid space for people coming and going, and it’s a nice mix of the community, which we intended it to be,” said Brown.

Kyle Moss, resource coordinator for the Hunger and Health Coalition in Boone, said that togetherness, like what’s fostered at F.A.R.M. Café, is key to building a better community.

“Everyone’s background is different,” he said. “Our county has a good variation of families and individuals with different socioeconomic backgrounds, and there is often a stigma when it comes to differentiating between ‘us’ and ‘them’ in terms of poverty and hunger.

“I think F.A.R.M. Café is doing, has done in the past and seems to continue to be doing a great job of breaking down that barrier. You get people who are very wealthy, people who are students and people who are food insecure eating right there together in the same restaurant. Everyone’s eating the same food and it levels out the playing field a lot.”

F.A.R.M. Café literally allows members of the community to invest in the health, wellbeing and future of their friends and neighbors. It’s a novel concept, and something beautiful happens when it’s at work.

“It includes persons who are food insecure, persons who are mentally ill, persons who are transient, as well as persons who are millionaires, fully employed, retired, students, faculty, staff from the university, folks from downtown,” said Brown. “Because it includes and welcomes everyone regardless of means, all of those people have the opportunity to connect and share a meal.

“Really, we set the table. We make the food, we put it out there and then community happens, which is what I like to say. We don’t force what happens here, we just create the space for it, and it’s really very cool.” t

Corporate and business sponsorships play an important role in keeping F.A.R.M. Café going, and the restaurant invites new relationships with the business community as it gears up to move into 2017. If you’re interested in getting your business involved, here’s an idea to toss around.

Would you like to “Buy Boone Lunch?” This new initiative is in the works at F.A.R.M. Café and would allow local companies or groups to make a donation of $500-$700, approximately what the café needs to bring in each day to cover the costs of the food it gives away. “Buy Boone Lunch” donations would effectively double the contributions of one business day, ensuring that 100 percent of proceeds from that day’s patrons would support F.A.R.M. Café’s mission. The café staff is also open to incorporating other ideas for promoting corporate sponsors who choose to fulfill this sponsorship.

Want to be the first local business to “Buy Boone Lunch?” Stop by the café or give them a call at 828-386-1000 and start sharing your ideas with the F.A.R.M. Café team.

Pay What You Can The pay-what-you-can business model ensures that the restaurant really can “Feed All Regardless of Means.” Patrons enjoy two plate sizes: a small plate for a suggested donation of $7 or a large plate for a suggested donation of $10. If you plan to eat at F.A.R.M. Café, here are your options: • Pay the suggested donation for your plate and proceeds from your meal will help cover the café’s expenses.

• Pay more than the suggested donation for your plate and your contribution will help buy a meal for someone in need.

• Pay what you can, even if it’s not the full suggested donation, and you’re still a part of the F.A.R.M. Café family.

• Volunteer for an hour in exchange for your meal.

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ast year, local resident Susie Long, a frequent flier at the cafĂŠ, shared information about the restaurant and its concept online with her out-of-state relatives. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One day, I shared an article on F.A.R.M. CafĂŠ on my Facebook,â&#x20AC;? she explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Immediately, my family started saying, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh, I love that.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Oh, I want to come help F.A.R.M. CafĂŠ.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

Inspired by what they have been hearing since then, the clan pulled together two months ago and planned a special trip to Boone. Longâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cousin, Steve Pariso from Boca Raton, Florida, organized the trip and planned for the group to volunteer at the cafĂŠ on Friday, Sept. 9. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Steven decided to get friends and family together.

He and his family and a couple other people flew in last night,â&#x20AC;? said Long. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Others drove in from Nashville, Flat Rock â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from all over the place â&#x20AC;&#x201D; just to volunteer here today at F.A.R.M. CafĂŠ.â&#x20AC;?

Other members of the volunteer group included Noyes Capehart, Connie McSwain, Ron Rogers, Daniel Connor Brock, Barbara Bakich, Steve Bakich, Trevor Bakich, Tiffany Bakich, Rachel Durchslag and Vanessa Costillo, as well as Parisoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, Shauna, and their to children. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a wonderful thing that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing here and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bringing folks from all different backgrounds together,â&#x20AC;? said McSwain, who traveled from Flat Rock, North Carolina. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our hope is that folks will see that we came to volunteer and that others will want to do the same, just to give back to the community.â&#x20AC;?

The group of 15 spent the day preparing for and serving the restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customers, then sat down for lunch after several hours in the kitchen. Following their work, the family had a surprise for the cafĂŠ and its executive chef, Renee Boughman.

As the crowd gathered around Boughman and the Rev. Tommy Brown, F.A.R.M. CafĂŠâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volunteer coordinator, Pariso shared about what motivated the family to be there: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know that 22 percent of this countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residents live at or below poverty. We know that 35 percent of those below the poverty line donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t qualify for government assistance, and that one in six people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where their next meal is coming from. One in four kids donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to get dinner tonight or tomorrow. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re su-

Five-year-old twins Andrew and Sophia Pariso donate their piggy banks to F.A.R.M. CafĂŠ.

:The F.A.R.M. Café family, which includes some regular customers, is pictured with volunteers who traveled from out-of-state to spend the day working there. per honored to be here with you guys — incredibly. We were so excited when we heard about you and we’ve been watching you. We all came from Tennessee, Alabama, from Florida and from right here in North Carolina.”

Pariso’s five-year-old twins, Andrew and Sophia, brought their piggy banks along and donated their savings to the café.

“I want to give them money so everyone can have healthy meals. Everyone in the world, actually,” Andrew said. “Meals are a lot more important than buying toys.”

Soon after, Pariso handed a card to Boughman with another special gift: a $30,000 donation to F.A.R.M. Café.

“You have no idea how much that means to us and how many people this will feed and how many people this will take care of,” Boughman said. “This is absolutely amazing.”

The Parisos and company have also decided to contribute to the café’s renovation project by sponsoring 15 chairs, as well as eight tables in honor or memory of the following family members: • L.B. “Dick” and Inez Connor • Bud McSwain • Nannette Tribble & Zelma Bakich • Robert B Mayer & Robert N Mayer • Jack Pariso • Carl “Marvin” and Delores Connor • Stephen A Vineberg • Ken Zacharias

“It’s rare for me to say this, but I’m kind of speechless,” Boughman responded. “I just want y’all to know, this means so much to the café and to our community. You have no idea … that amount of money, the support, just having you here is phenomenal.”

Long and her family members hope that their story will encourage groups, organizations and families in the High Country and beyond to spend some time lending a hand at F.A.R.M. Café.

“If your family comes up to visit the mountains and they want to know what you’re going to do, just put this on your itinerary,” she said.

“Every family and all their friends can make a difference, not only with money, but with time and commitment.

“There are people who just can’t afford to eat.

It’s very important that we all look at everybody as our friends and acquaintances and not make any difference between those who pay and those who can’t, and that’s the whole concept.”

The donated funds will be transferred to the café through a private charitable fund based in Florida that’s dedicated to improving lives of people in various communities.

“I have to tell everyone who has a group or organization, we have had the greatest time and you need to come out here,” Pariso said.

“The food is delicious and the people are fantastic. Just pick up your phone and call Rev. Tommy. It’s fantastic volunteering and we’ve had the greatest time ever.” t

Steve Pariso presents Executive Chef Renee Boughman with a $30,000 donation from a private charitable foundation in Florida October / November 2016

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Animal Ambassador Zulani - Southern Flying Squirrel

May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Lees-McRae STORY By Alison Azbell | PHOTOGRAPHY BY Faisuly Scheurer 54

High Country Magazine

October / November 2016

A $400,000 donation from Dan and Dianne May led to this beautiful new facility, which was opened in 2012 and named in their honor. The 2,500 square foot building is fully equipped with a kitchen, a laundry facility and a classroom.

H

ave you ever found an injured animal in the wild? If so, do you know the proper procedures for rehabilitation in order to ensure the animal is released back into its natural habitat? Here in the High Country, there’s a group of people at Lees-McRae College who handle these situations every day, all year long.

Nestled adjacent to the Elk River on the Lees-McRae campus in Banner Elk is the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, where over 1,400 injured wild animals from the western North Carolina region are treated annually.

These animals range from songbirds, raptors, waterfowl, reptiles and amphibians to small mammals.

Dedicated to preserving natural habitats through environmental education and wildlife rehabilitation, the center’s goals are to rehabilitate and release wildlife patients in need, as well as to educate the public regarding the value of wildlife in our ecosystem.

When a local resident finds an injured animal and brings it to May Center, where a team of students and professionals will assess the animal’s ability to be rehabilitated and, if the time comes, release it back into its natural habitat.

About The Center

The center was first established in 1995 in the Jonas Ridge community and was first known as the Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute. Growth in Lees-McRae’s wildlife biology and wildlife rehabilitation programs, as well as the center’s need for a larger facility, led to its partner-

Captain is a Red-tailed Hawk who was admitted to the program five years ago. Because he is blind in his left eye, Captain cannot be released back into the wild. He enjoys life as an animal ambassador at the May Center and helps spread the word about the program in the High Country.

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“We believe helping another living creature brings out the finest aspects of humanity. When you can share that with the community, it's a wonderful thing.”

– Director Nina Fischesser ship with the college in 2003.

In 2012, the college reopened the nonprofit center in a brand new facility following a $400,000 donation from Daniel and Dianne May through the Edwin and Jeanette May Foundation. The new 2,500 square foot facility, which was Lees-McRae’s first new construction project on campus since 2005, was opened that summer and renamed the Dan and Dianne May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

In order to best serve the staff, the students and the animals, the new building is fully equipped with a kitchen, a laundry facility and a classroom.

The center caters to some patients who are orphans and have lost a parent or left the nest too soon, the college’s website explains.

Others have suffered more severe injuries and may require complex medical, surgical and rehabilitative care. Individualized treatment plans are determined for each animal that finds its way to the center.

The center is licensed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission, therefore requiring it to follow state and federal regulations and guidelines for animal care and education set forth by TOP: Student Chelsey Peeler and program director Nina Fischesser are pictured with Zun, a Southern flying squirrel.

MIDDLE: Nora Arnold, a wildlife rehabilitation student, feeds Chimney Swifts, small, nimble birds with slender bodies and long, narrow, curved wings.

BOTTOM: Dr. Amber McNamara, the program’s resident veterinarian, prepares a Virginia Opossum for an acupuncture procedure, through which she says the critter has shown much improvement.

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Eastern Box Turtle Seymore

agencies like the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council.

Learning Laboratory

As the only program of its kind in the country, the May Center also serves as a learning laboratory for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in wildlife rehabilitation.

Through hands-on experience in the medical treatment of wild animals and innovative techniques for rehabilitation, these students work to complete rigorous training in the lab. Additionally, they work to teach the greater community about the value of proper care for local wildlife.

Under the guidance of Director Nina Fischesser and veterinarian Dr. Amber McNamara, LMC students in these programs have opportunities to experience phone triage, initial patient assessment, medical calculation and administration, appropriate diet preparation, habitat management, wound care, anesthesia,

eastern indigo snake "ziggie" Cloudfeather is a non-releasable leucistic (partly albino) Red-tailed Hawk. After surviving being hit by a car and a gunshot wound 18 years ago, Cloudfeather became an animal ambassador and has called the May Center home ever since.

“I feel that their rightful place, when they are well enough, is back in their wild habitats; therefore, I try to not get attached.

However, you are in a profession that demands tremendous compassion for patients in your care, it is difficult to not have some cases tug at your heartstrings.”

– Dr. Amber McNamara, DVM

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Student Nora Arnold is pictured in the May Center’s classroom with one-eyed Jack, who is blind in his left eye.

What Do I Do With an Animal in Need?

If you have found an injured or orphaned animal, call the center at 828-898-2568 and make plans to deliver the animal or make arrangements with wildlife rehabilitation staff. If you’re too far to drive to Lees-McRae, call anyway and the staff will help connect you with someone in your area who can help.

physical therapy, surgical assistance and more.

Many students participate in trips through the center to visit New Zealand, one of the top countries in the world known for wildlife conservation. These trips allow participants to visit various rehab centers and zoos, adding greater depth to the program at LMC. “It’s not just about the animals here in our country,” Fischesser said. “So much is going on in our world, so it expands a student’s world to go outside and see animals in another country. The trip has the ability to enrich their whole life experience.”

Upon completion of their degrees, many students pursue careers in zoology, pursue veterinary medicine, work in other rehab centers or fight animal cruelty.

The Wildlife Rehab Process

Here are some quick tips you’ll need to remember: • Use caution • Cover the animal with gloves and a towel • Keep the animal in a warm, quiet, dark place and refrain from offering it food or water 58

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The rehabilitation process starts when an animal arrives at the center, which begins what Fischesser calls the “detective work” to determine what happened and how best to administer medicine and treatment.

The center’s busiest time for rehabilitation happens in the summer seasons. Many of the animals it receives come from the Asheville area, where the combination of a large metropolitan area and natural habitats lead many people to come across animals.

The ultimate goal for each patient is always to release it back into his or her natural environment. To achieve that, strict rehabilitation protocol must be followed.

The process begins with a physical examination in the center’s emergency room, which requires three people: one person to restrain the animal, one to complete the examination and one to document the findings and gather needed medical materials. The

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Leatherwood Mountains Resort This Barred Owl is being conditioned for release back into the wild in the center’s 60-foot flight aviary.

“The rehabilitation process involves providing care to individuals that may not receive care elsewhere. “It means giving of yourself to provide a service to individuals in need, whether a baby mouse, majestic Bald Eagle, or anything or anyone in between.”

– Amber McNamara, DMV

This orphaned Eastern Gray Squirrel is currently under the care of the May Center.

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Pictured climbing the walls of its indoor cage, this orphaned Eastern Gray Squirrel is well on its way to being re-released into the wild. It will soon be relocated to an outdoor prerelease cage, which will be filled with logs, leaves and nest boxes perfect for hiding. examination process is often completed in stages for animals who are physically and mentally compromised in order to provide moments of respite from human contact.

Following the ER exam, animals are typically kept in solitary for the next 24 hours in quiet, appropriately sized space and rooms categorized by species.

The center’s most frequent flyer is the American Robin, of which it treats more than 100 per year. With 50-100 patients annually, the second most common patient is the Chimney Swift.

The timeframe for a complete rehab process varies as much as the species treated at the May Center, and can take anywhere from days to weeks or months.

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providing care to individuals that may not receive care elsewhere,” said McNamara.

“It means giving of yourself to provide a service to individuals in need, whether a baby mouse, majestic Bald Eagle, or anything or anyone in between.”

Wildlife rehab gives injured or orphaned animals, many of which arrive due to human intervention, a second chance at life. While students and staff are often up close and personal with patients for hours at a time, McNamara says it’s important to give each animal his or her own space and try not to get too attached.

“I try to give each animal the privacy they need, regardless of species. I feel that their rightful place, when they are well enough, is back in their wild habitats; therefore, I try to not get attached,” she

Amber McNamara, DVM Dr. Amber McNamara is the resident veterinarian at Lees-McRaeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. She found her way there after working in a wildlife teaching hospital for more than eight years.

McNamara, who has always enjoyed teaching, said this job is the perfect fit for her because sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s able to both share important rehabilitative techniques in the classroom and demonstrate those concepts when animals are in need.

As the collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assistant professor of biology, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a unique position to serve the wildlife rehab program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I relish the opportunity to see a student utilize techniques he or she has learned in the classroom to directly improve the life of a patient in need,â&#x20AC;? said McNamara. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anatomy, medications, handling or other facets of wildlife medicine, they have the chance to put their compassion and knowledge to use and truly make a difference.â&#x20AC;?

Like most veterinarians, McNamara developed a fondness for animals as a child. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until her college years, however, that she realized how science, medicine and kindness could combine in such an extraordinary way. Wildlife medicine has provided a perfect avenue for her to make an impact on the world around her.

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Animal Ambassadors Captain: After surviving being hit by a car, Captain, a Red-tailed Hawk, educates thousands of people about the importance of birds who keep rodent populations in check

Kameko: Kameko is a milk snake, which plays a very important role in its ecosystem. Although the milk snake is harmless, it is often mistaken for the venomous Copperhead.

Seymore: Seymore is an Eastern Box Turtle and was admitted to the program 15 years ago. Ever since, he has been a permanent resident of the program.

Zulani: Meet Zulani, a Southern Flying Squirrel. As an animal ambassador, Zulani helps the Lees-McRae team share the importance of wildlife rehabilitation and conservation with the community.

Ziggie: Ziggie, an Eastern Indigo Snake, is also an animal ambassador. Ziggie is often used to help educate the public and is listed as a federally threatened species.

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Tripod: Tripod, also a permanent member of the May Center family, is an Eastern Box Turtle. Without a missing back leg, Tripod cannot bury eggs and is therefore non-releasable.

said. “However, when you are in a profession that demands tremendous compassion for patients in your care, it is difficult to not have some cases tug at your heartstrings.”

Although Fischesser and her team love and care about the animals under their care, they also go to great lengths to remain detached from them in order to minimize stress on the animals.

“We cover cages throughout the center so wildlife don’t have to see humans all the time, we keep as quiet as possible and handle only when necessary,” she said. “However, with the non-releasable wildlife who serve as ambassadors for their species, we actively build trusting relationships so that they can exist in our world as comfortably as possible.”

Some animals that cannot be released into the wild and handle captivity well become animal ambassadors for the center, and are used for educational purposes and community presentations. Each of these animals has a unique story to tell the world, and the folks at the center make sure their lives are as comfortable as possible, both physically and mentally. Ambassador animals are provided proper caging, nutritional food and vitamins, periodic veterinary checkups and companions of their own kind when possible.

Some ambassador species who cur-

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May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center The center was named for Dan and Dianne May, who funded the newest facility through a $400,000 contribution from the Edwin and Jeanette May Foundation. The center’s namesake couple also funded the construction of Lees-McRae’s nursing school.

Donors John and Ann Tickle supported the building of the center’s onsite classroom and extra animal flight cages on the rehabilitation center grounds.

The center offers tours and educational programs for area schools and the general public. It’s open for tours at 1 p.m. on Saturdays during the academic year (August through May). Between Memorial Day and mid August, it’s also open for tours and presentations at 1 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays.

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As a youngster, Thunder fell from his nest and suffered permanent brain damage nearly four years ago. He is one of a famous White Squirrel population from Brevard, North Carolina and is now an animal ambassador at the May Center.

rently call the center home are Red-tailed Hawks, Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Corn Snakes, Southern Flying Squirrels and an array of owls including Eastern Screech Owls, Barred Owls and high elevation Northern Saw-Whet Owls.

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Because most people are not sure how to help wild animals in need, the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center plays an important role in the High Country community. In fact, most animals found in the wild that are in need of rehabilitation are in danger as a result of some form of human intervention.

The center aims to provide western North Carolina residents with an option for rescuing injured or orphaned wildlife they may come across, effectively engaging the public and the college in the practice of protecting local wildlife and restoring their place in the wild.

“We believe helping another living creature brings out the finest aspects of humanity,” Fischesser said. “When you can share that with the community, it’s a wonderful thing.”

The nonprofit center relies heavily on the contributions from outside donors to fund costly medicines, surgeries and veterinary services. Fischesser extends gratitude toward the organizations that support it, like the High Country Grant Foundation and The Park Foundation, as well as individual donors like the May family, the center’s namesake.

Charitable donations are put to work immediately for the treatment and care of injured wildlife brought to the center, as well as to facilitate the education and training of students committed to upholding its mission.

To support or learn more, visit www. lmc.edu/wildlifecenter or call the college at 828-898-5241.

The May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is operates year-round and is open 365 days a year for receiving injured or orphaned animals. The center is located at 367 Mill Pond Road in Banner Elk on the campus of Lees-McRae College. t

Nina Fischesser, Director Before her program found itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home at Lees-McRae, she ran the operation from her home and often invited LMC students to complete internships by her side. Those collaborations eventually led to the inception of the wildlife center in Banner Elk. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I knew that type of exposure would get better support for animal care and education about the importance of wildlife rehabilitation and conservation,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The professors at LMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s math and science department, Drs. Gene Spears and Stewart Skeate, were happy with what their students were learning in the internships and wanted to explore the possibility of bringing the program over to the college. The rest is history.â&#x20AC;?

As an animal lover and wildlife rehabilitation professional, Fischesser shares her wealth of knowledge in her field with students and the public every day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My background in the teaching field was with the North Carolina Outward Bound School, which believes there is much more power in a group to achieve the seemingly impossible tasks fo either climbing a mountain or, in our case, getting a terribly suffering injured animal to a place of release,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we consider all the tasks involved from admitting the animal, cleaning cages, preparing food, completing surgeries and treatments and so on, my role is just another cog in a very complex wheel.â&#x20AC;?

Program director Nina Fischesser is pictured Although she wears many hats around the May Center, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe to say that with Cloudfeather, a Red-tailed Hawk who has Nina Fischesser loves what she does for a living. served as an animal ambassador at the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rehabilitation for wildlife means many things to me. It starts with compasMay Center for the past 18 years. sion on behalf of another living being, by someone who finds the animal, which I believe brings out the finest aspects of humanity,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The rehab process can man many different things: each patient brings a new learning experience for the students and myself, both intellectually and emotionally. The release can be the reward for the finder to take it full circle to put the animal back where it was found, thus taking the animal â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;back home,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; or the highlight of the student experience after working hard to rehabilitate the animal.â&#x20AC;?

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Picture Perfect

Story by Linda Kramer Photography by Kevin Meechan 66

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The main upstairs living room is accented with a Tim Turner oil and a long-range view opened up with expansive glass windows.

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R

The owners wanted an over-sized long table in the dining room to accommodate multiple guests and happy dinner parties. Grassroots supplied just the right table and chairs, looked down on by a dramatic and rustic antler chandelier and local pottery.

etired businessman, Frank Brenner and his wife Nancy, who live in Greensboro, North Carolina, wanted a comfortable vacation home in the mountains where they could enjoy retirement and entertain a large entourage of friends.

In 2013, they found what they were looking for on a steep slope at the top of the mountain, (The Summit), at Linville Ridge, a private golf course community in Linville, NC conveniently located to the nearby shopping of Blowing Rock, Boone and Banner Elk. The impressive and lavish luxury estate home was begging to be used by a crowd and the owners were happy to accommodate.

Over-looking the Linville Ridge golf course and clubhouse, at a breath-taking elevation of 5,900, the massive 8,800 square foot, five bedroom, 7 bath home captures a stunning long-range view of Grandfather Mountain. The home is fun, funky and happy, eclectic in nature while still retaining some traditional mountain accents to add a rustic feel. The interiors center around a lovingly collected regional North Carolina art collection that is worthy of a small museum.

Frank and Nancy Brenner, being avid art collectors, love lots of color. They enlisted the help of Pam McKay, ASID, of Dianne Davant & Associates in Banner Elk to help with the design details. In the past Pam had worked with other members of the Brenner family, so she came to the owners well recommended and was given carte blanche in designing the interiors and making art selections.

The Brenner’s knew that Pam could work in any style and that she could push

“It was wonderful working hand-inhand with Pam because she was able to instinctively pull things together in a way that we loved.”

Traditional kitchen with rich cherry cabinets.

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– Nancy Brenner

the envelope when necessary. That’s just what they were looking for. Nancy says, “It was wonderful working hand-in-hand with Pam because she was able to instinctively pull things together in a way that we loved. It was a pleasure to work with her and she deserves all the credit for the finished product. We couldn’t have done it without her sense of style and knowledge of art.”

In the beginning, the home was a blank palette. As the second owners, the Brenner’s, while putting their own imprint on the home, also chose to retain some of the more formal and ornate elements left from the previous owner including the iron detail on the interior railings and some formal chandeliers. The mix was a perfect fit and contributed to the diverse and eclectic feel. Pam says, “Working on this house was a dream come true. It allowed me to combine my greatest loves, color and art and create a statement that shows them both off. Working with the Brenner’s and knowing their love of art was a thrill for me as an art lover myself.

Being given the freedom to fill the space with graphic elements was the icing on the cake and made the project a labor of love for me.”

The impressive square footage of the home spoke volumes and made the design job easier. The large-scale spaces provided a visual backdrop and totally functioning environment while at the same time all the elements were allowed to breathe. The overall effect was a combination of The art, for the most part, is representational of regional North Carolina artists and is an integral part of house. Pam is also the owner of the Art Cellar Gallery in Banner Elk, a local art gallery and was a major resource for the art that was carefully selected to compliment the sophisticated and comfortable interiors and blend well with the Brenner’s existing art.

With her daredevil approach to color, which is bold and uninhibited, Pam began putting together a home that was not just a showcase for art but was all about color. Each space repeats a parade of happy hues...aqua, lime, orange and red. The vibrancy of the color mix is ingenious and can be seen reflected in the corresponding art, making a statement that demands to be heard. Even though the Brenner’s art collection has a great span and depth, Pam was able to come up with some unexpected surprises.

But the joy of the home is not limited to the art. Frank says, “I spend a lot of

Outside decking overlooks a dramatic view of Grandfather Mountain.

One of the five bedrooms of the 8,800 square foot home October / November 2016

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Filling our house with friends and family is important to Nancy and me and keeps us centered and focused on what’s important in life.

– Frank Brenner

time on the golf course, which was one of the attractions of the location; and we love the amenities of the Linville clubhouse and restaurant and the pool and tennis facilities; but my favorite thing about the house is that it makes me smile. I love sitting on the porch and looking out at the views. It takes my breath away and reminds me that this house is comfortable and peaceful, not complex. Filling it with friends and family is important to Nancy and I and keeps us centered and focused on what’s important in life. It’s a luxury to be able to get away in just a two hour drive from Greensboro to a totally different ambiance.”

When people go to the mountains of North Carolina they establish their own personal relationship with the environment.

The Brenner’s found theirs on the decks of their Linville home overlooking Grandfather Mountain. This home has it all. When you combine personality, attitude, graphically strong art, sophisticated taste, bold color and a medley of fabrics that bring pattern to the rooms in a whimsical but practical manner, you have a picture perfect house.

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Master bedroom shows a rustic touch with twig bed and patterned linens that give depth of color and texture to the room.

An oil landscape by Terry Carson watches from above and shares the space with ornate, formal chandelier from first owners.

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There is no denying that poverty and hunger exist in Avery County, even debilitating levels of both. Often, however, unless you look closely, these issues are hidden behind the mountains and down in the hollows across the mountains of North Carolina.

Making A Difference Down The Roadways of Avery County 74

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The High Country Charitable Foundation and Its Work in Avery County

W

By Jim Swinkola and Alison Azbell

hat’s more important — paying rent or buy- in rural communities in the Appalachian Mountains means our ing groceries? What’s more important — put- jobs are not stable, our rent is more expensive, driving to and from work costs more, public transportation is not available and ting gas in the car to get to work or making we don’t have access to buying the things we need at affordable a payment on your health insurance plan? What’s more prices.

Add to that the fact that we’re living in the wake of a sufimportant — paying the electricity bill or buying school fering economy and working clothes for the kids? in industries that depend on For some of us, these tourism, and the hypothetical “We realized that there was questions about what matters are no-brainers. a lot of need, and we knew “Easy. They’re all necessary, so I will pay them all.”

For many of us, the reality of prioritizing our expenses is a lot more challenging than that. Living paycheck-to-paycheck means we have to make tough decisions, because working 40, 50, 60 hours a week still doesn’t make ends meet.

For many of us, living

High Country Charitable Foundation

that we wanted to give back to the community and help with some of those needs.

And I was soon surrounded by like-minded Elk River residents with the courage to start the High Country Charitable Foundation.”

Foundation Founder and Chairman

Jim Ward October / November 2016

most take a backseat to harsh reality. We’re working hard for our families, but expenses continue piling up until what was once black and white on paper fades into a veritable sea of gray area.

In Avery County alone, nearly 20 percent of approximately 17,700 residents live below the poverty line. More than 700 local families lie

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Part of the High Country Charitable winning team (from left to right): Malcolm Sina, Sharon Sina, Del Williamson, Barbara Smith, Stan Kirschner, Sandy Moss and Jim Ward.

Food trucks are all the rage in the restaurant and dining world these days, and HCCF Chairman Jim Ward found a way to bring that fun outdoor food environment to Elk River Club in a way that could help the foundation, too. Ward covers expenses for the weekly food truck visit at the stables at Elk River’s Saddle Club, which sits on 40 acres of fenced pasture and paddock at the heart of the club’s community. Club members join him Monday evenings each week to grab a bite to eat and learn more about the High Country Charitable Foundation, often making financial contributions to the organization while they’re there.

HCCF Board Members

Florio Abbate Barry Blake John Brabson Sherry Cooke Jack Erdody Harold Fenner James Ferguson Stan Kirschner Gayle McCalister 76

Phil Myers Sandra Moss Barbara Smith John C.B. Smith Janey Sterchi David Wallace James J. Ward, III Delbert Williamson

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October / November 2016

Core Values of HCCF In addition to minimizing its own expenses, the High Country Charitable foundation has expressed the following as its three core values and primary objectives: 1. Community Involvement: to raise funds, along with donating time and talent to meet the critical needs of our neighbors and animals in need.

2. Excellence: to operate with integrity and transparency; to strive to generate the biggest impact for our community.

3. Value: to provide value to our contributors by distributing every dollar we collect to local agencies serving the needy; to provide value to the communities by maximizing our financial and volunteer resources.

within 40-75 percent of the county’s median income, which was less than $40,000 per household and less than $22,000 per capita according to the latest census reports, qualifying them to purchase a Habitat for Humanity home.

Of residents under the age of 65, 20 percent are without health insurance coverage.

Of the more than 2,200 students enrolled in Avery County Schools, more than 60 percent qualify to receive free or reduced lunches, and at least 200 of those have little to eat at home on days when school is not in session.

With stats like that, there’s no denying that poverty and hunger exist in Avery County, even debilitating levels of both.

Often, however, unless you look closely, these issues are hidden behind the mountains and down in the hollow.

Although not all challenges stemming from poverty can be solved with money, a growing number of members in Banner Elk’s prestigious Elk River Club have seen many of these issues at work firsthand in the community and have decided to use their financial resources to “take the edge off ” of these needs in the High Country.

“We realized that there was a lot of need, and we knew that we wanted to give back to the community and help with some of those needs. We are commanded

by Scripture to feed the poor and help people in need,” said Jim Ward, one such resident of Elk River Club. “As I talked to neighbors and friends in the community, the need to ‘do something’ grew and I prayed for a solution. My prayers were answered and I was soon surrounded by like-minded Elk River residents with the courage to start the High Country Charitable Foundation.”

As the needs of the less fortunate have become more apparent to its membership, the HCCF continues its work to combat the issues impacting local families and invest in future generations of Avery County citizens.

The Foundation The HCCF is a recent addition to the vast network of charitable foundations in the mountains of western North Carolina, which facilitate fundraising for charitable purposes and later determine how best to allocate the funding.

In many of these organizations, the HCCF included, board members often wear many hats as administrators, as well as high-level contributors who provide a large percentage of the funding themselves.

Jim Ward talks up the High Country Chairitable Foundation during one of their weekly fundraiser events that brings in a foodtruck every week to the stable grounds at Elk River.

Home to one of North Carolina’s top ten golf courses, Elk River Club is a private, pristine, member-owned equity club that’s nestled along the Elk River in the mountain getaway town of Banner Elk. Many of its residents are second homeowners with strong philanthropic connections to their home cities, which often lead them on a natural path toward giving in the High Country just as they do in their own outof-town or out-of-state communities.

“Elk River Club members over the years have shown a unique passion for charitable giving to help meet the needs of Avery County,” said foundation supporter George Koehn. “We had long talked about establishing our own foundation, directly overseen and administered by Elk River Club members to ensure maximum benefit is provided to chosen agencies and chari-

Foundation Founder and Chairman

October / November 2016

Jim Ward

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Avery High Key Club Enhanced Leadership Skills

I

n the heart of Avery County, adolescents are joining hands to make the community a better place. A charter organization of the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk, the Key Club numbers several dozen bright, active, high-achieving members. Some of the core goals of Key Club are leadership and service. Thousands of Key Club volunteer hours are spread across the county every year, supporting a wide variety of charitable projects and causes.

Each Key Club meeting opens with a pledge: “I pledge to build my home, my school and community; to serve my nation and God; and to combat all forces which tend to undermine these institutions.”

Over the last three years, female students have been elected to lead the club, and this elite group of leadership has fondly become known as “the gaggle of girls.”

Several community leaders recognize the excellence of this club. Avery County Schools Superintendent Dr. David Burleson said, “Our Key Club has been outstanding in their dedication to community and their performance of service activities.”

Avery County Sheriff Kevin Frye agreed.

“The Key Club is an exemplary organization with outstanding young men and women who go above and beyond to make our county better,” he said. “They show leadership and become role models to other young men and women, often taking the lead or being the driving force to make something happen in Avery County which otherwise would not be accomplished.”

For the last two years, the Avery High Key Club has been recognized as a Distinguished Diamond Club. The Carolinas District averages 250 Key Clubs in North and South Carolina, and only two clubs in the district received the coveted Distinguished Diamond recognition in 2016. Only 62 out of more than 5,000 clubs worldwide have received this award.

Whether volunteer or paid, charitable causes need strong leadership, and the HCCF believes that the more skilled the leadership, the more likely a charitable cause will achieve its objectives. Therefore, grants of $5,000 in both 2015 and 2016 were awarded to enhance leadership skills of members of the Key Club. A new focus in 2016 will teach how to use a “moral compass” when making leadership decisions.

Visit keyclub.org or kiwanis.org to learn more about the overarching international organizations and contact the high school at 828-733-0151 for information on this chapter.

“The Key Club is an exemplary organization with outstanding young men and women who go above and beyond to make our county better. They show leadership and become role models to other young men and women, often taking the lead or being the driving force to make something happen in Avery County which otherwise would not be accomplished.”

Avery County Sheriff Kevin Frye

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Maddi Daniels, President of the Avery High Key Club, addresses the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk

HCCF chairman Jim Ward stands with Avery High Key Club President Maddi Daniels.

Ellie Kitchin of the Avery High Key Club. Within the Carolinas District of Key Club she holds the office of Lieutenant Governor of Division 2.

MADE IN

A ppalachia HCCF board member Sandy Moss presented a grant check to John Cox of Feeding Avery Families. ties. The idea was doggedly pursued by Jim Ward, Hal Fenner and many others, and the foundation became a reality last year.”

Following its inception, the group pursued and achieved nonprofit status in order to accept tax-exempt donations. Members were soon able to create a mission and vision for the HCCF: to provide for needy Avery County residents and animals by supporting local public charities and other private foundations.

“When Jim Ward brought the idea of starting a charity to bring help to our county, it was jumped on by all those who heard about it. Quickly, a board was formed and plans were put in place to raise money to assist our neighbors in unfortunate situations,” said Phil Myers, who moved to Elk River Club with his wife in 1999. “Prior to forming the HCCF, many of our members contributed to fundraising efforts or solicitations by friends in and out of our club.

Our membership was ripe for an organized effort to help those in need in Avery County, and Jim’s idea flourished immediately.

“Many of the members are retired and were successful in their working lives, and who have been leaders in their communities from all over the United States. As such, they now have concern and love for their community at their new summer home location in the mountains. We feel good about helping others, as it is better to give than to receive. Sometimes, we just need a push from the

The Crossnore Weaving Room opened in the early 20th century to preserve the Appalachian art of hand weaving. Today we employ women and students to keep the art alive and provide beautiful wearables, table linens, and home decor across the United States.

Drop by for a visit on campus or check out our online store at:

www.crossnoreweavers.org Pictured here: Jerron Martin, student and Crossnore weaver, wearing a scarf handwoven in rayon chenille yarn.

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A team of volunteers packs boxes of food inside the Feeding Avery Families center in Newland. An estimated 600 boxes of free food items are distributed monthly to the hungry of Avery County.

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www.crossnoreschool.org

October / November 2016 EatShopExplore-3.5x10-HighCountry.indd 1

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9/9/2016 3:30:33 PM

Maralana

T

Joe and David

Krystal

Yellow Mountain Enterprises

his long-time Avery agency is a day vocational program that serves adults with developmental disabilities, providing work scaled to the unique abilities of each person. Social and recreational activities, which can be difficult for persons who cannot drive and live on small fixed incomes, also are provided.

Its enterprises include:

• Trophies and Tees: creates custom designed trophies, plaques and T-shirts using a laser engraver • Yellow Mountain Treasure Box: a bargain thrift store in downtown Newland that offers quality items at reasonable costs • Yellow Mountain Christmas Bows: used to decorate a Christmas tree, wreath or wrapped present for that special person • Yellow Mountain Mail Processing: will put together mass mailing projects at a minimal cost • Yellow Mountain Crafts: creates an assortment of items and is known for its Tin Man • Yellow Mountain Yard Service: can maintain yards by mowing, YME director David Tate (with hat) and Charlie raking and trimming Yellow Mountain Enterprises operates under the umbrella of Avery Association for Exceptional Citizens and a nonprofit organization. AAEC also operates the Avery County Group Home, an adult supervised living facility.

If Yellow Mountain did not exist for her, Krystal says, “I’d be at home playing video games.” Charlie said, “I would be home in bed” and Flo admitted, “I would be watching TV.” The High Country Charitable Foundation provided a matching grant that allowed Yellow Mountain to replace an old van, which has racked up 250,000 miles of drive time, with a new model.

Contact Yellow Mountain Enterprises by phone at 828-733-2944, by email at ymetrophies@ymail.com or by mail at P.O. Box 548, Newland, North Carolina 28657. Visit yellowmountainenterprises.org to learn more.

Photos by Jim Swinkola

Flora 80

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Mace October / November 2016

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Booneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Original Bagel Shop Since 1988 Serving Breakfast and Lunch All Day 14 Varieties of Freshly Baked Bagels Moving one of the 600 boxes of food distributed in September during the Feeding Avery Families "give away day" is volunteer Bobby Duke. right person or from the right direction to get the ball rolling.â&#x20AC;?

The Rev. Tee Gatewood of Arbor Dale Presbyterian Church sees a number of the foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s members in his congregation and sees their work firsthand. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People who are grateful for Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grace become generous. They give their time and the trust. They give their fun and their funds, and the neighbors are blessed,â&#x20AC;? Gatewood said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the unique ways that is happening in our midst is the High Country Charitable Foundation.â&#x20AC;?

From day one, board members have made it a priority to underwrite any expenses necessary to the foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work, ensuring that every penny possible goes to people in need. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All expenses are covered by board members, because people want to see that money is given back,â&#x20AC;? Ward explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Other organizations might raise a million dollars, but have to spend a large amount of money to do so. All of our costs are covered so everything goes right back into our chosen charities.â&#x20AC;?

As the new foundation began to take shape, members began a comprehensive process to better understand surrounding communities and to see firsthand what issues are plaguing the people of Avery County. Additionally, they began to study, interview and vet local agencies and organizations to determine where their financial contributions might be most effective and how to maximize their impact.

Their studies quickly led them to realize that, in addition to food and housing for children and families, opportunities in training, education and activities were

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C hristmas magic is found

on the farm, not in a parking lot.

Make the trek to the Boone & Blowing Rock area in Watauga County to hand pick your family Christmas tree. Many farms offer hayrides, farm animals, cookies and cocoa, and even Christmas Shops where wreaths and roping are also available. Visit the Choose and Cut Capital this season, and start your own family tradition.

To find a farm, visit: wataugachristmastrees.org or call 828.264.3061 October / November 2016

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Funding for the HCCF grants came from dinner dance fundraisers held at the stunning Elk River Clubhouse and yielded an impressive $155,000 in one night. Board members auctioned off personal items, such as a week’s stay in their own homes or trips on their private planes, and served as wait staff during the festivities. needed for special populations, which included developmentally disabled children and adults and abused women and children.

Members also learned of pressing needs in the area of improving lives for local animals and controlling their populations, quickly seeing that their funding could make a great impact at the Avery County Humane Society, which reports that 579 cats and dogs have been vaccinated, tested for illnesses, provided necessary treatment and adopted so far in 2016. The humane society’s low-cost spay and neuter program has also helped more than 600 pets so far this year.

To address specific issues and needs, they developed relationships with local leaders and various agencies, relying heavily on these new community partners to help make a difference in the best ways possible.

“The whole idea is to build charity,” said Ward. “We can’t cover the world, so we chose Avery County, because it’s ours. We live here and we should take care of it.”

Grant Funding In preparation for distributing its first cycle of grant funding, the budding High Country Charitable Foundation began its fundraising process with a better understanding of the challenges that many local families face throughout the year.

In addition to board member contributions, the group’s inaugural Dinner Dance was held at the stunning Elk River Clubhouse and yielded an impressive $155,000 in one night. Board members auctioned off personal items, such as a week’s stay in 82

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October / November 2016

their own homes or trips on their private planes, and served as wait staff during the festivities.

The Dinner Dance, now the foundation’s primary annual fundraising event, brings in nearly 70 percent of the total it distributes to the community.

Six organizations requested grants in the first application process, which brought to the foundation’s attention an array of services and programs that are known for their good works in the community. Nonprofits and charities were selected to receive funding based on their reputations and on their abilities to achieve objectives in meeting the needs of the people and animals of Avery County.

Among its first round of grant recipients were the Grandfather Home for Children, which boasts more than 100 years of history in serving local children, as well as the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Lees-McRae, the only learning laboratory and wildlife rehab program of its kind in the country.

Other recipients included Habitat for Humanity of Avery County, the Key Club of Avery High School, the Avery County Humane Society, Blue Ridge Partnership for Children, Casting Bread Food Pantry, Children’s Hope Alliance, Feeding Avery Families, Hospitality House, Hunger and Health Coalition, Mediation and Restorative Justice Center, OASIS, Volunteer Avery County, WAMY Community Action and Yellow Mountain Enterprises.

“People who could come and go into and out of these mountains and could keep what is theirs are giving,” said Gatewood.

“They are sharing. They are providing much needed funds for people with many needs. It has been fun to watch that at Arbor Dale.”

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Feeding Avery Families T

he foundation is also a strong advocate in hunger relief and supports the work of Feeding Avery Families. This all-volunteer Christian organization is located in Newland and provides some 600 boxes of food every month to the hungry people of Avery County. Staffed by 30-40 volunteers, boxes are packed with both canned and frozen foods and freely given to those in need.

“My four-year-old daughter would be so hungry that she would sit for hours crying and sucking her thumb,” shared Becca, a 28-year old mother of four. “Then we discovered Feeding Avery Families.”

Feeding Avery Families is dedicated to eliminating hunger by any means possible including monetary donations, food donations and community service.

Go online to Facebook.com/feedingavery for more information.

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Allen Clark, vice president of the Christian ministry Feeding Avery Families, sees the foundation’s contributions at work every day. Having been raised in a family of five children during the last four years of the Great Depression, Clark said his eyes were reopened to the need for food ministry when a young man at his church in Bristol, Virginia got involved in volunteering for a local soup kitchen.

“When we moved to Banner Elk, after our children were educated and out in the world, we became involved with feeding the hungry in Avery County. We found that there are many, many hungry children who go to school each day without breakfast,” he said. “There are also families who just do not have the money to buy food. Some of these people are hungry because of the lack of work in the county. Others are hungry due to advanced age and health problems.

“Feeding Avery Families was created to attempt to feed the people of Avery County who are in need of food on a continual basis. This service started by being able to give away 50 or 75 boxes of food each month. Today, we give between 550 and 600 boxes per month.”

Funding allocated by the HCCF allows Feeding Avery Families to reach even more people as the ministry, and the community’s need for it, grows.

“We have just found the right building

October / November 2016

John Cox is the Director of Feeding Avery Families. He's a "hand-on" volunteer as seen here moving a box of produce during the food distribution morning in Newland. that would enhance our growth greatly,” said Clark. “With God’s help and the generosity of our dear friends, we can begin a new era in Feeding Avery Families.”

By supporting programs like the Key Club at Avery County High School, the foundation is making a solid investment in the next generation of leadership in the High Country.

“When I first joined Key Club, I was a shy, introverted student who wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in the world; but Key Club has helped me become someone who can speak in front of thousands of people without fear and knows exactly what path I want to go down,” said 16-year-old Ashlin. “Wish me luck as a future leader of Samaritan’s Purse!”

Still in its infancy, the foundation carried its work into another fiscal year during the summer of 2016, during which 25 charities applied for grants and the second annual Dinner Dance at Elk River Club raised another $200,000 in August. This added funding, along with donations collected at the weekly food truck event on the Elk River stables, has permitted the board to support a number of additional causes in the High Country in its second grant cycle.

Each of the foundation’s 2015 grant recipients received additional monies in 2016, and new recipients have included

Avery County Special Olympics, the Crossnore School, Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, the Historic Banner Elk School, Mayland Community College, Parent to Parent Family Support Network, Reaching Avery Ministry, Williams YMCA of Avery County, The Hill Center and Western Youth Network.

“I would like to see other gated communities in Avery County get involved in the HCCF in order to meet even greater charitable needs in our community,” board member Hal Fenner said. “I have personally visited with each one of the charities requesting grants this year and I know the needs are greater than we could fund.”

As time presses on, they look Looking Ahead forward to more contributions that As the foundation builds on its new will support the longevity of the orrole in the High Country, its memberganization. ship looks forward to serving more “It’s hard to get this kind of Stan Kirschner (left) of the High Country Charitable and more local people every year. group organized because it’s a Foundation Foundation presented a grant award to “Our community is and will be major undertaking,” Ward said.

Jim Swinkola, appearing on behalf of the Kiwanis better off as we continue to raise “Simple things like getting statioClub of Banner Elk Foundation and the Avery funds for the support of the so many nery, making connections and all wonderful organizations already in that other stuff; but, I think there High Key Club. The award will support enhancing place, but which must have finanare other communities who want leadership skills for key club members. cial support to continue their good to give back but just don’t know works,” said Myers. “There is always how. Luckily, we are now strucmore need than resource, but watch the High Country Charitable tured enough to know the mechanisms of how things work.

Foundation grow from here — and it will.”

“We want to make sure that, long after we are gone, there is The foundation’s goals for the future include continuing to still money going towards these organizations. Yes, we want to meet immediate needs in Avery County, as well as to reserve fund- make a connection with other communities, but if we can make a ing for local emergencies. difference on a local level, then we are doing our part.”

Agencies interested in applying for grants are encouraged to This year, the HCCF was able to fund 20 of the 25 grant requests. In the future, members hope to inspire more second hom- contact the foundation for more details. Grant applications for eowners in the area to take a closer look at people in need and the the 2017 cycle will soon be made available online at highcountryfoundation.org. t agencies that serve them and find a way to make a difference.

October / November 2016

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ADV E R T I S E R S I N D E X Please patronize the advertisers in High Country Magazine, and when you purchase from them, please be sure to mention that you saw their ad in our pages. Thank them for their support of this publication by giving them yours! Without their support, this magazine would not be possible. To all of our advertisers, a most sincere thank you.

All Area Codes are 828 unless noted.

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Linville Falls Winery......................................... 765-1400........................... 61

Blue Ridge Propane.......................................... 733-3603........................... 71

Lodges at Eagle Nest........................................ 771-9343.... Inside Back Cover

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Mast General Store .....................................866-FOR-MAST....................... 11

Boone Drug.............................................www.boonedrug.com................... 52

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Piedmont Federal Bank..................................... 264-5244............................. 1

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Crossnore School............................................. 733-4305........................... 79

Red Onion Café................................................ 264-5470........................... 63

Dacchille Construction..................................... 964-5150........................... 45

Salem Windows & Doors................................. 356-7993........................... 85

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Grandview Restaurant....................................... 963-4374........................... 64

Watauga Habitat for Humanity.......................... 268-9696........................... 87

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High Country Homebuilders............................. 297-6566........................... 87

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Parting Shot...

The End of an Era on King Street F

By Jesse Wood

or nearly two decades, Officer Mike Foley was a fixture in downtown Boone, where he roamed the sidewalks and shops, keeping the peace and forming lifelong relationships with college students, locals, tourists and merchants.

Instantly recognizable, Foley’s presence helped the district maintain a Mayberrylike charm. In winter, he wore his Fargo cap, and during the summer, he donned a dark, wide-brimmed hat. But no matter the weather, he always clutched his coffee mug, likely telling a joke you might hesitate to repeat around the dinner table.

A few days before his last day on the force, which was Aug. 31, Foley told High Country Press he was retiring with mixedfeelings. Born in 1946, Foley said his age was telling him to move on from the “police business.”

“I guess it’s mixed feelings,” Foley said.

“I’ve been here so long on King Street, it’s kind of like [leaving] family.”

Foley spent 34 years enforcing the law.

Prior to joining the Boone Police Department in April 1998, Foley served on the 88

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Holly Hill Police Department, located in between Daytona Beach and Foley’s hometown of Ormond Beach, Fla., for 16 years.

Foley started his downtown post in December 1999.

When he arrived in the High Country in the late ‘90s, the Boone Police Department didn’t patrol the area quite like it does today. In fact, none of the officers jumped at the chance to work the downtown beat whenever Bob Kennedy, the assistant chief at the time, threw out a feeler. So Kennedy told Foley, “I think you’d be a good fit down there.”

Boone Police Chief Dana Crawford said that Foley’s replacement, fellow master police officer Glen Kornhauser, is going to have some awfully big shoes to fill, especially in terms of establishing Foley’s two-decades worth of contacts and relationships.

“He’s been a very dedicated, loyal officer downtown. He’s always kept the businesses very near and dear to him and as a servant, giving them the best quality service that he possibly can,” Crawford said. “He has great relationships with our commu-

October / November 2016

nity in that area and we really appreciate his hard work and dedication through the years down there.”

Speaking at his retirement celebration – or rather roast – at the Jones House Community and Cultural Center, Foley seemed emotional as the community gathered on his behalf. Though he didn’t cry and his voice never wavered, you could just see it in his eyes.

Standing on the Jones House steps, Foley read a quote from an old John Wayne movie: “I won’t be wronged. I won’t be insulted, and I won’t be laid a hand on. I don’t do these things to other people and require the same from them.”

“It’s almost sanctimonious,” Foley said of the movie quote. “But really when you come right down to it, I think when we are able to act that way as much as possible, the world would probably be a better place.”

As he went on to speak to the complexities facing officers around the country, Foley said, “I feel like I am a dinosaur, a dying breed. Things just aren’t as simple as they used to be.”

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