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Women in the News
Three local women bond after breast cancer diagnosis
On Oct. 30, three local women who were diagnosed with breast cancer conducted a 5K walk to fundraise for the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation at the Boone Greenway Trail.
Lauren Watts, Kim Kirby and Erin Ellington were all diagnosed with breast cancer in fall 2020. While they are celebrating that they are cancer free, each of them is still in active treatment either on chemotherapy, hormone therapy or immunotherapy.
Every year, the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation hosts a 5K, but the event was moved to a virtual format this year due to COVID-19. Even though it took place as a virtual event, Watts, Kirby and Ellington wanted to do something a little more.
“We all have a really big community support between the three of us, and so we just decided ‘Hey guys, the run was scheduled for Oct. 30. Let’s still do it,’” Kirby said. “Let’s just round up our crews and … let’s all just go meet at the Greenway assuming weather’s OK and let’s still walk in support of breast cancer survivors. Those who have gone before us, those who have yet to go through it, and let’s raise money for the foundation so they can keep helping more breast cancer patients.”
For the three women, the HCBCF has helped them tremendously during their fight against breast cancer. According to the women, the HCBCF paid for cold capping so they did not lose their hair.
All three of the women met shortly after getting the breast cancer diagnosis. Shortly after diagnoses, they received six months of chemotherapy, surgery and more than 30 rounds of radiation.
Lauren Watts, Kim Kirby and Erin Ellington met after they were diagnosed with breast cancer in fall 2020. Photo submitted
For each of them, meeting one another helped tremendously.
“If you have to go through it, it is something that you need to have other people that understand what you’re going through because it’s actually a comfort,” Ellington said. “It really helped a lot. It’s just really comforting to have folks who know what’s going on to kind of rely on and lean upon.”
Ellington said she knows it sounds cliche when people call it a sisterhood, but she said that’s what she found when meeting these women and other community members battling breast cancer.
“They are my sisters, my pink sisters,” Ellington said. “It’s just something that we went through together that will remain with us and keep us together until forever, honestly.”
Having each other to rely on helped them through their journey and is part of the reason they wanted to raise money for HCBCF.
The mission of the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation is to support breast cancer patients, survivors and their families in the High Country of North Carolina. All proceeds of the 5K were to go directly to the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation to support others in the High Country who are fighting breast cancer.
- Moss Brennan
On Oct. 13 officials from Ashe County Public Schools surprised teacher Amanda Halsey of Crumpler with news that she had received the 2021 Exceptional Children Teacher of Excellence Award.
The criteria for the award is set by the North Carolina Department of Public Education’s Exceptional Children Division.
Halsey, an itinerant teacher, serves Ashe County children ages 3-5 in local child care centers and Pre-K programs, as well as kindergarten to 12th grade students who are learning from home.
“I feel very honored to have received it. I feel I just do the work that God called me to do,” said Halsey regarding
Caroline Poteat — director of development for Blue Ridge Conservancy — is one of 21 individuals honored across North Carolina as Business North Carolina Magazine’s 2021 Trailblazers.
The official announcement from Business North Carolina stated the annual feature recognizes thriving business owners and professionals under the age of 40 who work in North Carolina cities and towns that have fewer than 100,000 residents. Poteat was recognized by the the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce as a finalist for the 2019 4 Under 40 Awards in the nonprofit business category.
In her role with Blue Ridge Conservancy, Poteat has kept donors engaged throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, creating new twists on legacy fundraising programs that helped the organization surpass its 2020 revenue goals. the award. “I don’t feel like I necessarily do anything extra special, so I was just very honored and shocked to receive it.”
Though only serving in her itinerant position for the past two years, Halsey
has been working in education for most of her adult life, having started in a childcare program right out of high school. Since that time, Halsey has gone on to attend school, as well as teach in a NC Pre-K room. She has served a total of 15 years in the education field. In honor of her achievement, Halsey was presented with flowers by Ashe County Schools Human Resources Director Roy Putman and Exceptional Children Program ACS Human Resources Director Roy Putman and Exceptional Children Program Specialist Tonya Blevins (far right) present teacher Amanda Halsey (middle) with flowers in honor of receiving the Exceptional Children Teacher of Excellence Award. Photo submitted Specialist Tonya Blevins. Halsey represented Ashe County at a state level during the 70th North Carolina Exceptional Children’s conference in Greensboro in November. - Andrew Cole
Boone business leader recognized as 2021 Trailblazer
She has also worked to establish legacy giving programs while growing the roster of recurring monthly donors that support the organizations land conservation efforts.
“It was an unexpected honor to be chosen as a 2021 Trailblazer,” Poteat said. “I am lucky to have worked for two of the most wonderful nonprofit organizations in the High Country: Blue Ridge Conservancy and Valle Crucis Community Park. The support I have received from my coworkers, board members, and supporters of those organizations has been invaluable in shaping my career. I hope to continue to serve this community for many years.”
In addition to her professional work, Poteat is an active volunteer with Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge and the Boone Sunrise Rotary Club. An avid outdoor enthusiast and soccer fan,
Nonprofit business professional Caroline Poteat is one of 21 individuals honored across North Carolina as Business North Carolina Magazine’s 2021 Trailblazers. Photo submitted
she was an inaugural member of The Squatch Guard, a group of Appalachian FC supporters that engage in volunteer support throughout the community.
- Staff Report
