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Leibfarth paddling at one of her favorite spots, The U.S. National Whitewater Center.

The Bryson City, N.C. native is taking a gap semester this fall but is scheduled to begin classes at Davidson College in January. She’s already looking ahead to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her hobbies include surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, freestyle kayaking, cooking, and drawing. Learn more about this dynamic young athletic at www.goevy.com.

CURRENTS: When did you first know you wanted to compete in kayaking and canoe slalom?

Evy: One of my earliest memories of canoe slalom is from when I was about six, and I was driving up the Nantahala Gorge to do a river run with my parents. I saw a race going on, and I begged my parents to let me go. So, I ended up signing up and paddling the course with my dad following close behind, and I just had so much fun. I definitely didn’t make all the gates but that’s one of the first experiences with slalom I had. I also competed in the 2016 Olympic Trials, and that’s definitely what made me sure that I wanted to really take my training seriously and be a part of the US National Team. I just remember there were so many spectators and such a cool atmosphere surrounding the race—that was so exciting. Later that year was the first time I competed internationally.

CURRENTS: When did you start attracting attention from national and regional sponsors who wanted to partner with you?

Evy: I would say probably when I started placing at National-level events, like the U.S. National Championships and our team selections. One of my first partners was the Nantahala Outdoor Center, which is centered around where I grew up. I’m really thankful for their continued support as I’ve grown in my paddling career.

CURRENTS: What was the experience like competing at the Tokyo Olympics?

Evy: It was such a phenomenal experience for me, really everything I had dreamed of. Being at the start line at the Olympics was such an incredible feeling, and so exciting. And staying in the village was so inspiring, and I got to meet so many other incredible athletes from other sports. Now that I’ve been to one Olympics, I’m already looking forward to the next. CURRENTS: What advice would you give other young athletes with Olympic aspirations?

Evy: Keep having fun! Every single one of the athletes at the Olympics who I met was so passionate about their sport, and I know that I absolutely love mine. Getting to the Olympics takes so much hard work, including some workouts that aren’t going to be super fun in the moment, but as long as you’re having fun, you’ll be able to look at the bigger picture!

CURRENTS: Where are some of your favorite places in the Lake Norman/Charlotte area for outdoor adventures?

Evy: The U.S. National Whitewater Center is definitely my favorite because there’s so much to do, and I think it’s beautiful. I train there for a lot of the year, and the course is fast and technical with bright blue water, which I love, and you can raft it, too. There are also tons of trails through the woods to run or bike through, and zip lines and climbing walls, so I definitely never get bored. I also love Midtown park for running (and getting boba tea after!)

CURRENTS: You plan to start classes at Davidson College in January. What attracted you to the university and what do you hope to study?

Evy: I hope to study biology on a pre-med track. It’s something that’s always been super interesting to me, and I hope to do something with sports medicine to tie two of my passions together. Really, a lot attracted me to Davidson. For so long I was looking for the “perfect college” where I could train and study pre-med, and I had almost given up on the idea when my mom suggested Davidson. It turns out a lot of my friends are Davidson graduates, and they all loved attending. It really seems like the community is full of people who are truly passionate about learning while having well-rounded interests, so I look forward to being a part of that. Go Wildcats ‘25!

Another LKN Olympic Connection

Erika Brown, a 2016 Hough High School graduate, received a bronze medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay event in the in the Olympic Games Tokyo. She graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2020, where she was named the SEC Female Swimmer of the Year.

Movie Maker

Mom

cornelius resident taps into her creative side as first time filmmaker

by Allison Futterman photography by Lisa Crates

With the release of Charlotte Moon Mysteries premier film, “Green on the Greens,” Cornelius resident Heidi Horne marks her first endeavor as a filmmaker. With her talented writing and directing, she brings to life an engaging and lighthearted murder mystery—with a teenage romantic comedy vibe. It all started a little over three years ago, when Horne wrote a comedy scene for her teenage daughter Ashley to put on her acting reel. Her other teenage daughter, Brooke, loved it and encouraged her to write an entire story around it. After putting it off for a couple of years, Horne started writing last summer. A year later, it came to fruition with the completion of her film.

The film became a family affair, with everyone getting involved: her two daughters, college age son, husband, twin sister, niece, and even the family dog.

Promotional image for the film.

Below is the official synopsis of the film: Humor, romance and suspense entwine teenager Charlotte Moon and her crew, as they are pulled into solving a notorious neighbor’s murder out on the greens of their southern, country club neighborhood The Queen’s Crown; a place where rich is relative and the tea is sweet. Who did it--the playful widow and her lover, the spoiled son and his fiancée, the angry greenskeeper or the loyal veteran?

Getting started

Once she started writing, Horne couldn’t believe how much she loved it. “I started pulling things from around me—my family, friends, and our southern lakefront culture and lifestyle.” She was able to see it all clearly in her head and had a blast creating the Charlotte Moon world and all the characters. Impressively, she wrote the entire screenplay in two weeks. The film became a family affair, with everyone getting involved: her two daughters, college age son, husband, twin sister, niece, and even the family dog.

Leading by example

As a first time filmmaker, it was challenging. “It was one of the most stressful and all consuming times of my life, but worth it,” she says. Horne explains that she was motivated by wanting to show her kids what it means to pursue something new and difficult. “My biggest driving force was to show my kids not to be afraid to go for it—to get out of their comfort zone.” She didn’t want to just say the words, but to lead by example. She was nervous at first. “I was

way out of my mom world. I’m a real estate appraiser, but my main job is being a mom.” She realized that “the only way to fail is not to try. Struggle is a great teacher.”

Being a mom enabled Horne able to connect with the actors. In order for a film to work, there needs to be a trusting environment. There’s a lot of vulnerability involved in acting, and she wanted everyone to feel comfortable and safe. “That trust relationship was precious to me,” she says.

Above: Heidi Horne and her two daughters Ashley and Brooke. Left: Horne used local film studies graduates as her crew.

The process

As the project grew, Horne realized they needed a film crew and volunteer actors and wanted to highlight people from the North Carolina area. She put an ad on an acting website, and soon had actors from Huntersville, Mooresville, Gastonia, Winston-Salem, and Greensboro. Some even came from as far away as Charleston and Virginia. She also hired a film crew of two: a cameraman and an audio guy who was also the editor.

The cast, crew, and community support wass “very humbling,” according to Horne. “I prayed every day for this project. If God opened doors, we’d keep moving forward.”

Paying homage to her community

The film takes place largely in a lakeside neighborhood and a country club. The film’s fictional “Queen’s Crown” neighborhood, was inspired by Horne’s love of her own neighborhood, The Peninsula. “It’s such a beautiful area,” she says. It was important to her to include local places. For outdoor country club scenes, she used the Birkdale Golf Club, and the North Harbor Club restaurant was the setting for most indoor country club scenes. A neighbor’s foyer served as the country club foyer. In addition, Horne used her own house and backyard a lot of the film.

Future plans

“I’m a big dreamer, and I’d love to do a mystery series,” she says. After completing “Green on the Greens” on a budget of $25,000, she’d like to partner with a higher end production company with a bigger budget for her next film. She’s already completed her second screenplay. It’s Halloween themed and called “Pumpkin Spice and a Body on Ice.” “I’d love someone to bring it to life!”

Learn more: www.charlottemoonmysteries.com Stream “Charlotte Moon Mysteries-Green on the Greens” on Amazon Prime, YouTube, iTunes, Amazon.com and Google Play.