Images Wilkes County, NC: 2007-08

2007-08 | IMAGESWILKES.COM | VIDEO TOUR ONLINE TM

OF WILKES, NORTH CAROLINA

Future Einsteins?

Wilkes Community College boasts new space for science

PERMANENT VACATION High Country visitors usually decide to stay

TASTES LIKE (SLOWROASTED) CHICKEN Tyson leads industry in innovation

SPONSORED BY THE WILKES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

2007-08 EDITION | VOLUME 8 TM

OF WILKES, NORTH CAROLINA

14 WILKES BUSINESS CO NTE NT S F E AT U R E S 10

PERMANENT VACATION Many High Country visitors ultimately choose to relocate here after experiencing the serene surroundings.

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WHEN THERE ARE WHEELS, THERE’S A WAY A growing number of bikers and cyclists are taking to the hills of Wilkes County.

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PLENTY OF PALATE PLEASERS Residents throughout Wilkes County have more places to eat, thanks to several new and refurbished eateries.

39 FUTURE EINSTEINS? Wilkes Community College’s Lowe’s Hall provides spectacular new space for science classes.

ON THE COVER Lowe’s Hall at Wilkes Community College Photo by Ian Curcio

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20 Tastes Like (Slow-Roasted) Chicken Tyson Cooked Products uses high-tech methods to lead the poultry industry in innovation.

22 Biz Briefs 25 Chamber Report 26 Economic Profile

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

29 Portfolio: people, places and events that define Wilkes

34 Image Gallery 38 Education 41 Sports & Recreation 42 Arts & Culture 45 Health & Wellness 47 Community Profile: facts, stats and important numbers to know I M AG E S W I L K E S . C O M

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ACTION! ADVENTURE! “IT KEPT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY LAPTOP!”

“ WILKES LIKE IT’S NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”

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ONLINE CONTENTS More lists, links and tips for newcomers OF WILKES, NORTH CAROLINA SENIOR EDITOR LISA BATTLES COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS SUSAN CHAPPELL, KIM MADLOM, ANITA WADHWANI ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN, JESSICA MOZO DIRECTORIES EDITORS AMANDA KING, KRISTY WISE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAIGE CLANCY, RENEE ELDER, ANNE GILLEM, DAN MARKHAM, JOE MORRIS ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER TODD POTTER SENIOR AD PROJECT MANAGER SUZI M CGRUDER SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR SARA SARTIN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS WES ALDRIDGE, ANTONY BOSHIER, MICHAEL W. BUNCH, IAN CURCIO, BRIAN M CCORD PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER JESSICA BRAGONIER GRAPHIC DESIGN CANDICE HULSEY, LINDA MOREIRAS, DEREK MURRAY, AMY NELSON WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP WEB PRODUCTION JILL TOWNSEND DIGITAL ASSET MANAGER ALISON HUNTER COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN CORY MITCHELL AD TRAFFIC COORDINATOR JILL WYATT AD TRAFFIC SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART EXECUTIVE EDITOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS, JACKIE YATES RECRUITING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR NICOLE WILLIAMS CLIENT & SALES SERVICES MANAGER/ CUSTOM MAGAZINES PATTI CORNELIUS

Images of Wilkes is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Wilkes Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Wilkes Chamber of Commerce 717 Main St. • North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 (336) 838-8662 • Fax: (336) 838-3728 www.wilkesnc.org VISIT IMAGES OF WILKES ONLINE AT IMAGESWILKES.COM ©Copyright 2007 Journal Communications Inc., 361 Mallory Station Road, Ste. 102, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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Magazine Publishers of America

Member Custom Publishing Council Member Wilkes Chamber of Commerce

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IMAGESWILKES.COM

MOVING PICTURES Take a video tour of Wilkes at imageswilkes.com.

GET SMART ABOUT LOCAL SCHOOLS Find listings and links to schools, colleges and universities.

SEE HOW THE GARDENS GROW Get the dirt on growing seasons, soils and common challenges.

WHAT DO THE LOCALS EAT? Discover what makes cuisine in this region so deliciously different.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME Search for a new home, plus get moving tips and more at realtor.com.

A B O U T TH I S M AGA Z I N E Images of Wilkes is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Wilkes Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Wilkes tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

“Find the good – and praise it.”

– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

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Almanac

Museum Musings The Wilkes Heritage Museum has become a preferred tourism destination, thanks to its large number of unusual exhibits.

The museum opened in November 2005 inside the old Wilkes County Courthouse, which itself dates back to 1902. There are hundreds of artifacts on display at the museum, covering subjects such as Wilkes County early settlement, military history, industry, agriculture, medicine, communication, education, entertainment and transportation.

The 20,000-square-foot facility includes an auditorium, stage, theatrical lights and a surround sound system.

Tour goers also may visit the 1860 Old Wilkes Jail that is situated directly behind the museum, as well as the 1779 log home of Capt. Robert Cleveland, an American Revolutionary War soldier who is a hero in this area.

Party Central

Stitching Up Recognition Wilkes County Quilters Guild recently received the honor of having several of its members’ work displayed at the 2007 Travel Industry Association Conference. The guild has gained a reputation for fine work, partly because of the buzz generated each September when the group hosts the popular show, Wilkes Quilts, in Wilkesboro. The show has been in existence since 2001 and features quilts created by guild members as well as those made by visiting quilters. All proceeds from the show go toward workshops and community service projects, such as providing scores of crib quilts for babies and small youth quilts for children who benefit from local charities. Besides checking out the beautiful and intricately designed works on display, show attendees also enjoy drawings for items such as quilts and sewing machines, enabling them to take the joy of quilts and quilting home with them.

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Wilkes County boasts a ripe atmosphere for festivals, the largest of which is the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival. The event on the first Saturday of October draws more than 160,000 visitors to downtown North Wilkesboro and features arts and crafts vendors, musical performances, delicious foods and of course, an abundance of apples.

The annual festival is one of the biggest in the Southeast and is the primary fundraiser for the Brushy Mountain Ruritan Club. Another popular component of the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival is the Apple Jam, a musical event held at the corner of 10th and Main streets on the Friday evening prior to the festival.

Other major annual events include MerleFest in April, the Shine to Wine Festival in May, the Wilkes Heritage Festival in June, the Carolina in the Fall music fest in October and the Wilkes Agricultural Fair each fall.

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The Sense of Beauty

Feels Like Teen Spirit Teenagers need their independence, and Wilkes County residents have provided kids with their space – or spaces.

There are many facilities throughout the county that allow teens to meet in a fun and safe environment, including several soccer, baseball and softball fields, volleyball and basketball courts, and The Edge Extreme Sports Park at Lowe’s Park, which consists of a BMX track and skate park.

In North Wilkesboro, Tiffany’s Place Teen Center is for kids to hang out, play games, do homework and socialize. It is in the basement of Benton Hall, and it caters to middle-school students some days of the week and to high-school students other days.

The Eddy Merle Watson Garden of the Senses at Wilkes Community College is designed specifically for people who are blind or visually impaired, and features raised planters, Braille inscriptions and fragrant plants.

A winding wall called “Nature’s Alphabet” incorporates brick sculptures of things that represent letters in the English alphabet, from an armadillo for “A” to a zebra for “Z.”

Wilkes | At A Glance Wilkes County: 67,310 North Wilkesboro: 4,204 Wilkesboro: 3,204

Wilkes County

LOCATION Wilkes County is in western North Carolina, 45 miles west of Winston-Salem and 90 miles northwest of Charlotte.

BEGINNINGS Wilkes County was established officially in 1778 and named for Englishman John Wilkes, an outspoken opponent of English loyalists during the Revolutionary War. The county seat of Wilkesboro – originally spelled Wilkesborough – was incorporated in 1847, and North Wilkesboro was incorporated in 1891.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Wilkes Chamber of Commerce 717 Main St. P.O. Box 727 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 (336) 838-8662 Fax: (336) 838-3728 www.wilkesnc.org

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VIRGINIA NORTH CAROLINA

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WY PK E G

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Pleasant Hill Ronda

Fairplains 77 77

Wilkesboro Moravian Falls

421 North Wilkesboro

Ferguson 18

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Almanac

Good Vision

Fast Facts

The Wilkes Chamber of Commerce has set its sights on improving Wilkes County.

In 1998, the chamber established Wilkes Vision 20/20 to develop a long-range planning process for the community. Now as 2008 arrives, the chamber’s executive committee is looking back at what has worked with Vision 20/20 and what still needs to be addressed.

“Recent past successes include increasing the high-school graduation rate by 20 percentage points over the past five years, as well as seeing a four-lane highway loop become a reality around Wilkesboro,” says Fran Evans, director of Wilkes Vision 20/20. “On the other side, Wilkes is becoming a growing retirement destination, so we need to look into infrastructure to support that growth, plus how to increase our senior services.”

Evans says the community needs to also address upcoming water supply issues, the need for a new jail, a continued focus on graduation rates and an increased emphasis on tourism attraction.

“A lot of people are on board with this vision,” she says. “We’re getting things done.”

Q The town of Ronda, located in eastern Wilkes County, is celebrating its 100th anniversary throughout 2007.

Q Old Wilkes Jail is the only jail from which the notorious North Carolina escape artist Otto Wood did not escape. He was once held there when accused of stealing a bicycle at age 15. Wood went on to lead a life of crime, and escaped from 10 jails and prisons before being killed in 1930 by the Salisbury, N.C. police chief.

Q St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Wilkesboro is home to two incredible frescoes by worldrenowned artist Ben Long of Statesville.

The church arranges viewings of the art for those interested.

The Mighty Tory Oak An interesting Revolutionary War story has grown in stature over the years in Wilkes County.

In 1779, Col. Ben Cleveland authorized the hanging of five British Tory soldiers who had robbed the home of Lincoln County resident George Wilfong. The soldiers used Wilfong’s clothesline to lead off his horses, but they eventually were captured by Cleveland’s scouts.

Cleveland administered his justice by using Wilfong’s clothesline to hang the British loyalists from an oak tree in Wilkesboro.

The original Tory Oak lived for more than three centuries until it eventually rotted and was reduced to a 12-foot stump by 1992. The stump was finally removed that year, and the National Park Service designated the location as a Certified Protected Site.

In 1997, a young oak sapling was planted in its place as a historic reminder of the fight for independence.

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Q Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest features The Talking Tree Trail, which has “talking trees” that provide recorded messages about themselves, their location and forest history.

Q The incredible 600foot granite dome of Stone Mountain is the centerpiece of more than 13,000 beautiful mountainous acres composing Stone Mountain State Park.

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about Wilkes, visit imageswilkes.com.

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Permanent

Vacation MANY HIGH COUNTRY VISITORS ULTIMATELY DECIDE TO STAY

STORY BY RENEE ELDER PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

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hen busy Wilmington residents Sue and David Bridgers decided to take a vacation trip to the mountains, a friend recommended Wilkes County.

That’s where they discovered the perfect antidote to stress.

“We rented a place for about two or three years, then decided to build,” Sue Bridgers says.

The Bridgers built a home in the Leatherwood Mountains development in 2001. Now working as the manager of rental

properties for Leatherwood, Bridgers watches others fall under the High Country spell.

“They will come visit one time and say ‘oh my gosh,’ and fall in love,” Bridgers says. “Often, they will look at property the first time they come up. If they come up two or three times, more than likely they will buy. They love it because it’s so peaceful and quiet.”

Leatherwood is one of several developments catering to the increasing number of newcomers who decide to move to

David and Sue Bridgers’ home in Leatherwood Mountains provides a pristine natural environment as well as convenience to amenities found in the city, with Wilkesboro, Boone and Blowing Rock all within a 30-minute drive.

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A stay at Graystone Manor Bed and Breakfast in Wilkesboro includes a full, country-style breakfast each day.

Wilkes County after vacationing here. Lots in the 2,500acre development range from three to 40 acres, and many Leatherwood residents take advantage of the equestrian facilities, including a barn and riding trails, for which the development is known, Bridgers says.

About 40 of the 110 homes in Leatherwood are available for vacation rentals. Other short-stay options may be found through 4 Seasons Vacation Rental, which lists more than 50 chalets and cabins on its Web site. Visitors may choose from a wide range of accommodations, including luxuriously appointed chalets, cozy secluded cabins, riverside cottages and homes with long-range mountain views.

Those looking for a home-away-from-home atmosphere while exploring the area’s real estate market will find it at Graystone Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn in Wilkesboro. Opened in 2006 by Georgina Thompson, the inn retains the charm of a bygone era but has the conveniences that modern travelers expect, including Sleep Number® beds in most of the rooms, Thompson says.

Events such as the MerleFest Americana music celebration, the Apple Festival, the Shine to Wine Festival and the Wilkes Heritage Festival give visitors a chance to really experience the community’s energy and personality, Thompson says.

“They like the river, the greenway, the antique stores and shopping – especially the cute shops downtown,” she adds.

Those who ultimately decide to invest in the High Country lifestyle can choose from several new year-round developments.

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Chestnut Mountain, which is in its third phase of build-out, offers elegant custom homes. Laurelmor, a new 6,000-acre development

by Ginn Clubs & Resorts, will be loaded with amenities, such as a spa, golf courses, restaurants and a movie theater. Lot prices in Laurelmor start at $500,000.

Nature lovers also may be drawn to Cielo Falls, where 1,100 scenic acres are being developed in partnership with Heritage Log Homes to emphasize the area’s natural amenities, says Bill McDonald, sales director.

“The neighborhood already has nice trout streams, but we want to make it the most sought-after trout fishing area in the country by enhancing them,” McDonald says.

With 600 acres dedicated to green space, the development will also have walking trails and a small grocery store.

“Cielo Falls will be truly a community, with a little more than 500 families,” McDonald says. Lots start at $180,000 and homes will range from about 2,000 to more than 6,000 square feet. The first homes were being completed in summer 2007.

“Some buyers want to move in full time right away, and others are hoping to be here part time for now and then move in full time over the next couple of years,” he says.

A big selling point for Cielo Falls – like much of Wilkes County – is its convenient location.

“You have the feeling of being away, but in reality you’re pretty close to pretty much anything you want to do,” McDonald says.

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Cielo Falls, a residential development, is part of the growing “green development” trend that focuses on preserving the land’s natural characteristics.

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When There

Are Wheels,

The Blue Ridge Parkway is considered among the best routes in the country for motorcycle touring.

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There’s a

Way MOUNTAINS BECKON CYCLISTS AND BIKERS

STORY BY PAIGE CLANCY PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

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he mountainous terrain of Wilkes County long ago served as training grounds for some of NASCAR’s earliest stars, providing treacherous routes for moonshine runners in souped-up hotrods and the prohibition officers who pursued them.

While those days are long gone, the area today still attracts thrill-seekers – yet they are on two wheels instead of four, and take to the hills for scenery instead of economic necessity. While mountain bikers enjoy the trails at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, motors roar through the mountains as thousands of Harley-Davidson riders take to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

For mountain bikers, the Dark Mountain Trails and the less-technical Overmountain Victory Trail both provide fast rides with views of Kerr Scott and were built by cyclists who plan to expand them further.

“We designed and built the trails ourselves,” says Jim Horton, trail boss for the Brushy Mountain Cyclists Club.

Dark Mountain is a network of about eight miles of compact trails, including the scenic Fish Dam Creek Trail. Also featuring scenic waterfront views, the OVT was built to closely follow the

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Crossroads Harley Davidson in Wilkesboro has been in business since 1994 and offers a variety of new and used motorcycles for sale.

federally designated Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, which was the route Patriots from the area hiked in October 1780 to the Battle of Kings Mountain, a pivotal conflict in the Revolutionary War. The OVT connects to Bandits Roost Campground, where tourists can leave their campsites on bikes to hit the trails. Horton says a small group of volunteers continues to work on constructing loops off of the 6-mile OVT. In addition, BMCC hosts several races throughout the year, including the BURN 24-Hour Challenge and a Super-D Race Series for mountain bikers, as well as three road-biking events in the area.

The club continues to create new mountain-biking events in hopes of drawing more cyclists to the trails.

Not far from here, Harley-Davidson riders flock to the Blue Ridge Parkway, designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Scenic Byways Program as an All-American Road. “People come from all over the country to ride the Blue Ridge Park-

Jim Horton rides the Dark Mountain Biking Trail, which features a challenging climb from lake level to the top of a ridge.

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way,” says Susie Huffman, director of the Wilkesboro Chapter of the Harley Owners Group, which is sponsored by Crossroads HarleyDavidson in Wilkesboro.

Huffman says the 90-member chapter is a nonprofit organization that follows the motto “To Ride and Have Fun.” She says the chapter is like family, as everyone feels like

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brothers and sisters.

In a nod to the area’s moonshining heritage, riders’ camaraderie is celebrated every summer with the Moonshine Ride, an event open to members and non-members. Huffman says the open event allows people to learn about the chapter so they might consider joining, and the ride also raises funds for chapter programming

and charitable contributions.

As many as 100 bikes embark at about 6 p.m. for a ride consisting of approximately four hours of driving routes that moonshine runners might have taken many years ago, Huffman says.

“We try to have the event when it’s a full moon,” she says. “It’s a cool little concept.”

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Plenty of

PALATE

PLEASERS

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DELICIOUS DINING ABOUNDS IN WILKES COUNTY STORY BY JOE MORRIS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

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ny way you slice it, sauté it or serve it up, residents throughout Wilkes County are becoming increasingly well-fed, thanks to several new and refurbished eateries. Whether it’s steak and seafood for a special occasion, or taking care of that barbeque craving, there’s a restaurant in town that fits the bill.

And the locations are just as varied as the menus. Take the Key City Grille, which opened in March 2007 in a historic building in North Wilkesboro. Over time it’s been home to at least one other restaurant and, reportedly, a brothel, according to owner Andy McDowell.

“We’ve got tax records back to 1938, but it’s older than that,” he says of Key City Grille’s three-story building. “I’m not sure about the third-floor brothel, but that’s the story.”

Today, the building is better known for its scandalously delicious menu offerings, largely consisting of American fare with Asian and Mediterranean influences, including everything from low country shrimp to vegetarian dishes.

The restaurant seats 60 and takes its name from North Wilkesboro’s designation as the key to the Blue Ridge Mountains. As for the décor, McDowell wanted to capture the area’s flavor, so along with hardwood floors and tile throughout, the restaurant features historical photos of the community from 1885 to about 1950.

Want something with a Pacific flair? Then head on over to Takobe Japanese Steakhouse, where your entrée can be prepared tableside, or you can get sushi made to order.

“It took people a little while to get used to it, but we’ve gotten very busy,” says owner Tommy Nguyen. “We don’t have any kind of restaurant like this in Wilkes County, so people like to come and see what we do.”

Takobe’s claim to fame is the Kobe special, which involves chicken, steak, shrimp and scallops all in one meal. And there’s a lot of it being prepared, as the restaurant seats up to 200 people and Nguyen says he’s busy for lunch and dinner every day.

More in the mood for some comfort food? Swing by Brushy Mountain Barbecue and Creamery and load up on some down-home classics.

Since opening in October 2002, the restaurant has been doing booming business both in-house and with its catering services, so much so that part-owner Jeff Swofford and other family members have opened a new restaurant in Robbinsville and are putting the final touches on a third

location in Cherokee, set to open in June 2007.

“We’ve been in food service for years in different areas, but this was our first venture into a sit-down dining restaurant,” Swofford says. “And we’ve been really pleased at the response.”

In addition to serving up Swofford’s signature pulled-pork barbeque, the restaurant’s homemade ice cream has also been a hit with customers.

“We’ve always got 18 or 20 different flavors, and since we make it on site we can have a good variety,” Swofford says.

Left: Key City Grille’s offerings include sea bass with shrimp and cheesecake. Right: Tommy Nguyen demonstrates how food is prepared on a hibachi grill at his Wilkesboro restaurant, Takobe Japanese Steakhouse.

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Business

Tastes Like (Slow-Roasted)

Chicken TYSON LEADS POULTRY INDUSTRY IN COOKED PRODUCTS INNOVATION

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STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

H

olly Farms had made a huge impact on Wilkes County when Tyson Foods bought them out in 1989.

Now, Tyson is making a major impact on the poultry industry – not only in Wilkes County, but nationwide.

The Tyson Cooked Products plant in Wilkesboro has introduced an innovative method of roasting chicken that no other U.S. company in the industry is using. It involves slow-roasting chickens for two hours, compared to methods typically used by other poultry-producing companies, which involve deep-frying whole chickens in batter for 20-30 minutes.

“We use a high-temperature, dryheat roasting process that gives us a unique finished product,” says Gary Johnson, manager of the Tyson Cooked Products plant. “You get a more flavorful chicken by slow-roasting it, plus this process offers many other advantages to our customers.”

Those advantages include providing consumers with chicken that has not been treated by any chemicals and has no chemical preservatives in the packaging.

“Consumers are familiar with everything on the label of a package of Tyson oven-roasted chicken, and they can pronounce all the ingredients,” says Tim Shaw, senior food technologist for research and development at Tyson Cooked Products.

Johnson says Tyson oven-roasted chicken can have a shelf life of up to 45 days, compared to chemically treated chicken packages that last about 10 days.

“We feature high-quality packages that specifically come from Wilkesboro, and we ship all over the country – even to Hawaii,” he says. “And none of our oven-roasted chicken is ever frozen.”

Johnson says that when Holly Farms was in business, they took a gamble in 1986 on a research project by purchasing special convection ovens that were

Left: Tyson Foods Inc. employs more than 3,000 people locally, including senior food technologist and research developer Tim Shaw and plant manager Gary Johnson.

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Tyson’s Oven Roasted line provides a variety of options to consumers, from hot and spicy wings to chicken breast halves and whole chickens.

manufactured in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Scots invented a process that produces healthier roasted chicken, and Holly Farms embraced the method. Tyson has been perfecting the process ever since it bought Holly Farms in 1989.

“Besides slow-cooking the chicken, Tyson uses a process that reduces the amount of oxygen in the packages, thus increasing the shelf life,” Johnson says. “We also use a technique called high-pressure pasteurization that we introduced in March 2007, which further destroys any microorganisms that might be in a package. It is the most high-tech way to get safe, tasty chicken

to the consumer.”

The Wilkesboro plant oven-roasts about 40,000 whole chickens a day, and it also has a test kitchen for designing new, healthy flavors to meet the changing palate preferences of American consumers.

“For example, Tyson is getting ready to introduce a garlic herb chicken that has the best blend of herbs and the right amount of garlic to please consumer taste buds,” Shaw says. “Our kitchen not only has the expertise in food science and animal science, but we must be familiar with culinary arts. We do whatever it takes to be the very best in the poultry industry.”

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PHOTOS BY IAN CURCIO

Business | Biz Briefs

The new Rose Glen Village senior community on West Main Street in Wilkesboro has drawn new residents from as far away as Florida but also is home to several longtime area residents who enjoy its many resort-like amenities.

SENIORS SHINE AT ROSE GLEN VILLAGE Don’t expect a slow pace of living at Rose Glen Village, a residential community for senior citizens.

The residential facility is designed for independent living, offering services such as a dining room, housekeeping and transportation for shopping and doctor’s appointments. The idea is to help active, independent seniors stay that way, says Martha Nichols, community relations director.

“We are providing a need that really had not been met before with this beautiful retirement community,” Nichols says of the 100-apartment complex, which opened in February 2007. “It’s wonderful for people who are tired of cooking and having to keep up a house.”

And there’s very little time to sit around at Rose Glen. An arts and crafts room jockeys for activity with the game and card room, and a near-daily regimen of field trips and other activities keep the rocking chairs – if you can find any – from being overused.

“The community is really behind us, 22

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and people really like it here,” Nichols says. “We’ve got lots of wonderful activities in-house, and we take lots of road trips. It’s a wonderful place for people who want to cut back on their home-owning responsibilities, but still have a great place to live.”

FLYING INTO TOWN The skies above Wilkes County are about to get busier as Dove Air Inc. opens its new avionics shop in the former Lowe’s building near the airport.

The company, based in Asheville, opened the facility in October 2006.

It will house a paint and interior shop, radio work facility and eventually a sales office, says Joe Duncan, president and owner.

“We needed more storage space, plus we have some other projects in the works, and this building gave us the room to do it,” Duncan says.

Duncan has been selling planes since 1971 and has owned more Citations than anyone else in the world. Dove’s stock in trade ranges from single-engine planes to private jets.

Since the building is coupled with an airport that allows for air-instrument approach as well as existing hangars, it was a perfect fit, Duncan says.

“The facility was nice, the price was right, and the people in North Wilkesboro were very nice to do business with,” he says. “They are as good people as any you can find.”

A HANDS-DOWN SUCCESS The textile business has taken some hits in recent years with many jobs sent overseas, but don’t tell the folks at Wilkesboro’s Manzella Knitting & Co., who continue to enjoy growth and a comfortable fit in the community.

A venture of Manzella Productions, the factory in Wilkesboro makes the gloves used in food production. The parent company is well known for its outdoor, snow sports, hunting, uniform and tactical gloves, some of which may eventually be produced in the Wilkesboro plant.

“We’re doing the industrial-type gloves here now,” says Richard Duncan, plant manager. “We’re starting to make the ones that the car companies will use WILKES

in their production facilities.”

The plant is producing about 6,000 dozen pairs of gloves a week, a figure that could climb significantly as the need grows, Duncan says. The factory’s staff of 48 is expected to grow as well, hopefully reaching 60 in the coming months as new equipment is added.

“We’ve grown more than I thought we would be able to do, what with textiles not being a good market right now in the United States,” he says. “But this is a good area to be in. This building had 300 people in it at one time, when Wilkesboro was the glove capital of the world. We hope to get back there again.”

100 YEARS OF SERVICE While there is no shortage of places to get your news these days, Wilkes County residents know that three times a week, all the local news is going to land on their doorsteps.

The Wilkes Journal-Patriot has been covering the community for 100 years. It publishes Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and has more than 15,000 paid subscribers. As more and more smalltown newspapers are struggling to stay in business, the longevity and relevance of the newspaper is testament to the Hubbard family’s devotion to the area.

“I think there’s still a good opportunity for community newspapers, and there’s a lot we can offer,” says Buddy Hubbard, co-publisher. “We’ve attempted to the best of our ability to be fair in our news treatment; we don’t have any axes to grind. We’re non-partisan and we don’t take political positions. I hope and believe that

people trust our paper for being honest and fair.”

Going forward, Hubbard and his brother John, who serves as co-publisher, plan to expand their online presence in order to keep the paper current.

“Our circulation is holding well, and we’re one of the larger non-dailies in North Carolina,” Hubbard says. “But I’m sure the trend is towards more of a Web presence, and we’ll have to do that too.”

COMMITTED TO UNDERTAKING The community and economy in Wilkes County have grown and changed over the years, but one thing hasn’t changed for Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home: making sure that families’ needs are met, says Wayne Myers, the company’s president.

For almost a century, Wilkes County families have counted on ReinsSturdivant at their most difficult of times, during the loss of loved ones.

The company also has built a solid

reputation upon its community improvement and enrichment efforts, from sponsoring a radio ministry for the Ebenezer Christian Children’s Home on Sunday mornings to working with the county’s law enforcement associations on different fund-raising projects.

“We also have worked with the Wilkes Art Gallery, the Wilkes Heritage Museum and the library to raise funds for their new buildings,” Myers says.

As a result, Reins-Sturdivant’s family of 23 employees is well known throughout the community, and the company’s high profile makes sensitive matters like funeral pre-planning seem much less intimidating for residents.

“We do a great amount of preplanning with people,” says Myers, who has been with the funeral home for 31 years. “It’s a good way for people to make all those decisions in advance.

Then the family knows exactly what the person wanted, and it’s a real burden off their shoulders.”

– Joe Morris

Two papers merged to create the Wilkes Journal-Patriot in 1932.

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

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reinssturdivant.com

Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home 838-3178

Scenic Memorial Gardens 667-6339

270 Armory Road • P.O. Box 1428 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659

545 Moravian Falls Road Wilkesboro, NC 28697

A growing force in Wilkes County

Transforming value

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

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

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

www.compucredit.com WILKES

Business | Chamber Report

IAN CURCIO

The Wilkes Chamber of Commerce has advocated progressive growth since its establishment in 1946.

Coming Down the Mountain WILKES COUNTY LEADERS PREPARE FOR INCREASING RESIDENTIAL GROWTH

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n 2006, a property developer purchased 6,000 acres between Wilkes and Watauga counties, and will construct 1,500 high-end homes on lots selling for $500,000 apiece.

Another developer bought 1,400 acres to build homes in Wilkes County, and yet another developer has acquired 1,300 acres for a largescale residential project.

“In the last year or so, huge developments have begun to crop up in Wilkes County – and that’s all new for us,” says Linda Cheek, president of the 700-member Wilkes Chamber of Commerce. “Many people from Florida are purchasing second homes so they can live in our mountain setting during the summer, plus several other people are discovering Wilkes as a retirement destination for year-round living.”

Cheek says neighboring Watauga County has always been a popular place for retirees and second-home owners, and now Wilkes County is being discovered 30 miles down the road.

WILKES

“The prices of property in Watauga are high, so homebuyers are suddenly coming down the mountain to discover what we have to offer,” she says. “Wilkes is part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, so property owners here can see the mountains as well as actually live in the mountains in some cases.”

Cheek says increased residential growth will bring positive change to the county’s overall quality of life.

“New people arriving will need services provided to them, including increased health care for retirees, more retail choices and additional restaurants,” Cheek says. “The chamber is already doing what we can to help get the word out that several jobs will need to be filled – and pretty quickly.”

Cheek says the education system is preparing for the upcoming influx of residents by offering a variety of academic programs at the four county high schools and Wilkes Community College to train students in specific fields.

“There are going to be good, highpaying jobs in the construction industry with a need for electricians, plumbers, carpenters and so forth,” she says. “Our high schools and college are offering these kinds of career-oriented classes to help keep technically oriented students interested in school, plus meet the future needs of our workforce.”

While Wilkes County used to be known for its textile industry, Cheek says the future job market will feature plenty of new opportunities in the aforementioned areas of construction, health care, retail, restaurants, and computer technology.

“Wilkes County is also becoming more and more of a tourism destination, with our annual Merlefest music celebration along with the growing list of wineries, museums and summer festivals,” Cheek says. “The chamber is preparing itself for when things start happening in Wilkes on a really big scale – which will be soon.”

– Kevin Litwin I M AG E S W I L K E S . C O M

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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 (2005) Industry

No. Employed

Percentage

Annual Wage

1,530

6.6

$10,556

Administrative & waste

565

2.4

$21,996

Agriculture, forestry

130

0.6

$24,076

23,341

100

$31,356

64

0.3

$15,444

Construction

940

4.0

$27,820

Educational

2,318

9.9

$27,768

911

3.9

$40,560

Total government

4,549

19.5

$33.956

Health care & social assistance

2,770

11.9

$27,352

310

1.3

$36,400

5,087

21.8

$27,820

1,921

8.2

$76,908

502

2.2

$17,628

18,792

80.5

$31,668

512

2.2

$35,204

1,160

5.0

$31,824

INCOME AND EARNINGS

121

0.5

$21,320

Per Capita Personal Income, 2005

2,646

11.3

$21,372

Wilkes County, $30,553

818

3.5

$38,012

Average Earning Per Job, 2006

Unclassified

77

0.3

$21,320

Wilkes County, $31,200

Utilities

44

0.2

$49,400

895

3.8

$41,132

Accommodations & food services

All industry Arts, entertainment, recreation

Finance & insurance

Information Manufacturing Mgmt of companies Other services Total private industry Professional & technical Public administration Real estate & rental & leasing Retail Transportation & warehousing

Wholesale trade

TRANSPORTATION Airports

Source: Employment Security Commission

Wilkes County Airport (336) 696-2000 general aviation airport Nearest commercial airports Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Charlotte, 90 miles away (704) 359-4801 Piedmont Triad International Airport, Greensboro, 70 miles away, (336) 668-9808 Hickory Regional Airport, Hickory, 45 miles away (828) 323-7408

Median Family Income, 2005 Wilkes County, $25,8051 Source: N.C. Department of Commerce

Wilkes County is the birthplace of Lowe’s, Gardner Glass Products, East Coast Millwork Distributors and The Interflex Group.

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WILKES

MAJOR EMPLOYERS Company

No. Employed

Tyson Foods Inc.

3,000+

Lowes Companies Inc. 2,000+ Wilkes County Board of Education

1,500+

County of Wilkes

500-999

Wilkes Regional Medical Center

500-999

American Drew

250-499

CompuCredit Corp. 250-499 ECMD Inc. – East Coast Millwork Distributors 250-499 LP – Louisiana Pacific Corp.

250-499

N.C. Dept. of Transportation

250-499

Villages of Wilkes

250-499

Wachovia

250-499

Wal-Mart

250-499

Wilkes Community College 250-499 Avante of Wilkesboro 100-249 Britthaven of Wilkesboro

100-249

Gardner Glass Products Inc.

100-249

Key City Furniture Co. 100-249 Lowes Foods

100-249

State of North Carolina

100-249

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

We’ll take your breath away … or let you catch it.

Wilkes County, NC Where the Mountains Begin Breathtaking sports adventure or relaxed respite?

Make it yours. Create a personalized itinerary at wilkescountytourism.com

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

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

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WILKES Heritage Museum and Historic Properties Self-guided tours of the museum Guided tours of the Cleveland home and Old Wilkes Jail given three times daily Seasonal events Museum gift shop Hands on activities for school groups

Hours of Operation: Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

100 E. Main St. Downtown Wilkesboro

(336) 667-3171 www.wilkesheritagemuseum.com

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WILKES COUNTY SCHOOLS is the 36th largest district in the state of North Carolina. Student enrollment for 2006-2007 is over 10,000 learners. There are 22 schools in the Wilkes County School District: 13 elementary schools, four newly constructed middle schools, four high schools currently undergoing major new construction and renovation projects and one career education center. All schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

You may learn more about the school district or individual schools by visiting our Web site at www.wilkes.k12.nc.us.

(336) 667-1121

It is the mission of Wilkes County Schools to be committed to excellence in teaching and to the belief that all students can learn.

Our goal is to promote high expectations for students’ success through a partnership of school, home and community.

With the opening of the Stone Family Center for Performing Arts in 2006, Wilkes County Schools renewed its commitment to Fine Arts Programs. The Stone Family auditorium and stage are equipped with state-of-the-art sound and light systems. Students have delighted audiences with musical presentations, dramatic performances, dinner theatres and talent shows.

The student art galleries are also housed at The Stone Family Center for Performing Arts.

In Wilkes County Schools, we are Building Dreams Together.

WILKES

Portfolio

IAN CURCIO

One of philanthropist Pete Kulynych’s first jobs was with the Civilian Conservation Corps, which helped build the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Now That’s Home Improvement RETIRED LOWE’S EXECUTIVE PETE KULYNYCH NOW FOCUSES ENERGY ON MANY PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS

F

rom his start as a bookkeeper for a little hardware store in North Wilkesboro to a career as one of Lowe’s top executives, Petro “Pete” Kulynych has worked hard to make a difference along the way. Now that he’s retired, that hasn’t changed.

The son of Ukrainian immigrants, Kulynych used his GI benefits to attend WILKES

accounting school, then went to work for North Wilkesboro Hardware, owned by two gentlemen named Lowe and Buchanan. From there he became the first employee in what grew to be Lowe’s Companies, Inc., where he stayed until his retirement.

Kulynych has created two foundations and has paid for the education of

six grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren. And he hasn’t just looked after his own kids; he’s made life better for the generations to come throughout Wilkes County, endowing projects such as a teen center, theater, soccer field and skate park.

Another example of his philanthropy is the Kulynych Family Life Center, a part of the Rainbow Center for Children. His late wife, Roena, was a board member of the center, and when she passed away he says he wanted to do something that would both honor her and help the town.

“They take care of children, and she cared about the organization, so I wanted to build that building for them,” he says.

Anyone who knows Kulynych and his work ethic can be certain that the center won’t be his last mark on the community, either.

“I’m almost 86, and I can’t get off the wagon,” he says. “I have an office full of papers and I stay busy all the time. My health is good, and the mailbox stays full, so even though I’m beginning to downgrade some, pare down a little, I have a lot going on.

But when you’re 85, you start making plans. I’ve made arrangements for these foundations that my daughters are going to run, so they’ll go on.”

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

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IAN CURCIO

All Aboard!

I

There’s Never Been a Better Time to Get Healthy at the

All Ages Welcome

Mon.-Fri. 5 a.m.-9 p.m. • Sat. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. • Sun. 1 p.m.-6 p.m.

For More Information, Contact the YMCA at 838–3991 Financial Assistance www.WilkesYMCA.org Available

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

f you’re in the mood to relive a bit of railroad history, stop by Black Cat Station.

Home of the Yadkin Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, the station makes its home at 800 Elizabeth St. in North Wilkesboro, the former location of the Wilkes Art Gallery. The society runs a 1/87th scale model railroad at the site, named in honor of the Black Cat Sandwich Shop that was an earlier tenant of the building.

The model railroad has five lines, each 135 feet in length, running around the main room. The first one, afreight line, became operational in 2005, and the society’s members have been adding, moving, tinkering and otherwise improving the total layout ever since.

“We’re going to be expanding a little bit, putting in a turntable for aesthetic and other reasons,” says Charles S. Williams, the chapter’s president. “The lines aren’t completed, and it’ll be several years before we’re done.”

The chapter meets on the second Thursday of every month and hosts open houses on Saturdays and for other occasions, such as when a railroad club from another town comes to call. The club has approximately 40 members, several of whom are retired and put in plenty of hours making sure the trains run on time.

For Williams, who has his own line at home in the basement, the club is an opportunity for train enthusiasts to enjoy a shared passion and pick up a little knowledge along the way.

“It’s a learning experience for us,” Williams says. “We’ve only had a few open houses and are only open one day a week, but we’re getting some crowds around Christmas during the tree lighting. It’s just a natural, kids and trains. The community has really taken to us.”

The National Railway Historical Society Yadkin Valley Chapter’s Black Cat Station offers visitors a peek into railroad history during open houses and special events.

WILKES

Portfolio 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Benny Parsons was born in Wilkes County on July 12, 1941.

Shining Memorial or three years now, North Wilkesboro has come alive in early May for the Shine to Wine Festival, which features the offerings of area wineries. Staged by Historic Downtown North Wilkesboro, the event has been successful both in promoting a new product for the region and drawing people into the many shops and businesses downtown.

In 2007, however, the festival had an extra-special meaning: It was held in honor of 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Benny Parsons, who passed away in January 2007. Parsons, in preparing to retire from a successful broadcasting career, had already committed to his next adventure – a winery called Rendezvous Ridge in Purlear.

A Wilkes County native, Parsons had looked forward to participating in the festival as a vendor, says Melissa Smithey, executive director of Historic Downtown North Wilkesboro.

“He and his wife, Terri, were so excited about their new winery and he talked about being able to pour at the festival,” Smithey says. “When he passed away, we felt the need to do something for him to honor all of his achievements, and having the festival in honor of him just seemed like a natural.”

The festival drew 1,000 attendees and 13 wineries and featured an exhibit of Parsons memorabilia at the library.

“There were a lot of people going in there and looking at the stuff, and everybody was excited and happy about what she’s doing,” Smithey says.

“She and their two sons were there, and people were really happy to get to meet them.”

Terri Parsons recently opened the Benny Parsons Rendezvous Ridge Wine Tasting Room and Benny Parsons Museum on Highway 421 North.

WILKES

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOTORSPORTS IMAGES & ARCHIVES

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

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Portfolio

Meals That Are a Blessing F

amilies having trouble making ends meet don’t have to worry as much about putting food on the table, thanks to a unique coalition of churches, a non-profit and the North Wilkesboro Rotary Club.

The Rotary has teamed up with several area churches and Nurture Appalachia Community Development Corp. to operate a local distribution center for Angel Food Ministries, a food outreach program with operations in 31 states. Angel Food Ministries began

in 1994 as a way to get food to people who didn’t want to take charity. Instead of giving food away, the program sells boxes of meat and other groceries at a discount. Basically, once a month a family can buy about $50 to $60 worth of food for $25, with occasional $18 specials on meat or other items worth about $35, according to Dave Evans, executive director of Nurture Appalachia Community Development Corp., a local non-profit involved in the year-old North Wilkesboro effort.

“People sometimes don’t want to take food for free because they’re proud,” Evans says. “This isn’t free, but it’s a real value compared to what they would have to spend at the grocery store.”

The various partners began distributing food once a month in May 2006, and do so from the North Wilkesboro Agricultural Fairground, which the Rotary Club owns. Right now about 300 boxes of food are distributed, and the site has become a hub of activity for other distribution services in the area.

For the Rotary Club, this is an unusual venture but one that lives up to the club’s motto, “service above self,” says Nancy Joyce, president.

“We usually run our own events, and this is a joint sponsorships with the local church community and a nonprofit, and it’s also monthly,” Joyce says. “But we have a million ways of giving back to the community, opening horizons, so this is a good fit for us.”

An average unit of Angel Food groceries contains enough food to feed a family of four for one week or a single senior for a month.

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

WILKES

om Dooley may have been hanging his head down in the famous song

by The Kingston Trio, but he’d have plenty to brag about these days, with an annual play about his life and even a posthumous mock trial that found him innocent of murder.

The play, Tom Dooley: A Wilkes County Legend, is the creation of playwright Karen Reynolds, who also is the executive director of the Wilkes Playmakers, which this year will stage its seventh running. For Reynolds, a Ferguson native, the subject was a natural.

“In 2000, we decided we wanted to do an annual event that would help with tourism, and everyone knew the story of Tom Dooley,” Reynolds says.

“I was asked to write it, so I did.”

After becoming the theater troupe’s executive director in 2003, the pace picked up for Reynolds, who since has authored The Scarlett O’Hara Complex, a show that was taken to New York for two weeks in November 2006, and Shadow Dancing, which has been performed both locally and at the Andy Griffith Playhouse in Mt. Airy.

Her newest effort, which will debut in October 2007, is Thunder and Lightning: The Junior Johnson Story, which highlights the area’s contributions to moonshining and stock car racing.

“When people come to Wilkes County, the things they ask about the most are Tom Dooley, Junior Johnson, moonshining and NASCAR, so we thought it was time to tell Junior’s story too,” Reynolds says.

Oh, and along the way she’s gotten Dooley a little late justice.

“A few years ago we were asked to perform for the North Carolina Society of Supreme Court Historians, so we did the courtroom scene from Tom Dooley for them,” she says. “They decided that all the evidence was circumstantial, so today he would have walked, written a book and been on ‘Oprah.’”

– Stories by Joe Morris

IAN CURCIO

Playwright Is Heads Above the Rest T

Karen W. Reynolds is the executive director for Wilkes Playmakers, a theater company founded in 1990.

WILKES

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

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Image Gallery

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

WILKES

PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

View from the Blue Ridge Parkway

WILKES

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

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Image Gallery

A waterfall at Cielo Falls

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

WILKES

PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN CURCIO

A cow rests in a field in Purlear

WILKES

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

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Education

IAN CURCIO

East Wilkes High School is one of 22 educational facilities within the Wilkes County School System.

Making Good (Up)Grades WILKES COUNTY SCHOOLS DEDICATES $36 MILLION TO IMPROVEMENTS AT ALL FOUR OF THE SYSTEM’S HIGH SCHOOLS

A

s principal of East High School in the late 1980s, Phil Couch championed the idea of expanding the facility.

Almost two decades later, the retired administrator is getting his wish – and then some.

All four of Wilkes County’s public high schools – East, North, South and Central – are benefiting from a $36 million improvement project that is adding space for new classrooms, gymnasiums and other amenities.

Though building simultaneously at all four schools can be taxing, it also has its advantages. Wilkes County Schools is employing one architectural firm, Pinnacle Architecture, and the system also has appointed Couch as the manager overseeing all four projects.

Having served as the district’s assistant superintendent, Couch was responsible for all of the school district’s facilities, so he has first-hand knowledge about each building’s particular needs. Couch worked in the school system for 35 years before retiring at the conclusion of the 2006 school year.

“We were talking about the need for this 17-18 years ago,” Couch says. “It’s going to be a real cherry when it’s done.”

The project is expected to take 18-24 months and will

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result in significant upgrades at all of the facilities. West High School is adding 30 new classrooms to replace 24 existing rooms, plus a new varsity gymnasium; North will add 34 rooms in place of 20 existing rooms; and East will have 15 new rooms replacing 18 existing rooms and eight modular classrooms, plus a varsity gymnasium. Work at all three buildings is being done in phases, as existing rooms must be torn down in addition to the construction.

At Central, the youngest of the buildings, no teardown is necessary. The school is gaining a new auxiliary gymnasium, as well as 15 new rooms to replace eight modular classrooms.

Construction has proceeded ahead of schedule at most of the sites thanks to a warm, dry winter. The only delay was at East, where some unexpected foundation work was needed.

Administrators have tried to keep the impact minimal on the students and teachers throughout the construction phase, though Superintendent Dr. Stephen Laws says some accommodations were made. However, those minor inconveniences for the schools’ inhabitants likely will be forgotten in 2007-08 when they start “reaping the benefits,” Laws says.

The new classrooms will be about 150 square feet larger, while hallways will be wider. And all of the new rooms will be as technology-friendly as possible.

“It’s just a far more comfortable setting and it’s far more conducive to learning,” Laws says of the new facilities.

Unlike some rapidly growing districts, the student population at Wilkes County has remained fairly stable.

But the project was undertaken “with growth in mind,” Laws says.

– Dan Markham WILKES

A Spectacular New Space for Science LOWE’S HALL AT WCC PROVIDES CLASSROOMS ON THE CUTTING EDGE tudents will have the latest and greatest technological advances at their fingertips in the new Lowe’s Hall at Wilkes Community College, the first step in the college’s Next Step Campaign.

The four-story, 35,000square-foot building opened in January 2007 and is home to the college’s science and math departments.

In 2000, WCC created a master facilities task force to determine the most pressing needs of the college.

“The biggest need identified, first and foremost, was for new space for science,” says Dr. Gordon Burns, president of Wilkes Community College.

The school launched a fund-raising campaign to pay for the $7 million building, plus additional money for 449 parking spaces. Funds raised from private donations and grants from science and education foundations was spent wisely on Lowe’s Hall, which features new classrooms for biology, chemistry, physics and math. The building also serves as a bridge from the college’s upper and lower campuses, Burns says.

The building’s high-tech amenities include wireless Internet connectivity throughout, classrooms equipped with ceiling-mounted digital projectors, and two cyber classrooms that allow WCC to connect with area high schools.

Additionally, the school has opened its two-way, audiovisual capabilities to local business and industry for conducting interactive video conferencing.

“It’s state-of-the-art, there’s no question about it,” says Burns. “Other universities are in

WILKES

awe of what we have here.”

But more important than the reaction of outsiders to the school’s development is the uniformly positive response of the students and instructors, Burns says.

Administrators at WCC, which has the equivalent of 3,500 fulltime students enrolled, would still like to add more than 25,000 square feet of classroom space, likely to occur during Phase 2 of the Next Step campaign.

– Dan Markham

Wilkes Community College is part of the North Carolina Community College System, a network of 58 institutions throughout the state.

IAN CURCIO

S

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

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Education

Teacher Makes the Grade WEST WILKES HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR WINS NEA TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD

to come to West Wilkes, thinking that getting some experience in a rural location would probably be a good idea, Brooks says. “I became very involved in the community,” he continues. “I found it was a great place to live and work, and I’ve stayed here ever since.”

Brooks’ passion for teaching garnered him national recognition in 2007 when he received the National

Education Association Member BenefitsNEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence.

Brooks has taught students at all levels from ninth through 12th grades at the 700-student school. He taught Advanced Placement English during the 2006-07 school year, and he also has developed classes in cinema and photojournalism. The latter started with just a handful of kids, a couple of digital cameras and a computer he brought from home, Brooks says. Now, students present a morning news program and work with people in the community to produce videos.

“It’s really exciting to see how this one elective course has fueled an interest in a number of kids,” Brooks says. “It’s given them a way to express themselves that they have carried with them beyond high school.”

Brooks says new courses such as these keep education fresh, adding that he thrives on change and innovation.

“Every semester and every school year, there’s an opportunity to revisit what you have done and improve upon it,” Brooks says.

– Anne Gillem

PHOTO COURTESY OF RUSSELL HIRSHORN

When Jim Brooks graduated from Appalachian State University, he thought his teaching career would take him to a school in an urban setting. Instead, he has spent 22 years as an English teacher at West Wilkes High School in Millers Creek – and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Even though I felt at the time I was headed for a more urban area, I decided

Billie Jean King presents Jim Brooks with the NEA Member Benefits-NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence.

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WILKES

IAN CURCIO

Sports & Recreation

John Alexander often provides guided tours to customers of his company, Roaring River Canoe Rentals, but one of his most regular companions on the Roaring River is his dog, Max, who seems to enjoy the outings as much as his owner.

Rivers Unleashed GROWING CANOEING TREND INTRODUCES MORE PEOPLE TO WILKES COUNTY’S MANY WATERWAYS

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hen John Alexander was a young boy, the Roaring River was his primary avenue of transportation. As he regularly paddled the three to four miles to visit his grandfather, the river belonged to him and a scant few other lucky souls.

Today, Alexander is helping introduce the joys of river travel to a broad array of people, both inside and outside Wilkes County. Canoeing has become one of the fastest growing sports in the area, and Alexander is one of the key individuals driving that trend. In 2006, he opened Roaring River Canoe Rentals, which offers canoe rentals and guided tours to experienced paddlers and newcomers alike.

“I get a lot of calls from people from all walks of life who have never been in a canoe before,” he says.

For guided trips, Alexander will pick up customers at a parking lot in Elkin or Ronda and take them back to the launch

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site at his facility on the Roaring River.

The trips back down the river can take longer than six hours.

The trips will be directed by Alexander himself or by his hired guide, a gentleman who “knows the river just like I do,” Alexander says.

Over on the W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, rangers at Wilderness Lodge offer similar services. The facility offers canoe and kayak rentals for use on the 1,500-acre lake.

Like most of Wilkes County’s waters, the reservoir is a good spot for newcomers.

Adding to the enjoyment of the experience, the area’s rivers, streams and lakes are uniformly clean and the surrounding countryside picturesque, says longtime paddler Montie Hamby.

“They’re all scenic and feel very isolated,” Hamby says.

While Mother Nature was responsible for the beauty of the county’s

waters, it’s the existing paddlers who keep them looking that way. The community takes great pride in its participation in the National River Association’s National River Cleanup Week program. In 2006, the NRA honored the local clean-up effort, both for the amount of trash collected and the number of participants involved.

Such efforts are a boon to the growth of the sport, Alexander says.

“When people realize there is a group of us trying to keep the river clean, it brings more business,” he says.

Canoeing even has had a positive impact on dry land. In the 1990s, radiologist Phil Carlson was paddling the Yadkin River with his son when the beauty of the land surrounding the river inspired him to envision a greenway project that would make these areas accessible for all Wilkes County residents.

In 2002, Carlson’s vision was realized with the opening of the first phase of the Yadkin River Greenway, a 2-mile path through and over the Yadkin River that showcases the land’s immense beauty to walkers, joggers, bicyclists and other nature lovers.

– Dan Markham I M AG E S W I L K E S . C O M

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Arts & Culture

Surround Sounds OUTDOOR FESTIVALS, INDOOR SHOW OFFER WIDE RANGE OF ENTERTAINMENT

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hether it’s a weeklong music festival or a jam session broadcast on local radio, the hills definitely are alive with music in Wilkes County.

Consider MerleFest, which has grown over 20 years from a one-night event with 4,000 in attendance to a five-day extravaganza with more than 81,500 music lovers on hand.

MerleFest is held annually in late April on the campus of Wilkes Community College, with proceeds enabling the institution to make several capital improvements and fund scholarship endowments for students.

Over time, the festival has grown to include more than a dozen stages featuring country and bluegrass legends performing their own material and participating in impromptu jam sessions with other artists.

In addition, the MerleFest Outreach Program gives Wilkes County schoolchildren the chance to attend some of the shows, as well as learn about the music itself.

“The community has really gotten behind it, and it’s had a huge impact,” says Traci Thomas, who handles public relations for MerleFest. “Now it’s the major event in Wilkesboro.”

The event also shows people from outside the area just what a small community can do when it puts its collective mind to something, Thomas says.

“Anybody else looking to put on a festival that wants to see what a community and region can support, they come to MerleFest,” she says. “They have shown over time

that they can do it.”

The newest music festival in the area is Carolina in the Fall, which is the brainchild of Robert and Brenda Shepherd, who hold the annual event on their farm. The festival features the musical trio the Kruger Brothers, who are from Switzerland originally, and takes its name from a song written and performed by the group.

For those in the area who want their roots music on a more regular basis, there’s the live radio broadcast from 7 to 9 a.m. every Friday from Minton Music & Pawn in North Wilkesboro. Like MerleFest, what began as a small idea has grown into something much larger.

“A local DJ started this crazy thing where he’d cook up different things like chocolate-covered crickets on his show, and then some people would show up with guitars and it became a regular thing,” says Mike Palmer, who along with Jerry Minton co-owns Minton Music & Pawn. “The next thing we knew we had the ‘redneck games’ going, and then the show outgrew the studio. We said we’d host it, built a stage, and the rest has just happened.”

The show is booked six to eight months in advance, and has featured the likes of Rhonda Vincent, Doc Watson and the Kruger Brothers. There’s no house band, and new artists come in and audition or send in a CD. The audience ranges from 50 to 150 people on any given Friday, and the show also is videotaped for the local cable-access channel. – Joe Morris Acclaimed musician Doc Watson performs at MerleFest, a major festival created to honor the memory of his son, Eddy Merle. PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM GAVENUS

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All the World’s a Stage

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stage can barely contain the amount of talent in Wilkes County, but several new and improved facilities for performing arts aim to try.

First, there’s the new Forest Edge Amphitheatre in Fort Hamby Park, an outdoor venue that seats 900. The facility hosts events such as the Wilkes Playmakers’ annual presentation of “Tom Dooley: A Wilkes County Legend.”

For another interesting outdoor setting, check out performances by the Patriot’s Theater at the restored, 100-year-old Sheriff Mitchell Mill on Hunting Creek near Wilkesboro.

Taking it indoors, Stone Family Center for the Performing Arts opened in 2006 within the Wilkes County School’s central office in North Wilkesboro. Named in honor of Lowe’s Home Improvement’s president and CEO, Larry Stone, and his family, the center’s 8,000 square feet can accommodate 280 people in banquet-style seating and 560 people in theater seating.

In addition, the Walker Center on the campus of Wilkes Community College features a 1,130-seat performing arts auditorium and 38,731 square feet of multipurpose meeting space, and includes the open-air Watson Stage.

– Joe Morris

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

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Miller Funeral Service 180 Sparta Road • N. Wilkesboro, NC 28659 (336) 838-3104

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We handle: • Civil Litigation • Personal Injury • Workers’ Compensation • Real Estate • Wills & Estates • Business Law • Traffic Offenses

Experienced and Capable Attorneys (336) 838-5129 Fax (336) 838-8959 206 E. Main St. Wilkesboro, NC 28697

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PHOTO COURTESY OF WILKES REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

Health & Wellness

Wilkes Regional Medical Center’s new Diagnostic Center combines the latest in technology with pleasing aesthetics.

Incorporating the Wow Factor WRMC’S NEW IMAGING CENTER APPEARS TO BE ANYTHING BUT A MEDICAL FACILITY

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hen Wilkes Regional Medical Center officials began planning a new diagnostic imaging center, certain things were must-haves: convenience, state-of-the-art equipment and a wide range of services. But there was something else on the drawing board as well – the ‘wow’ factor.

“It’s gorgeous,” says Tammy Love, director of marketing and medical staff development for WRMC. “It’s hard to believe you’re in a clinical facility. And that’s what we were after. People don’t want that sterile, clinical feel.”

The $6 million center, which opened May 21, replaces an in-house area that handled mammography and other procedures. The 25,500-square-foot facility is in a former Heilig-Meyers furniture store in what is now West Park Medical Plaza. The layout addresses two major issues targeted by the hospital at the outset of the project. First, it allows for expansion while services such WILKES

as cardiovascular testing and nuclear medicine are relocated from the main hospital campus, and second, it provides easy-access parking thanks to its mallstyle location.

“When people came to the hospital they had to find a parking spot, find the right floor, register, then go and wait,” Love says. “Now we can offer this attractive facility that has plenty of parking and easy access, a convenient area to register and a beautiful space to enjoy while waiting.”

A key component of the new center is increased privacy for patients who are there for mammograms or other procedures. The former setup, while still offering high-end equipment, was 20 years old and showing its age, Love says.

“It was so cramped, and the changing areas were very small,” Love says.

“What we have now, in addition to the whole facility not looking like a hospital, is that the dressing rooms feed into the room with the mammography

equipment, so you’re never seen by anyone except the tech. And the changing rooms are beautifully designed – much larger than what we were using.”

The diagnostic center is one of the first in the region to offer digital mammography, as well as digital radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography, bone densitometry and breast stereotactic biopsies. It also has on-site labs, as well as areas designated for EKGs, chest X-rays and anesthesia consulting for pre-operative patients.

“This facility is going to offer our patients a new experience in health care,” Love says. “The new space provides a comfortable look and feel coupled with state-of-the-art equipment, which demonstrates our commitment to excellent services and excellent care. If you want to stay competitive, you have to have something to offer. We want to be their first choice for diagnostic imaging services.”

– Joe Morris I M AG E S W I L K E S . C O M

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WILKES PLAYMAKERS

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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

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, four high schools and a career education center.

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

CLIMATE Wilkes County’s climate is varied due to its elevation ranges. In the lower elevation, temperatures are as follows: 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

UTILITIES Cable Charter Communications (866) 472-2200

The area code for Wilkes is 336 .

Crescent Electric Membership Corp., (800) 662-4681 Duke Energy, 667-1141 Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership, (800) 682-5903 Natural gas Frontier Utilities of North Carolina Inc., 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 one-day arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast, with more 160,000 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, a delicacy known as “shine balls,” live music, food and plenty of local color.

667-4875

FOR MORE INFORMATION Wilkes Chamber of Commerce 717 Main St. 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 SENIOR CENTER … has something for everyone!

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228 Fairplains School Rd. North Wilkesboro, N.C. (336) 667-5281 tel (336) 667-8295 fax

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We Invite You To Be Our Guest …

• Beautiful Rooms • Free Breakfast • Free High-speed Internet • Exceptional Service • Pet Friendly

Mountain Construction Enterprises www.mountainconstruction.com Old Wilkes, Inc. www.wilkesheritagemuseum.com Reins-Sturdivant www.reinssturdivant.com Rose Glen Village www.roseglenwilkesboro.com Specialty Car Company, Inc. www.specialtycarcompany.com Tar Heel Oil, Inc. Town of North Wilkesboro www.north-wilkesboro.com Town of Wilkesboro www.wilkesboronorthcarolina.com Tyson Foods Incorporated www.tyson.com Wilkes Community College www.wilkescc.edu Wilkes County Board of Education www.wilkes.k12.nc.us Wilkes Family YMCA www.wilkesymca.org Wilkes Playmakers www.wilkesplaymakers.com Wilkes Regional Medical Center www.wilkesregional.com Wilkes Senior Center

www.Addisoninn.com Highway 421 N. • Wilkesboro, NC (336) 838-1000 • (800) 672-7218 • (336) 667-7458

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Caring for our community … now even better The staff of Wilkes Regional Medical Center are proud to serve our neighbors and area residents who entrust their health care to us.

We take this commitment seriously every minute of every day.

We’ve all worked hard to make our hospital and services the best they can be. Our team of physicians, nurses, technologists, therapists and every hospital employee and trustee have contributed to our success over the past several years.

And we’re continuing to expand services as we reach out to all of our communities. Our partnership with Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and Carolinas Healthcare System has also helped us better serve our patients and strengthen our position as an important community resource.

Intensive Care Units Radiologic Technology School

New Beginnings Birthing Center Cardiopulmonary/Neuro Services

Rehabilitation Services

Community Education & Outreach

Skilled Nursing Services

Dialysis Unit

Surgical Services

Emergency Services

Wellness Center

Home Care Services

Women’s Services

Imaging Services