Images Wilkes County , NC: 2008-09

2008-09 | IMAGESWILKES.COM | VIDEO TOUR ONLINE TM M

OF WILKES, NORTH CAROLINA

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Mom and Dad, Please visit our school and see all the great things that are happening! I am learning about things that will guide me through college and life. I can’t wait for you to see the new technology that is helping us learn.

Katie

Kids need their parents, neighbors and community leaders to stand up for them and support their public schools.

Wilkes County Board of Education 613 Cherry St. North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 www.wilkes.k12.nc.us

2008-09 EDITION | VOLUME 9 TM

OF WILKES WILKES, NORTH CAROLINA CO NTE NT S

WILKES BUSINESS

F E AT U R E S

26 Reflecting on Success

10 NATURE’S BLUEPRINT Environmentally conscious builders incorporate nature into plans.

14 ANGLING FOR OUTDOOR FUN There’s no better place to have fun in the sun than at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir.

16 SCHOLARS EARN DOLLARS Thanks to the New Century Scholars program, 19 local students will be heading to college in fall 2008.

18 THINK GLOBALLY, DINE LOCALLY Food from around the world has found its way to appreciative local diners.

35 BIRDERS SPOTTED IN YADKIN VALLEY Bird watchers are spreading their wings across the county.

37 MUSIC OF THE HILLS AND HOLLERS The Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame announces its first honorees.

WILKES

The Mirror Factory Industrial Center is a “gleaming example of industrial redevelopment and reuse.”

28 Biz Briefs 31 Economic Profile

D E PA R TM E NT S 6 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Wilkes culture

21 Portfolio: people, places and events that define Wilkes

32 Education 36 Health & Wellness 39 Community Profile: facts, stats and important numbers to know ON THE COVER Photo by Ian Curcio Corine Guseman pottery at Wilkes Art Gallery

This magazine is printed entirely or in part on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

I M AG E S W I L K E S . C O M

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Wilkesboro

NORTH CAROLINA Nestled in the foothills of the

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Quite a Pickle Pickles and ba bamboo don’t often mix, unless you are bamboo pickles. making bambo Wilkesboro native Johnsie Walsh came In the early 1970s, 197 pickle recipe that is a marriage of Southern spices up with a pick culture. She planted seven sprigs of bamboo and Asian cult house, and a few years later she was making behind her ho pickles for her family and friends. bamboo pickle Today, Walsh’s daughter and granddaughter help operation called Bamboo operate a pickle-packaging pick pickles are sold at several specialty shops Ladies. The pic throughout North Carolina, including Asheville, in cities throug and Wilmington.

Charlotte, Raleigh Rale In Wilkesboro, Bamboo Pickles can be purchased Traditions and Vintage Home. at Ivy Ridge Tr

Caring for Wayward Kids Troubled youth have a place to turn to in Wilkes County, thanks to Rainbow Center Children and Family Services.

The nonprofit agency serves troubled youth in group homes and runs a shelter for abused and neglected children. Residents of Wilkes, Ashe and Watauga counties are eligible for the services, if needed.

The center also provides child development services, foster care, community support services and family reunification counseling.

Rainbow Center recently opened a new school for suspended students.

Let’s Have a Pow Wow Circle the wagons: The second annual Fort Hamby Pow Wow is set for Sept. 19-21, 2008.

The event showcases the living history of American Indians through music, dance, dress, food, crafts and culture. The Fort Hamby weekend occurs at the W. Kerr Scott Dam & Reservoir and is sponsored by the Blue Ridge Intertribal Pow Wow Association.

Activities will take place in the new Pow Wow Arena at the swimming area. A total of 20 vendors will be in attendance (by invitation only) to set up food booths and American Indian memorabilia booths.

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Almanac

Pressing Onward A little bit of Italy is thriving in the community of Ronda.

Raffaldini Vineyards and Winery opened in 2000, and the family business produced 44 tons of wine in 2007. The operation produces six wines that range in price from $13-$17 per bottle.

Also on site is the newly opened Villa Raffaldini, a two-story tasting room and event facility. The tasting room hours are Wednesday–Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays from 1-5 p.m. Wine enthusiasts can also schedule appointments.

Much More Than Bingo The needs and interests of older adults in Wilkes County is what the Wilkes Senior Center is all about.

The center is a United Way agency, and it relocated to the Fairplains community in 2006.

It now occupies the former Fairplains Elementary School and shares space with other agencies such as Respite Care, Wilkes Senior Citizens’ Council and BROC, which operates an elderly nutrition site.

The Wilkes Senior Center offers activities such as computer classes, a walking track, quilting, woodcarving, line dancing and clogging.

Trail of Quilts The Wilkes County Quilters Guild and the Cultural Arts Council of Wilkes have partnered to leave a trail of quilts along the countryside.

The Barn Quilt Trail project features the work of several artists – including 70 students from North High School – who are painting patterns onto blocks of wood that will ultimately be mounted on the sides of barns.

The paintings look like beautiful, homemade quilts and can be seen easily by motorists.

The first barn quilt was mounted in May 2008 on the ASJ Mathis barn on Highway 421 East.

A total of 15 artworks are scheduled to be on Wilkes County barns by the end of 2008.

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Nature’s

Blueprint ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY IS KEY TO DEVELOPMENT PLANS STORY BY SHARON H. FITZGERALD PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

I

magine a developer buying 1,100 acres and leaving nearly 70 percent of it in its natural state.

It’s happening in Wilkes County, where a community of about 325 singlefamily homes will eventually be nestled in the midst of pristine Blue Ridge Mountains real estate.

“We’re actually leaving about 750 of those acres as green space,” says Bill McDonald, sales manager for Cielo Falls, a development of luxury log homes northwest of Wilkesboro. The plans leave room for fishing ponds, naturally maintained streams and nine miles of low-impact walking and hiking trails that wind through a nature preserve.

“As recently as today, I heard someone say that in the next 10 years, if people aren’t building green, they won’t be building,” McDonald says. “We just feel that we’re ahead of the curve.”

Environmentally conscious design is applauded in Wilkes County.

“There’s such a rich heritage here, and we don’t want that destroyed by overdevelopment,” explains Fran Evans, director of Wilkes Vision 20/20, a long-range planning initiative that was started in 1998. The original plan was redrafted in 2008 to reflect emerging objectives, and sustainable development is one of them.

“We do not want to look like some of our adjoining counties that have come in after the fact and have houses on all the ridges,” Evans says. “And there’s the question of water. That’s a big thing, making sure that we can sustain the growth that we have.”

Each home at Cielo Falls will be equipped with a rainwater harvesting and purification system and a 10,000-gallon underground storage tank. “Instead of

Laurelmor, a luxury residential development, is being built near the Blue Ridge Parkway. Right: Green developments incorporate nature into the plans

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tapping into the underground water that’s there, we want to maintain the integrity of the streams,” McDonald says. Cielo Falls also features star-gazer-friendly outdoor lighting that minimizes glare and doesn’t pollute the night sky with unwanted ambient light.

Also boasting dark-sky lighting is Laurelmor, a 6,200-acre resort straddling the border of Wilkes and Watauga counties. Laurelmor, the first mountain development for Floridabased Ginn Resorts, features a host of environmentally friendly initiatives, including a pledge to eventually turn over about 2,500 acres to the Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust.

The developer is working with North Carolina State University faculty and students to monitor its erosion-control procedures and with the Blue Ridge Resource Conservation and Development Council to test measures to control the wooly adelgid, a non-native insect threatening America’s eastern hemlock trees, says Bob Oelberg, vice president of planning and natural-resource management for Ginn’s Eastern Mountain Region.

Located at the transitional point between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Piedmont, Ginn Laurelmor has

attracted the attention of Audubon Society members, who are monitoring more than 230 species of birds there.

Oelberg says the development encourages homebuilders to adopt energyefficient designs and forbids the use of invasive exotic plants in landscaping.

Laurelmor also is designated as a Firewise Community, a recognition that requires steps to minimize wildfire risks.

The emphasis on environmentally friendly design has made its mark on the public sector, too. By September 2009, a new rest area and visitor center built by the North Carolina Department of Transportation will open on U.S. 421 in Wilkes County.

“It is what we call a green rest area,” says NCDOT’s Mike Pettyjohn.

The $9 million, solar-heated project should nab a gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, which awards the coveted LEED recognition to sustainable buildings. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

At the new rest area, rainwater will be collected and used to flush the toilets, and much of the vegetation will be left undisturbed on the site. In addition, contractors were encouraged to use recycled materials throughout the building process.

Laurelmor’s developers set out to craft a luxury mountain club experience.

Right: “Green” building techniques and first-class appliances are standard in Laurelmor homes, the first mountain development for Ginn Resorts.

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SEE MORE ONLINE | To learn more, visit imageswilkes.com and search for “growth.”

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Angling for

Outdoor Fun

W. KERR SCOTT RESERVOIR IS THE GO-TO SPOT FOR FISHING AND LOTS MORE

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Professional angler Tracy Adams got his start at Kerr Scott Lake, which features four designated swimming areas.

STORY BY JOHN McBRYDE PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

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here’s no place better to soak in North Carolina’s beauty than on a hilltop trail overlooking Kerr Scott Lake.

Soon, a new environmental education center will open at the lake to enhance that outdoor experience even further.

“It will offer children from all over western North Carolina and elsewhere a chance to come see things in the environment and see how we can’t take these things for granted,” says Teresa Ford, executive director of Friends of W. Kerr Scott Lake.

“It will give them a whole new look at what we have at Kerr Scott Lake.”

The 3,400-square-foot center, being installed in the basement of the Kerr Scott Dam Visitor Center, will offer interpretive exhibits on the 1,475-acre lake, its waterfowl impoundments and other features of the 3,754 surrounding acres.

W. Kerr Scott Dam & Reservoir was named in honor of the North Carolina governor who served from 1949 to 1953.

“It’s a treasured resource, and it’s something we have to take care of,” Ford says of the area’s pristine beauty.

Ford helped start Friends of the Lake in 2005 to support the Army Corps of Engineers in its role as the lake’s caretaker.

In addition to the new environmental education center, the Friends of the Lake group has been involved in construction of the Forest Edge Community Amphitheater, improvements to the waterfowl impoundment, and continued development of the reservoir’s extensive trail system.

Along with hiking, birding and picnicking, Kerr Scott is a popular place for swimming, camping, mountain biking and fishing.

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Anglers visit year-round to take advantage of the lake’s bountiful supply of freshwater fish and to compete in several fishing tournaments that take place here each year.

Pro fisherman Tracy Adams launched his career here.

“My dad had me going fishing when I was old enough to hold a rod and reel,” says Adams, a Wilkesboro native and professional angler on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour since 1996. “I fished a lot of tournaments on Kerr Scott after I turned about 12. Fishing just got a hold of me, and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Adams, who has earned almost $450,000 as a professional angler, fishes in tournaments from New York to Florida. He may see larger lakes on the pro circuit, but he says Kerr Scott holds its own for quality fishing.

“It’s even better now than when I was little,” Adams says.

“From the first of April until mid-May, it’s just about as good as it’s going to get anywhere.”

Since 1999, Kerr Scott Lake has been the home of the Bandits Challenge Triathlon, a competition that has become something of a legend among multi-sport athletes.

The YMCA-sponsored triathlon features a 1.5-kilometer swim in the lake, a bike race and run along varied terrain of the surrounding land. It takes place in August and is known as one of the most challenging of all USA Triathalonsanctioned events.

With so many options, it’s possible to spend several days at Kerr Scott Lake and still not see and do it all.

Visitors who want to extend their stay can camp overnight at Bandits Roost, which offers 106 campsites and has access to swimming beaches, bath facilities and boat launching ramps. The camping area received more than 125,000 visitors in 2007.

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Scholars

Earn MONEY FOR COLLEGE IS REWARD FOR NEW CENTURY SCHOLARS

Dollars

STORY BY AMY STUMPFL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

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t’s no secret that college tuition rates are on the rise, making it difficult for many young people to pursue higher education. But 19 local students will be heading to college in fall 2008 thanks to the innovative New Century Scholars program.

“If I didn’t have this scholarship, I probably wouldn’t be going to college,” 16

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says Rejeana Brown, 17, who is planning a career in pediatric nursing.

“If it wasn’t for them, I’d be flipping burgers somewhere.”

The program was started during the 2001-02 school year by the Communities In Schools organization. It offers scholarships to select sixth-grade students, giving them a big incentive to

study hard in school. Those who do so are eligible to attend Wilkes Community College free of charge.

Glendora Chipman, executive director of CIS, says New Century scholars are required to maintain passing grades and graduate from high school on time.

They are also expected to give at least 10 hours of community service each year.

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“This is our first graduating class, and we are so proud,” Chipman says of the 2008 scholars class.

“The service requirement is important.

They learn so much about themselves and what it means to give back to the community. They know how to work toward a goal and make an investment in their future.”

Brown, who graduated from North Wilkes High School in June, will be the first in her family to attend college.

“The program means a lot to me,” she says. “It’s been a big part of my life for the past six years – working to keep my scholarship and complete my service hours. All the students are good friends, and it makes me feel good to be part of the first graduating class.”

Communities In Schools organizers encourage businesses, individuals, and church or civic groups to sponsor students with a $1,000 tax-deductible contribution.

The Foundation of Wilkes Community College manages the funds, while CIS provides counseling and assistance to students and helps pursue additional scholarships and grants.

“The community has really gotten behind the program, sponsoring students and offering their support,” Chipman says.

“This is a last-dollar-guaranteed program. We help them secure as much as they can, and then the scholarship fund pays the difference.”

But according to Dr. Dean Sprinkle, vice president of instruction/student services at WCC, the program does not end with the scholarship.

“In addition to financial support, we plan to follow the students’ progress and help them make a smooth transition to college life,” Sprinkle says.

Brown says the support she has received through the New Century Scholars program will make her freshman year much easier.

“Everyone at Communities In Schools has been great, and the nursing program instructor at Wilkes Community College WILKES

has been a big help, helping me pick out classes,” she says.

In addition, the 2008 scholars all received provisional membership in Phi Theta Kappa – an international honor society for two-year colleges.

“The club will provide a continuation of the support these students have experienced while in the New Century Scholars program,” Sprinkle adds.

“These are good, motivated kids – they

just need our support.”

Dr. Stephen Laws, superintendent for Wilkes County Schools, hopes that investment will pay off for the entire community.

“We’re investing in our young people with the idea that they will stay in the community after graduation,” he says.

“It’s a great way to motivate students to stay in school and picture a life beyond high school.”

Rejeana Brown is one of 19 students on her way to graduate this year with a New Century scholarship promised to her in the sixth grade.

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Think Globally, Dine Locally Where to eat

WILKES FINE DINING OFFERS DIVERSITY AND QUALITY

WILKES COUNTY HAS MORE THAN 33 DINING ESTABLISHMENTS. A FEW OTHERS TO TRY:

THE WOODHAVEN FAMILY RESTAURANT West D Street in North Wilkesboro SIXTH & MAIN in a historic home on 6th Street in North Wilkesboro

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WILKES

STORY BY LAURA HILL PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

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it down for dinner at one of Wilkes County’s fine dining establishments and you may forget you’re nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

From the Pacific Rim to Sicily, food from around the world has found its way to appreciative local diners, courtesy of imaginative restaurant owners and creative chefs.

“We go with a lot of things we like, with components that go well together,” says Andy McDowell, who opened the Key City Grille in an old downtown North Wilkesboro building in March 2007 and hasn’t looked back since.

“I honestly could not be happier with my kitchen. I have three excellent chefs and front-of-the-house service that is spot-on,” says the Wilkesboro native. “The response has been great – there’s a lot going on in Wilkesboro that makes this a great place to be in business.”

The 60-seat restaurant’s menu centers on classic New England, Southeastern and Southern cuisine with strong European, South Pacific and Asian accents. Among customers’ favorites: sea bass, duck and vegetarian dishes. Key City Grille – named for North Wilkesboro’s reputation as the Key to the Blue Ridge Mountains – makes its own soups, desserts and quiches every day, and serves lunch Monday through Friday and Sunday, and dinner Monday through Saturday.

Branciforte’s Italian Ristorante, which opened in North Wilkesboro in October 2007, prides itself on “having everything set up for an authentic Italian experience,” says owner Danny Branciforte. That includes muted Tuscan colors, natural wood and rock floors, a beautiful outdoor patio and even a brick oven for the ultimate pizza.

“We use only top-of-the-line cheeses, and we make everything ourselves from authentic family recipes,” Branciforte says. “We serve only Italian wine, our gelato recipe is from Italy, and even our coffee is Italian.”

The restaurant’s upscale menu features sophisticated favorites such as baked salmon encrusted with potato and Panko breadcrumbs served with lump crabmeat and a white wine garlic butter sauce, and Chicken Palermo, stuffed with roasted red pepper, Asiago cheese, mozzarella and sage butter sauce.

The restaurant is open Tuesday through Friday for lunch and Tuesday through Saturday for dinner.

The Applewood Bistro, three miles outside of downtown Wilkesboro on Highway 268, puts the emphasis on an “upscale casual” ambiance combined with outstanding food.

A wrought iron gate, created for owners Alan and Angela Day by Alan’s brother, greets diners as they enter, and a large stone fireplace warms a dining room themed around purple and green – the colors of a vineyard. The menu offers a unique blend of Mediterranean, French, American, Asian and Pacific Rim cuisines, and showcases ingredients from local growers and suppliers of organic and free-range products. Restaurant specials include oven-roasted rack of elk, shrimp and grits and hickory-smoked North Carolina trout with a chipotle lime cream sauce. Applewood Bistro serves lunch Tuesday through Friday and dinner Tuesday through Saturday.

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Guests relax at the end of a workday. Top: Even the desserts are special. Left: Applewood Bistro serves Oriental Sesame Ahi Tuna Salad.

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A growing force in Wilkes County

Transforming information into value • Member of the Chamber of Commerce since 2001 • Presence in the community for over 30 years

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418 Brushy Mountain Rd. • Wilkesboro, NC 28697 (336) 903-6500 • Fax: (336) 903-6599

www.compucredit.com

WILKES

Portfolio

Celebrate Americana Music MERLEFEST, GATHERING OF RESONATEURS BRING FANS AND MUSIC TO WILKES

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usic, Moments and Memories – a part of the logo for MerleFest – sums up the mission of the annual music festival at Wilkes Community College.

But it all boils down to a group of pickers doing what they love best – jamming for appreciative listeners who come from all over the world.

The Americana music festival began in 1988 when acoustic guitar legend Doc Watson was approached about doing a concert at WCC to honor his late son, Eddy Merle Watson, and raise funds for a memorial garden on campus. Doc and Merle Watson toured together for

two decades, making 20 albums and winning four Grammys before Merle’s tragic death in a farm accident in 1985.

Since then, MerleFest has drawn scores of musicians each year to the delight of festival-goers and volunteers, reaching a total attendance of 76,921 in 2008. Over the course of the festival, approximately $8 million has benefited WCC, says Ted Hagaman, festival director.

“The thing I think is unique about the festival is that it offers something for everyone,” Hagaman says. In addition to the excellent music, the festival is noted for its family atmosphere.

“What we do here is very unique in this day and time. We are very focused on maintaining the alcohol-free, drugfree atmosphere – a safe environment for our people to enjoy and have a good time. That’s something that’s been near and dear to Doc Watson’s heart.”

Another popular local jamfest is the Annual Gathering of Resonateurs, or dobro players, that takes place in Wilkesboro. George “Speedy” Krise, the first dobro player recorded on a bluegrass album, was guest of honor in July 2008 at the group’s eighth gathering, also known as ResoGat.

Performers entertain a crowd gathered for MerleFest 2008, held on the campus of Wilkes Community College. PHOTO BY IAN CURCIO

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PHOTOS BY IAN CURCIO

Futuristic Products Generate Jobs D

emands for lighter cars, faster planes and more resilient construction materials are boosting the outlook for manufacturing jobs in Western North Carolina.

After a decade of factory closings, an explosion in new high-tech materials has put manufacturing job growth back on the map for the Wilkes County area, says John Hauser, executive director of the Northwest North Carolina Advanced Materials Cluster Inc. “We are well suited to the industry because the traditional skills related to manufacturing have been part of our employment base for a long time,” Hauser says. “Our goal is to take that manufacturing skill base and apply it to new technology.”

Wilkes, Ashe and Allegheny counties joined with Wilkes Community College to form the nonprofit Advanced Materials

Cluster with the aim of attracting high-tech manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and researchers to the area.

“This has meant a lot of collaboration as we’ve brought people together to look at what our future was going to be,” Hauser says.

Ultimately, the three counties hope to become a nationally recognized hot spot for industries that rely on advanced materials technology.

“It’s not a Band-Aid fix; it’s for the long term,” Hauser says.

Already, advanced materials courses at Wilkes Community College are teaching students how to work with the computer-controlled processes, composite materials and advanced fibers that are replacing the traditional textile and wood-furniture manufacturing operations of the past, says Hauser, who also serves as dean of industrial engineering and customized industry training at WCC. The push to combine economic development resources and strategies breaks a longstanding tradition of competition between the three counties. But working together now is key, says Mike Pierce, director of advanced materials technology at Wilkes Community College.

“The partnership is based more than anything else on trust,” Pierce says. “The county commissioners, county managers and economic developers in all three counties trust the partnership, knowing that we will promote and support each other.”

The approach already seems to be paying off, as manufacturers of composite furniture, high-strength metals and light airplanes are among those operating or getting ready to open in the area.

Wilkes Community College is home to the Advanced Materials Cluster.

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Portfolio

More Drama in Wilkes County

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he show will go on for Wilkes County drama students – bigger and better than ever.

Starting with the 2008-09 school year, drama instruction for the county’s high schools will be moved “lock, stock and barrel” to one location, which will operate as a magnet program, says Wes Martin, director of high school theater for Wilkes County Schools.

Martin has been with the school system for a decade. He taught at both West Wilkes High School and Wilkes Central High School in 2007-08 and is excited about the potential to get more students involved in theater.

Under the new arrangement, students from the county’s four high schools will be able to take theater classes at the Career Technical Education Magnet High School of Wilkes.

During the 2007-08 school year, the students staged five shows at the Stone Family Center for the Performing Arts, including a one-act play and three children’s plays. Martin would like to stage a murder mystery in 2008-09 and add a musical the following year.

“We’re trying to be more inclusive,” says Martin, a native of Wilkes County who attended Wilkes Community College and has a degree in theater education from Appalachian State University. He honed his acting skills in community theater and outdoor dramas before turning to teaching in his late 30s.

Martin’s curriculum includes Theater 1: acting, technical skills and introduction to writing; and Theater 2: advanced acting, sound, design and direction. He also teaches play production.

“We want to get more kids involved,” Martin says. “It gives them a place to belong, and students who are involved are not usually in trouble.”

During summer months, Martin pursues his acting, portraying Daniel Boone in the outdoor drama Horn in the West in Boone. Summer 2008 was his 11th year to perform the role.

To learn more, visit imageswilkes. com and search for “Wilkes County Schools.”

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High school junior Devin Sheeler and 10th-grader René Fisher perform in Wes Martin’s drama class at West Wilkes High School.

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Portfolio

Investor Keeps It Close to Home

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Robert Ashley is the president of Holly Mountain Enterprises.

301 West Main Street Wilkesboro 107 North Fifth Avenue West Jefferson

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1404 West D Street North Wilkesboro

709 East Main Street Jefferson 1488 Mt. Jefferson Road West Jefferson

hen you’re looking for a steaming cup of coffee, good food or a quick stop for groceries in Wilkes County and surrounding areas, you don’t have to look far, thanks to Bob Ashley.

After serving with the U.S. Army in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968 and then embarking on a 27-year career with Lowe’s Foods, Ashley, 62, a Wilkes County native, went into business for himself. He invested heavily in the area, and hasn’t looked back. Through his Holly Mountain Enterprises, Ashley owns 14 convenience stores, the Holly Mountain IGA in North Wilkesboro and 13 restaurants, including Coffee House & Waffle Shops in seven counties and the Woodhaven Family Restaurant in North Wilkesboro.

“I started the Coffee House & Waffle Shops in 1991 because Wilkes County didn’t have a 24-hour restaurant. It is family-oriented and seats about 60,” Ashley says. Breakfast is served 24 hours a day, along with tenderloin plates, country ham, hamburger steaks, salads, and other home-cooked meals.

At Woodhaven Family Restaurant on North D Street, diners can enjoy home-style entrees for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Special surf-and-turf meals are served each Friday and Saturday night.

Ashley, who has 300 employees, including his three sons, says he is happy being his own boss.

“I figured I’d stay with Lowe’s all my life,” he says. “As I got older, I thought if I didn’t do something, I’d be working for the other guy the rest of my life. I enjoy it. I’ve never seen the day when I didn’t want to go to work. Some days I dread what I’ve got to do, but I’ve never seen the day when I didn’t want to go.”

The businessman says he’s involved in giving back to his home community, but prefers to work behind the scenes.

In rare down time, Ashley says he enjoys golf, hunting and riding fourwheelers. Mowing also gives him some time to himself.

“People laugh at me – but to me, it’s relaxation. I get on, and all I hear is the lawn mower,” Ashley says.

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PHOTOS BY IAN CURCIO

A Concertone Accordion “Squeezebox” made in Germany in 1890 is an artifact from Wilkes County’s rich history that’s on display.

History’s the Star of This Show

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appy Birthday, Wilkes County!

An impressive 230 candles atop a massive cake marked a special birthday for Wilkes County in 2008.

But the March celebration, sponsored by the local Save Our History of Wilkes County Committee, was just one among many ongoing efforts to honor and preserve the rich heritage of the county.

The committee, with funding from a variety of sources, is working to compile an oral history of the area and encourage tourist interest in historical sites. The committee undertook the daunting task of putting together a DVD series on aspects of the county’s past. Part of the series is complete and available at libraries, schools and the Wilkes Heritage Museum. Work on the rest of the history is continuing.

“Cultural-heritage tourism is a buzzword now,” says Dennis Huggins, co-chairman with R.G. Absher, of the Save Our History committee. “We were preserving our history – for WILKES

example, Wilkesboro has 13 sites on the National Register of Historic Places – but this is kind of a way of tying it all together and being more uniform and more marketable.”

Since the formation of the committee in 2006, the county was designated a Preserve America Community by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The May 2007 honor entitled Wilkes County to apply for grant money and to use promotional materials in its preservation effort.

“We’ve formed a lot of partnerships; a lot of collaboration has occurred.

It’s a neat project, and I’m proud to be a part of it,” says Huggins, who is also director of development for Wilkes County Schools.

“There’s a lot of rich, deep history here. Three of our committee members have written a picture book about Wilkes County. … Another is doing a written history of the county,” he says.

“A lot of neat things have come out of it.”

– Stories by Anne Gillem I M AG E S W I L K E S . C O M

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Business

Reflecting

on Success

ENTREPRENEUR INVESTS IN PROPERTIES WITH UNTAPPED POTENTIAL STORY BY VALERIE PASCOE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

T

he Carolina Mirror plant in North Wilkesboro was once the nicest, largest factory of its kind in the country.

By 2005, the mid-20th-century industrial building was in serious disrepair.

Yet when Winston-Salem businessman Scott Nafe drove past the 60-acre site, he saw more than a relic of the past – he saw potential.

Since then, Nafe has spent countless hours, and nearly three

Scott Nafe leases space at The Mirror Factory Industrial Center.

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times the purchase price of the building, to transform the 225,000-square-foot facility into a modern industrial space designed to house multiple up-andcoming businesses.

“The goal is to price this space below market to give new and expanding companies an opportunity to find quality space in a convenient location,” Nafe says. “We already have four tenants occupying 125,000 square feet. These are companies that will create between 100 to 150 jobs for the community.”

Nafe’s project is an example of how investors with foresight and financial resources may ultimately redefine Wilkes County’s economy, local leaders say.

“Today, rather than being a blight on the area, the Mirror Factory Industrial Center is a gleaming example of industrial redevelopment and reuse which has already attracted quality tenants,” says Don Alexander, director of the Wilkes County Economic Development Corp.

One of those new tenants is Industrial Process Solutions, a company that manufactures units that transform coal into methane gas. The business, which has attracted attention from energy proponents around the world, is one that Nafe and local officials persuaded to move to Wilkes County. The Mirror Factory Industrial Center also houses a

custom-display manufacturer, a garden and glass warehouse operation and a construction company.

“Scott has and continues to assist Wilkes County’s economic efforts in many ways,” Alexander says. “We are thankful that he has adopted Wilkes County and for his dedicated and tireless efforts on our behalf.”

Nafe’s interest in Wilkes County goes back to 2005, when he and his wife, Kim, purchased vacation property in the community of Traphill. The couple bought the Traphill Mill, a 225-year-old gristmill, along with 20 surrounding acres that include a scenic water wheel and millpond. The historic 2,600-squarefoot mill house formerly served as a bed and breakfast.

Today, Nafe spends about half of his time in Wilkes County. He says he plans to build on the success of the Mirror Factory Industrial Center project by following through with several commercial redevelopment projects he has lined up for the future.

“All I’m trying to do is have a little fun, make some friends and feed my family,” the entrepreneur says. “If I can do all of that and enjoy my work at the same time, I don’t know what more I could ask for.”

Nafe received the Wilkes Chamber of Commerce Spirit Award in 2008 for his contributions to the community.

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Traphill Mill is a former bed and breakfast now used as a vacation home by Scott and Kim Nafe.

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IAN CURCIO

Business | Biz Briefs

Ivy Ridge Traditions in downtown North Wilkesboro sells gifts and accents for the home and garden.

MERCHANDISE ON MAIN As a child, Angela Day spent Saturday afternoons shopping downtown. It was an era when department stores anchored the streets and sidewalks bustled with activity.

“Mine is probably one of the last generations that did all of our back-toschool shopping downtown. It was such a special experience,” Day says.

In September 2000, Day and her husband, Alan, opened Ivy Ridge Traditions and joined the list of North Wilkesboro merchants bringing the excitement of shopping back to the downtown area.

The boutique, which specializes in Vera Bradley bags and luggage, offers a unique collection of gifts, home décor and fashion accessories.

According to Day, the shop continues 28

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to thrive and expand.

In addition to 1,800 square feet of shopping space located on the ground floor of her historic Main Street building, Day has remodeled the second floor to include a children’s boutique called Ivy’s Child. The 800-square-foot upstairs space features specialty toys, accessories and gifts.

“We are a prime example of a business being able to come downtown, expand and succeed,” Day says. “I love being in this location. It’s such a wonderful business community.”

OUTPACING THE COMPETITION When entrepreneurs Rob and Linda Muskelley moved their family to Wilkes County in early 2007, they were eager to open a new business.

“One of the first things we did was meet with the chamber of commerce to see what type of company was most needed in the area. They were a tremendous help,” Rob Muskelley says.

Formerly of Florida, the Muskelleys moved to North Carolina seeking a better quality of life. Four months later, they opened the area’s first location for Goin’ Postal, a packing and shipping store with more than 300 locations nationwide.

“The average time a customer is actually inside the store to ship a package is only three minutes, so speed is as important to us as providing the best price,” Muskelley says. “So far we’ve shipped everything from a 57-foot-long taxidermy tarpon someone sold on eBay to a $25,000 Martin acoustic guitar from 1932.”

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Business | Biz Briefs In addition to providing a full range of shipping services, Goin’ Postal also offers printing services and sells a variety of items such as greeting cards and handmade local gifts, including soaps, body lotions and Amish foods.

OFF-ROAD VENTURE Competitive motorcycle riders around the world proudly display products from Powersport Grafx, a Wilkes County company making its mark on the off-road racing industry.

Founded in early 2003 in North Wilkesboro, Powersport Grafx designs and manufactures custom motocross graphics and decals for some of off-road racing’s biggest names.

With clients like KTM, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki, as well as some world-champion riders and dealers, Powersport Grafx continues to expand its product offerings and presence in Wilkes County.

What started as a hobby for the company’s president and managing partner, Bart Hayes, has become a fulltime venture with plenty of promise for the future.

“We have grown tremendously. We work with thousands of motorcycle dealers and with original equipment manufacturers, sponsors and racers all around the world,” says Hayes, who is an engineer by trade and has been involved in racing since he was 16 years old.

Powersport Grafx is constructing a new 14,000-square-foot facility in the North Wilkesboro Industrial Park, where the company will expand its research and development operations as well as add more printing capabilities.

HOMETOWN INVESTOR When local entrepreneur J.C. Faw acquired Lowe’s Food Stores in the early 1950s, the small chain was on its way to becoming the dominant grocery store for rural communities throughout North Carolina. Since then, Faw has acquired, developed and sold a variety of businesses including Bojangles’, a restaurant concept he co-founded in the 1970s.

Although his home county, Wilkes, has benefited most from Faw’s business acumen, the entrepreneur is also known for his willingness to invest in commercial real estate in smaller communities across the state.

“In addition to what he has done in WILKES

Wilkes County, his efforts brought grocery stores, commercial and residential development, other businesses and jobs to many rural communities that were largely ignored by other developers,” says Ira Morris, chief financial officer of Wisco Diversified of America Inc., a Wilkesboro-based company that provides management, administrative and accounting services for Faw’s operations.

With approximately 30 employees, Wisco Diversified works with Fast Track food stores, a variety of restaurants including Bojangles’, Taco Bell, Arby’s, Subway, McAlister’s Deli, Tipton’s and Blimpie Subs & Salads, as well as automobile dealerships, a motel and a full portfolio of commercial and residential real estate development properties.

THEY WRAP IT UP From poultry and pork to almonds and aquarium gravel, the Interflex Group keeps products under wraps.

The flexible packaging company was founded in 1978 to serve the local Holly

questions

Farms chicken plant, but it has continued to grow internationally from its home base in Wilkesboro.

In May 2003, the company consolidated its North American manufacturing facilities and corporate offices in Wilkes County, adding approximately 8,500 square feet to a 26,000-square-foot facility on Highway 268, representing a total investment of approximately $3.8 million. The Interflex Group also maintains another 33,000 square feet of space at two additional facilities in the area and employs nearly 100 area residents.

“Wilkes County has been an excellent location for our company. There’s a qualified supply of available workers and a fantastic community college system that supports us with training and education that we use frequently for our workforce,” says Bill Elkin, the company’s chief financial officer.

To support its efforts to expand and diversify, the Interflex Group recently acquired a company in England and maintains operations in Scotland and Brazil.

– Valerie Pascoe

answers

©2002 American Cancer Society, Inc.

8 0 0 . A C S . 2 3 4 5 / c a n c e r. o r g

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WILKES

Business | Economic Profile

WILKES BUSINESS CLIMATE A strong and well-educated workforce, an excellent quality of life, an abundance of land and low operating costs all draw business and industry to Wilkes.

AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGES BY INDUSTRY (2007) Industry

TRANSPORTATION Airports Wilkes County Airport (336) 696-2000 general aviation airport

No. Employed

Percentage

Annual Wage

1,603

6.9

$11,180

634

2.7

$22,882

143

0.6

$24,388

23,328

100

$28,860

80

0.3

$17,472

997

4.3

$30,316

2,318

9.9

$27,768

Finance & insurance

960

4.1

$40,560

Health care & social assistance

1979

8.5

$27,740

273

1.2

$41,548

1,921

8.2

$76,908

Manufacturing

5,043

21.6

$27,976

Other services

561

2.4

$18,044

Accommodations & food services Administrative & waste Agriculture, forestry All industry

Nearest commercial airports Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Charlotte, 90 miles away (704) 359-4801

Arts, entertainment, recreation

Piedmont Triad International Airport, Greensboro, 70 miles away, (336) 668-9808

Educational

INCOME AND EARNINGS Per Capita Personal Income, 2006 Wilkes County, $32,678 Average Earning Per Job, 2006 Wilkes County, $31,200 Median Family Income, 2005 Wilkes County, $35,712 Source: N.C. Department of Commerce

FOR MORE INFORMATION Wilkes Chamber of Commerce 717 Main. St. North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 Phone: (336) 838-8662 Fax: (336) 838-3728 www.wilkesnc.org Wilkes Economic Development Corp.

717 Main St. North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 Phone: (336) 838-1501 www.wilkesedc.com

Construction

Information Management of companies

Professional & technical

439

1.9

$38,428

1,160

5.0

$31,824

189

0.8

$25,948

Retail

2,646

11.3

$21,372

Total government

4,405

18.9

$32,448

Total private industry

18,923

81.1

$28,028

604

2.6

$39,936

50

0.2

$36,608

924

4.0

$41,132

Public administration Real estate & rental & leasing

Transportation & warehousing Unclassified Wholesale trade

Source: North Carolina Department of Commerce

Sources: www.wilkesedc.com, www.wilkesnc.org

WILKES

I M AG E S W I L K E S . C O M

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PHOTOS BY IAN CURCIO

Education

Wilkes County public schools are moving into the next generation of technology in the classrooms.

Learning in the Digital Age USE OF SMART BOARDS, PDAS EXPANDING THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM

S

tudents and teachers in Wilkes County are doing a few things differently these days.

For example, instead of using chalk on a chalkboard, many teachers are displaying information on a 72-inch SMART Board. And personal digital assistants have begun to replace traditional notepads for helping students keep up with their lessons.

Technology abounds in Wilkes County Schools. And administrators are saying it is only the beginning.

“About two years ago, we started realizing how technology can be woven into all grades and into all curricula,” says Julie Triplett, director of technology for the district. “These students are so connected at home, but we found they were disconnected when they came to school.”

In fall 2007, the school system embarked on a technology initiative to supply half of the district’s fourth-graders – approximately 500 students – with personal digital assistants, or PDAs. By loading information onto the PDAs, the students have a more effective way to keep up with homework, study for tests and improve their writing skills.

Using Plucker software, teachers can select Web sites from classroom computers to load onto the students’ PDAs. Books may also be downloaded onto the PDAs, which have folding keyboards that expand from a size of 4 inches by 5.5 inches to that of a typical laptop keyboard.

District officials eventually would like to supply all students in grades three through eight with PDAs, which cost about 32

I M AG E S W I L K E S . C O M

$200 each. Private businesses and individuals are stepping up to the plate to help the school district to raise money for these and other technology initiatives.

Teachers and students are doing their part as well.

“Teachers are telling us that the new technology is helping with writing skills and keyboarding skills,” Triplett says.

“Students’ writing quantity and quality has increased.”

Each classroom in the system, from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, is slated to receive a SMART Board, a touchsensitive display that can be connected to a computer and digital projector. The board allows teachers to customize their lessons by using various computer applications, writing notes in digital ink and then saving the work. About 100 of the county’s 640 classrooms have been equipped with SMART Boards, projectors and laptops so far.

“I’ve had one teacher tell me that if we ever tried to take the SMART Boards back, we would have to wrench it from her cold, hard hands,” says Triplett, with a laugh. “They can’t believe they have survived without them. The boards have cut down on discipline problems. The students they haven’t been able to engage, they are reaching now.”

Computers already have been installed in classrooms district-wide. Students also have access to computer labs and media labs. Some have been issued mobile laptop cards.

With technology a sign of the times, school leaders are equipping Wilkes County students to make the most of their education and their future.

– Pam Sherborne WILKES

The Race Is On TEACHER SPARKS LEARNING WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES

N

icole Osborne appreciates the opportunities available to her at West Wilkes High School – especially the chance to participate on an awardwinning technology team.

Osborne, a sophomore, is enrolled in teacher Chris Tolbert’s transportation systems class and participates in the school’s Electric Vehicle Challenge team, which builds and races environmentally friendly electric vehicles.

“This is just a great opportunity,” Osborne says of her involvement with the EV racing team. “I love it.”

Such enthusiasm from students is one of the reasons Tolbert was chosen for the 2008 Teacher of the Year award in Wilkes County.

Tolbert started the competitive EV team shortly after joining the faculty of West Wilkes High School in 2003.

But he didn’t exactly race into the teaching profession.

A 1993 graduate of West Wilkes High School, Tolbert earned a master’s degree in engineering and went to work for Corning Inc. in Hickory.

When Corning shut down

some of its U.S. operations, Tolbert signed on with the Wilkes County School System.

“I found my calling,” Tolbert says of his teaching career. “I am very surprised.”

Tolbert’s fresh approach to teaching has won accolades from students and from the Wilkes County community. The EV team he sponsors is the only

one of its kind in Wilkes County and one of only four in the state.

His students have earned widespread recognition for their work converting traditional gasoline-powered vehicles to run on electricity, which is less polluting and more efficient than petroleum-based fuels. The team races the electric vehicles it builds.

– Pam Sherborne

Chris Tolbert teaches technology.

WILKES

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WILKES SENIOR CENTER … has something for everyone!

Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

(60 years and older)

RECREATION/ LEISURE/SERVICES Fully equipped exercise facility

Save Money.

Smell the Flowers.

Quilting/sewing Woodworking shop Computer classes AARP income tax preparation (2/1-4/15/2009) Day trips and more 228 Fairplains School Rd. North Wilkesboro, NC (336) 667-5281 tel (336) 667-8295 fax

BR A M E HU I E P HA R M ACY “The Prescription People”

Rick Brame, RPh • Cathy Huie, Pharm.D. • Gary Watson, RPh See us for all your prescription needs!

Compounding Services – Fully Equipped Lab Free Local Delivery Complimentary Soft Drink While Waiting Pharmaceutical Grade Vitamins Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. • Sat. 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

1920 W. Park Dr. • N. Wilkesboro, NC 28659 Phone: (336) 838-8988 • Fax: (336) 838-1711 www.bramehuiepharmacy.com

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Looking for ways to save money on gas and help the environment?

The EPA wants to share some smart driving tips that could give you more miles per gallon of gas and reduce air pollution. Tips like making sure your tires are properly inflated and replacing your air filter regularly. And where possible, accelerate and brake slowly. Be aware of your speed ... did you know that for every 5 miles you go over 65 mph, you’re spending about 20 cents more per gallon of gas? If you’re shopping for a new car, choose the cleanest, most efficient vehicle that meets your needs. If we each adopt just one of these tips, we’d get more miles for our money and it would be a little easier to smell the flowers. For more tips and to compare cleaner, more efficient vehicles, visit

www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.

WILKES

Sports & Recreation

Birders Spotted in Yadkin Valley TOURISTS STAY LONGER WHEN VISITING BIRDING SITES

B

finished in 2009.

The area’s picturesque landscape and business acumen makes Wilkes County a natural for avitourism, says Jodi Frichner, director of tourism development for the Wilkesboro Tourism Development Authority.

“Eco-tourism is one of the fastestgrowing segments of the travel business,” Frichner says. “Nature-based tourism can be a powerful economic development tool that can ameliorate income lost from dwindling manufacturing jobs. It also gives towns and counties an economic incentive to preserve the natural beauty and wilderness in their area.”

Frichner is working to expand the number of trail sites in Wilkes County to help attract overnight and weekend bird watchers. The state’s Birding Trail initiative includes training for businesses and civic leaders to cater to this affluent niche of visitors.

A national survey conducted in 2006 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, reported that that 1.3 million birders reside in North Carolina and that 40

ANTONY BOSHIER

ird watchers are spreading their wings over Wilkes County.

The Yadkin River Valley is an important link in the new North Carolina Birding Trail as it extends west from the Atlantic coast, through the Piedmont and on to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The innovative program is intended to conserve and enhance North Carolina’s bird habitat by promoting bird watching, economic opportunities, and conservation. It includes a driving tour that links bird-watching sites and connects bird watchers with local businesses, communities, historical organizations and educational attractions.

Several state agencies and wildlife organizations, such as the Audubon Society and the N.C. Wildlife Federation, joined together in 2003 to enhance one of the state’s most popular outdoor activities. The coastal section of the trail has been completed, sites for the Piedmont have been selected, and nominations for the mountain region have been accepted. The trail will be

percent of them travel away from their homes to view birds. The survey also found that birders stay an average of two nights longer in local hotels, compared to other tourists.

The W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir will be an official stop along the statewide trail; the Yadkin River Greenway and Whippoorwill Academy and Village are potential stops.

As home to 460 bird species and an extensive network of natural resources, North Carolina offers fertile ground for bird watching. Among the feathered friends commonly spotted here are redtailed hawks, chestnut-sided warblers, Canada warblers, slate-colored juncos, white-breasted nuthatches and rosebreasted grosbeaks.

“We hope the N.C. Birding Trail project will serve as a great example of how sustainable nature-based tourism can lead to local economic benefits here in North Carolina,” says Salinda Daley, coordinator of the North Carolina Birding Trail, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “When communities recognize the value of protecting their natural areas, which are such an attraction to visiting birders, they’re doing great things for the environment and for their community.”

To order a copy of the North Carolina Birding Trail Guide, visit www. ncbirdingtrail.org/trail_guide.asp.

– Mary Best

Wilkes County is officially a birder-friendly community and part of the North Carolina Birding Trail.

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Health & Wellness

Providing Senior Care WILKES COUNTY HEALTH FOUNDATIONS WILL AID THE ELDERLY

H

ow do you care for an elderly parent when you’ve got a full-time job? How can rural heart attack victims get immediate treatment? What is the quickest way to transport medical-emergency patients?

Once, these were all questions you might have asked in Wilkes County. Now, thanks to the Wilkes County Health Foundation, the community has answers.

The foundation was started in 1991 by volunteers with a mission to help improve the health and welfare of their community. Working with the Wilkes Regional Medical Center, the foundation helped raise money for the hospital’s new family medicine center. In 2002, a helicopter landing pad was added thanks in part to the foundation’s efforts. And another project made Wilkes County a national leader in the emergency care of heart attack victims.

“Our community is one of the few in the country with a fully developed system for patients with cardiac arrest to receive treatment in the field,” says Heather Murphy, the foundation’s executive director.

Working with Wilkes Regional and Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Heart Center, all county emergency response teams have been trained to administer clot-busting

drugs on the scene and transport patients straight to the heart center within a crucial 90-minute window. Special digital equipment, recently converted from analog with the financial support of the foundation, means EMTs can send EKG results and receive information from doctors while en route to the hospital – an enormous boon to cardiac patients’ survival.

“What we want people to know is that if you think you are having a heart attack, don’t go to the ER – call 911,” says Murphy. “They’ll treat you right there and get you where you need to go.”

The foundation will soon open the Ruby Pardue Blackburn Adult Day Care Center at West Park, providing medically supervised adult enrichment for the frail elderly who cannot be on their own during the day. The center will offer socialization, activities and medical care in a homelike setting, where the elderly will be treated with dignity, free to choose what they want – or don’t want – to do.

“This is a great option that can delay placement in nursing homes or assisted living for a couple of years, or even indefinitely,” Murphy says. “It’s not day care. You want to honor and recognize that these are adults who can choose what they want to do, whether they want to read, have a cup of coffee or take a nap.”

The bulk of the more than $2 million in funds raised for the center came from individuals in the community, boosted by grants from the Duke Endowment, Lowe’s Companies and the Golden Leaf Foundation. Eagerly anticipated, the center already has a waiting list “Our success is based on the generous support of the people of Wilkes County,” Murphy says. “We’re blessed with one of the most forward-thinking and generous groups of people I’ve ever had the privilege to know.”

– Laura Hill

Foothills Center For Women Obstetrics & Gynecology Dr. Duane H. Smith Pamela Sloop, FNP-C

(336) 667-8241 112 Boone Trail • North Wilkesboro, NC 28659

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The Ruby Pardue Blackburn Adult Day Care Center is slated to open in the fall of 2008 thanks to a fundraising effort launched by The Health Foundation.

WILKES

Arts & Culture

Music of the Hills and Hollers BLUE RIDGE HALL OF FAME HONORS AMERICA’S MUSICAL HEROES

T

IAN CURCIO

he edged voices and echoing instruments of old-time, bluegrass, and folk music came of age in the lonesome hollers and high hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

To honor that musical heritage, Wilkes County recently opened the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame. Opened less than 20 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway in June 2008, the hall is already helping brand northwestern North Carolina as the home of Americana music.

“Traditional Blue Ridge music is still vital to the area and

Doc Watson was inducted into the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame, which opened in June 2008.

WILKES

can be heard on local radio stations, at musical performances, and at festivals,” says Jennifer H. Furr, director of Old Wilkes Inc. “The Wilkes Heritage Museum would like to continue those traditions for future generations to enjoy.”

Plans for the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame began in 2006.

Old Wilkes Inc. and the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame committee joined forces to recognize the folks who have contributed to the musical roots of Appalachia. The hall is housed on the second floor of the Wilkes Heritage Museum in Wilkesboro’s restored 1902 courthouse.

Downstairs, the museum showcases other examples of Wilkes County’s sometimes-maverick spirit —Tom Dooley, moonshine and racing.

“The Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame complements the existing exhibits that are currently on display in the Wilkes Heritage Museum,” Furr says. “Music plays such an important part of the culture of western North Carolina, especially in the Wilkes County area.”

For the inaugural year, the committee selected 10 entertainers for induction to the hall of fame. Five more will be inducted each subsequent year. The nomination criteria is broad, covering “those involved with music of any kind who were either born or active within the greater Blue Ridge Mountains area, running from north Georgia to northern Virginia, or who contributed to the music associated with traditions of the Blue Ridge, such as ballads, old-time, bluegrass and gospel,” explains Art Menius, board member for the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame.

“The Hall of Fame also honors those contributors such as side musicians, traditional dancers and callers, scholars, promoters, journalists, educators and broadcast personalities,” Menius adds.

The pickin’ and grinnin’ officially kicked off on June 13, 2008, when the Wilkes Heritage Museum honored the charter inductees. Those were Wilkes County native Doc Watson, one of the world’s most accomplished flat-pickers; nationally known banjo player Earl Scruggs; musical pioneers The Carter Family; fiddler Tommy Jarrell; songwriter Dolly Parton; live and studio fiddler David Johnson; promoter and organizer Ralph Rinzler; scholar Ralph Epperson; instrument maker, producer, and recording artist Wayne Henderson; and square dance king Sam Love Queen Sr. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and closed Sunday, Monday and major holidays.

Admission: $5 for adults, $4 for students and seniors 55 and older.

To learn more, go to imageswilkes.com and search for “Doc Watson.”

– Mary Best I M AG E S W I L K E S . C O M

37

CUB CREEK COUNTERTOPS The Countertop Specialist

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL Granite • Quartz • Solid Surfaces LG • HI-MACS • VIATERA (336) 651-8983 1200 A Industrial Park Rd. Wilkesboro

Corporate Citizen of Wilkes County Since 1962 600 Elkin Hwy. • N. Wilkesboro, NC 28659 (336) 651-9300 • Toll-free: (800) 334-7267 Fax: (336) 667-0185

www.dreamwalls.com Quality siding made by your neighbors at LP Roaring River

®

BUILDING PRODUCTS For more information on siding or other LP SmartSide building products, please call (888) 822-8899 or visit us online at: www.LPCorp.com.

Mike’s Body Shop Inc. 210 Elkin Hwy. N. Wilkesboro, NC 28659 (336) 667-9291 Fax: (336) 667-0504

Can you imagine … a world without children?

We Can’t.

Call 1-800-996-4100 to help. www.stjude.org

Sometimes winning a race is not about beating

the other runners.

It’s about honoring survivors and those

part of wilkes county since 1927 389 Armory Rd. North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 (336) 651-9400 tel (336) 651-9483 fax

who’ve lost the battle. It’s about raising funds for research, education, screening and treatment. The Komen Race for the Cure® is about support, not competition. Join us at komen.org or 1.800 I’M AWARE®.

www.americandrew.com www.leaindustries.com This space provided as a public service. ©2004, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

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WILKES

Community Profile

WILKES SNAPSHOT Wilkes County offers a wide variety of arts and cultural activities, from historic walking tours to international music festivals.

Wilkes Communications 973-3103 Electricity Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corp., 838-4655

CLIMATE

Crescent Electric Membership Corp., (800) 662-4681

Wilkes Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s climate is varied due to its elevation ranges. In the lower elevation, temperatures are as follows:

Duke Energy, (800) 777-9898

Annual avg. temperature, 56.5 F January avg. temperature, 38 F July avg. temperature, 80 F Annual avg. rainfall, 50 inches Annual avg. snowfall, 10 inches Elevation North Wilkesboro 1,190 feet Wilkesboro 1,042 feet

Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership, (800) 682-5903 Natural gas Frontier Natural Gas 526-2690 Telephone Wilkes Telecommunications 973-3103 EMBARQ, 838-4151 Water Town of North Wilkesboro 667-7129

Town of Wilkesboro, 838-3951 Blue Ridge Water Association Inc., 696-4713 Broadway Water Association Inc., 667-1483 Cricket-Millers Creek Water Association, 838-5614 Moravian Falls Water Works, 838-3417 Mulberry-Fairplains Water Association, 670-2410

FESTIVALS & EVENTS Brushy Mountain Apple Festival Held annually on the first Saturday of October in North Wilkesboro since 1978, this festival is one of the largest

EDUCATION Elementary Schools The Wilkes County School System consists of 22 schools serving more than 10,000 students. Facilities include 13 elementary schools, four middle schools and five high schools.

All schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Wilkes County Board of Education, 667-1121 Higher Education Appalachian State University (828) 262-2000 Wilkes Community College 838-6100

UTILITIES Cable Charter Communications (866) 472-2200

The area code for Wilkes is 336 .

I M AG E S W I L K E S . C O M

39

Community Profile Visit Our Advertisers American Drew Lea www.leaindustries.com

Lowe’s www.lowes.com

Brame Huie Pharmacy www.bramehuiepharmacy.com

LP Building Products www.lpcorp.com

Carolina West Wireless www.carolinawest.com

Mike’s Body Shop

Charter Business www.charter-business.com CommunityOne Bank NA www.myyesbank.com CompuCredit www.compucredit.com County of Wilkes www.wilkescounty.net

Old Wilkes www.wilkesheritagemuseum.com Rose Glen Village www.roseglenwilkesboro.com Specialty Car Company Inc. www.specialtycarcompany.com Wilkes Community College www.wilkescc.edu

Cub Creek Countertops

Wilkes County Board of Education www.wilkes.k12.nc.us

Data Publishing www.datapublishing.com

Wilkes Regional Medical Center www.wilkesregional.org

Foothills Center for Women

Wilkes Senior Center www.wilkesseniorcenter.org

Gardner Glass Products www.gardnerglass.com Holiday Inn Express www.hiexpress.com/ wilkesboronc

Wilkes Telecommunications www.wilkes.net Yadkin Valley Bank www.yadkinvalleybank.com

I spy something green.

one-day arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast, with more than 100,000 people attending each year. Don’t miss the Friday night “Apple Jam,” live entertainment on the corner of 10th and Main streets.

984-3022 www.AppleFestival.net Carolina in the Fall Musical hosts The Kruger Brothers from Switzerland invite their talented musician friends to join them onstage for Americana, traditional bluegrass and Appalachian Mountain music on the third weekend in October. Enjoy workshops, a children’s area, music, craft and food vendors in an outdoor setting and a family atmosphere. 667-5344 www.CarolinaInTheFall.com MerleFest Music lovers of all kinds enjoy this four-day Americana music celebration held the last Thursday in April on the Wilkes Community College campus. (800) 343-7857 www.MerleFest.org Shine To Wine The annual wine festival held in Historic Downtown North Wilkesboro since 2004 features Yadkin Valley wineries, culinary chef challenge, local and regional art and craft displays, live music, food, and plenty of local color. 667-4875

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Everyday moments can be learning moments with your kids. For more tips, visit bornlearning.org.

Wilkes Chamber of Commerce 717 Main St., P.O. Box 727 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 Phone: 838-8662 Fax: 838-3728 www.wilkesnc.org

Sources: www.wilkesedc.com, www.wilkesnc.org, www.census.gov

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WILKES

C OM E

FOR A

VI S I T. S TAY

FOR T H E

F U N.

AN EXCEPTIONAL FAITH-BASED SENIOR COMMUNITY

407 W. Main St.

|

Wilkesboro, NC 28697

|

(336) 667-2952

|

fax (336) 667-5914

|

www.roseglenwilkesboro.com