Life In Our Foothills August 2016

life in our foothills

AUGUST 2016

POLK’S “COWBOY”

A day in the life of animal control

A COLLECTOR’S DREAM

Brunello immortalized as Breyer Horse model

AUGUST 2016

DRAWN TO HELP

Using art to help ease pain

Editor’s Note gust anyway, during this period known as the “dog days of summer.”

Turns out, the term “dog days” refers to the star, Sirius, tracked by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans across the skies. Sirius, translated as “glowing” or “scorcher,” is part of the Canis Major (Greater Dog) Constellation, and was visible rising before the sun in late July, bringing with it a period of hot and hotter.

And all this time, I thought the Claire Sachse, Managing Editor term had to do with the way dogs claire.sachse@tryondailybulletin.com lie around like furry rugs during the @TDBClaire heat of the day. I’m sure dogs would f I ran for president, (although appreciate the “Take August Off ” who in their right mind would platform too, so they could be taken to the beach, lake, pool or mountains do that?) I would run on the “Take August Off ” platform. I think for a spell.

We do love our dogs around here many European countries got it right (and, of course, all our pets), but when they pretty much decided to close up the month of August and go there’s one person in this issue who stands out to many in this commuto the beach. If you think about it, it nity for what he does for the welfare makes perfect sense. Because of the heat and humidity, not much gets ac- of Polk County’s animals. He does complished during the month of Au- it quietly and without fanfare, and

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he’ll probably be a little shy about the publicity this magazine gives him this month. But he’s incredibly deserving of a public pat on the back for all he does to keep animals safe in Polk County. The day-in-the-life story of Sgt. Michael Herman, aka Cowboy, Polk’s animal control officer, begins on page 28.

So, if you’re lucky enough to escape the heat this month, take this magazine with you for leisure reading.

Or, pull it up online from TryonDailyBulletin.com. Send me a photo of you reading the magazine and I’ll share it on our social media sites. And, as always, I welcome your comments and story ideas, and thanks for reading.

Stay cool!

P.S. Maybe we could suggest our current presidential candidates take the month off, too? A little away time for them would be good for all of us.

Am I right?

on the cover PUBLISHER

Betty Ramsey

EDITOR

Claire Sachse

CONTRIBUTORS

Gillian Drummond Kirk Gollwitzer Judy Heinrich Carol Lynn Jackson Leah Justice Linda List Michael O’Hearn Anne Regan Vincent Verrecchio Steve Wong

MARKETING Kevin Powell Magan Etheridge PRODUCTION Gwen Ring ADMINISTRATION Ashley Bryant DISTRIBUTION Jeff Allison Austin Kempton Evan Plumley Grant Case

Michael “Cowboy” Herman Photo by Vincent Verrecchio

Life in Our Foothills is published monthly by Tryon Newsmedia, LLC. Life in Our Foothills is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Tryon Newsmedia Inc. [the Publisher]. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher.

Please address all correspondence (including, but not limited to, letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to: Editor, Life in our Foothills, 16 N. Trade Street, Tryon, N.C. 28782, or email to claire.sachse@tryondailybulletin.com.

Life in Our Foothills is available free of charge at locations throughout Polk County and upstate South Carolina. Please visit lifeinourfoothills.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $35 for one year by emailing subscribe@lifeinourfoothills.com or by calling 828-859-9151. ext. 101.

Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing advertise@lifeinourfoothills.com or by calling 828-859-9151.

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Table of Contents COLUMNS 13 Country Living 18 Much Ado 24 In Good Taste

SHORT STORY 26 Packed for Success

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Q&A 15 Bill Miller

FEATURES 28 Cowboy to the Rescue 34 Drawn to Help

MARKETPLACE

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51 MarketPlace

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34 4

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Table of Contents FOOTHILLS FEATURED 8 Farm to Table 12 Outreach’s 25th Anniversary

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21 St. Luke’s Hunter Derby

APPOINTMENTS 40 Art of the Horse 46 A Breyer for Brunello

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PARTING GLANCE 50 Ode to the Red Wagon

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

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August Events

August 18, 6:30 p.m.

Saluda Train Tales presents Inns and Boarding Homes in Saluda

a Fundraiser for the

August 5 Gigi Dover and the Big Love Summer Tracks Concert

THROUGH AUGUST

How the West Was Won: Trains & Transformation Saluda Historic Depot, Saluda saludalifestyles.com

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 10

Early Fall Show Guest Artists: Dusty Benedict, Karen Powell Member Artists: Kathy Gagnon, Charlotte Brass, Sharon Eng, Lucy Clark Tryon Painters and Sculptors, Tryon tryonpaintersandsculptors.com

TUESDAY, AUGUST 2

Master Gardener Series Polk County Cooperative Extension 11 weeks through October, Columbus 828-894-8218

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

August 13 National Yard Sale Foothills Street Sale

TRYON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

August 4 Blues, BBQ, and Gumbeau

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 7 P.M. Summer Tracks presents Gigi Dover & the Big Love Rogers Park, Tryon summertracks.com

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 11 A.M.-1 P.M. Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry School Supply Distribution Day and Community Health Fair Polk County High School, Columbus tboutreach.org

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 6 P.M.

Opening Reception: The Art of Installation Clay, Paper, Textile, Mixed Media Upstairs Artspace, Tryon upstairsartspace.org

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 6 P.M. Blues, BBQ, and Gumbeau FENCE, Tryon TryonInternationalFilmFestival.com

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 7 P.M. Music at the Tracks featuring Carey Upton Band Historic Depot, Landrum cityoflandrumsc.com

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 4 P.M. One Leg Up McCreery Park, Saluda saludalifestyles.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 5:30 P.M. Thirsty for Learning Thursday Karl and Molly Schwartz on Indonesia Lanier Library, Tryon lanierlib.org

August Events

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 7 P.M. Top of the Grade Concerts Bob Sinclair and the Big Deals McCreery Park, Saluda saludalifestyles.com

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13

August 19, 7 p.m.

The Honeycutters Rogers Park, Tryon.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 6 P.M.

National Yard Sale Day Foothills Street Sale Hwy. 176 from Tryon to Landrum downtowntryon.org

Retro-Inspired Craft Show Opening and Tea Dance Exhibit runs through Sept. 23 Tryon Arts and Crafts School tryonartsandcrafts.org

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 9 A.M.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 7 P.M.

Cross Country Shooting Tryon Riding and Hunt Club FENCE fence.org

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 6:30 P.M. Bioluminescence: From Fireflies to Fungi Featuring naturalist, Tim Lee Landrum Library pacolet.org

Music at the Tracks Karen Grant and Big Spike Hammer Historic Depot, Landrum cityoflandrumsc.com

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Foothills Featured

Farm to Trade Photos by Kirk Gollwitzer

Tryon’s Trade Street hosted a rather large dinner party June 26. In fact, there were so many people, a table the length of a football field was necessary to accommodate everyone! Organized by Tryon Downtown Development Association, the dinner included food sourced locally, beer and wine crafted nearby and live entertainment.

1. Bryant Korenziewski, Jamie Carpenter, Freddie Carpenter, Lauren Roy, Joe Pullara.

2. Carolyn Ashburn, Carri Bass and Mark Pruett 3. Mayor Alan Peoples 4. John Toomey, Kathy Toomey, Scott and Gayle Lane 5. Sofia Lilly 6. Dean Trakas and Linda Lee Reynolds

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Foothills Featured

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7. Shelly Self and Bill Crowell 8. Pete and Cindy Viehman 9. Happy McLeod and Anne Day 10. Lydia Juenger and Jenny Surrett 11. Bonnie and Joe Eskridge

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Foothills Featured

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12.Betty Ramsey and Robin Edgar 13. Jessie and Dulcinea Juenger 14. Patti D’Arbanville and Crys Armbrust 15. Gordon and Kathleen Rooney Hamilton 10

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16. Jim Wright 17. Dean Trakas 18. Anthony Maccherone

Live the life you choose

Live...

True maintenance-free living on our beautifully manicured 50-acre campus in the heart of Hendersonville.

828-693-7800 | www.LakePointeLanding.com LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

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Foothills Featured

Outreach Anniversary Photos by Leah Justice

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Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry in Columbus celebrated its 25th anniversary on Tuesday, June 28 with an open house and refreshments. Past and current Outreach board members as well as community members and past and present volunteers toured the facility.

1. Jeff Harris, Betty Ramsey, Carole Newton, Jim Murphy 2. Bob Morgan and Brenda Walker 3. Stacey Lindsay and Dave Scherping 4. Bill Miller and Connie Lomax 5. Carole Newton and Michelle Reedy 6. Sonja Laughter and Tommy Melton

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Country Living

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ummertime and the livin’ is easy,” goes the song by lyricist DuBose Heyward from Porgy and Bess.

Today’s indoor/outdoor fabrics make this so very true. We have all known about Sunbrella for years but there are also many other indoor/outdoor fabrics available in many different looks. The wonderful thing about these fabrics is the ease of care to keep clean from almost any stain, the amount of wear they will take, and that they are truly fade resistant.

Below are listed the types of fibers used in indoor/ outdoor fabrics and where they should be applied: SOLUTION-DYED ACRYLIC FABRICS These fabrics are the most colorfast with up to 2,000 hours of holding light. This means these fabrics will hold their colors longer and won’t fade as quickly as others. They are really good for outdoor applications such as cushions, awnings and umbrellas, which are permanently exposed to weather and the sun.

These fabrics are made with very high thread counts so they don’t rip easily.

One of the unique things about the solutiondyed acrylics is that they also do very well mimicking indoor fabrics. They are very useable because of their cleanability and they make great indoor fabrics because the content of the fabric is the least liquid absorbent. Used for family rooms, kitchens, children’s playrooms or bedrooms, they are very practical. For tack rooms in barns they are your best option.

POLYOLEFINS AND HIGH UV POLYESTERS These fabrics have attractive colors, more designs, greater durability, and they are cleanable with bleach.

As designers, we love the fancier options available with these fabrics. We use them on pillows, cushions, furniture, and in rental properties because they are attractive. They have 1,500 hours of light fastness.

The fabric is solution-dyed by adding a masterbatch colorant to the polymer melt in spinning or extrusion. This results in fibers and filaments that are fully impregnated with pigment coming out of WRITTEN BY GILLIAN DRUMMOND the spinnerets in a one step process and then it goes PHOTO BY THIBAUT through a process of turning it into a woven fabric.

It can be textured, solid, striped, plaid or jacquard — just like indoor fabrics.

SPUN POLYESTERS These fabrics are priced economically and are screen printed with colorful prints. They are perfect for pillows, playrooms, inexpensive prints with a fun design or temporary usage. They are made with inexpensive polyester-based cloth that is milled white,

SUMMERTIME FABRICS

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Country Living

and then it goes through the process of screen printing.

The UV ratings that are given by manufacturers for these fabrics are usually given in hours of protected sun exposure. Most printed/woven polyester and printed acrylic fabrics are rated for approximately 500-750 light hours.

Woven acrylics are rated for approximately 1,500 light hours or more.

Although the types differ in composition there are some things to remember that are common to all of them.

• All these fabrics should clean with soap and water; check before using bleach or dry cleaning.

• Do not tumble dry. This should not be necessary since they will dry quickly.

• Although the fabric is water resistant it is not waterproof.

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• Even though the fabrics do not promote mildew growth, mildew can grow on soils or spills that are not promptly removed.

For our picture this month I have chosen a boat full of Sunbrella pillows from Thibaut. Thibaut has collections of wallpaper, which it is well known for, available in Landrum, S.C. at Williamson’s Paint. The fabric collection and furniture are available here in Tryon, through Drummond House.

Thibaut chose Sunbrella for the cloth to print its indoor/outdoor fabrics on because it is more fade resistant than any other fabric on the market and it is supported with a five-year warranty. As it is solution dyed, the color is evenly dispersed throughout the yarn. (I like their analogy: think of a carrot versus a radish.)

Thibaut Sunbrella is furniture

friendly, comes already backed, and ready to be used for upholstery. All Sunbrella fabrics can be cleaned with soap and water, solvent-based cleaners, even bleach. I spilled grape juice all over a sample the other day and it was completely dry before I got it home.

Washed in soap and water, it looks like new.

The properties of light fastness, softness and cleanability make these fabrics an excellent option for all indoor applications, including drapery, upholstery and even bedding.

Enjoy a happy, carefree summer. I hope this knowledge helps you with your home furnishings choices.

Gillian Drummond has her design studio, Drummond House in Tryon, N.C. Visit her website at www.drummondhouseco.com and reach her at info@drummondhouseco.com or call 828-859-9895. •

Question & Answer

BILL MILLER RETIRES AS SCHOOL SYSTEM SUPERINTENDENT Reflections, advice, and what he won’t miss WRITTEN BY MICHAEL O’HEARN PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY POLK COUNTY SCHOOLS

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or more than 30 years, Bill Miller has been working in the realm of education as a teacher, basketball coach, principal and superintendent in the Polk County School system. He’s commanded the Polk County Schools ship since 2004 and will retire this month. Miller has had a pivotal role in the growth of the school system during the last 12 years, keeping the mantra that is painted in cursive letters behind his desk, “Let us put our minds together and do what is right for every child,” as a guiding principle.

In his final months as the Polk County Schools superintendent, Miller reflected on his tenure and talked about the challenges and highlights of his career. He will hand the reigns over to incoming superintendent Aaron Greene, who has also been a teacher and a principal at Polk County High School, beginning with the 2016-2017 school year.

band directors, teachers are the ones who have tremendously close relationships with their students. They are such intense, time consuming, emotional type activities so there’s a lot to be excited about. Being a principal is similar, but not as close with the students but with many other people. As superintendent, your relationships tend to be [close], but I have gone to events with students, more with teachers, principals and the community than with the students. The challenges I have faced have to do with the challenges America is facing with education and the challenges families are facing as well.

Q: Why is the mantra ‘Let us put our minds together and do what is right for every child,’ so important to you here in the school system?

Bill Miller will be retiring in August after 12 years of being the Polk County Schools superintendent and having more than 30 years of education under his belt. Miller has also been a teacher, principal and basketball coach during his career.

Answer: It’s important to me because it’s the only thing that matters.

You have to have a culture where all of the adults, the community and the Q: What have been the most fun structures within the organization have aspects of your career? Additionstudents be the main focus. It doesn’t ally, what challenges have you always mean you will be doing what faced here? will make students happy, but the drivAnswer: Well, you know, every role is ing force behind what you’re doing is very different and so each comes with that. I believe if you have relationships its challenges and fun. I really enjoyed with the students as a coach, teacher all of my years and really never set or principal, whatever it may be, you out to be a superintendent. I thought have the ability to influence and push I would teach and coach my whole them in the right direction. That’s an career when I started. I really liked the important piece of this formula. We coaching part and it was by far the best have a lot of things and forces pulling thing when it comes to the coach’s re- at us from laws to policies to regulalationships with the students. Coaches, tions and if you’re not careful, that can LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

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Question & Answer become the focus and you can lose track of why you have a job and the reason you’re here, which is always the students.

Q: What are your plans for retirement?

In 2008, children from Beijing, China visited Polk County for a foreign exchange program visit.

Miller visited with them and introduced the children to the school system here in North Carolina.

In 2010, Technology and Accountability Director Dave Scherping and Miller with the Polk County Schools system visited Wuxi, China and learned about their schools and culture.

Answer: I’m going to stay busy and I don’t want to stay at home, sit and do nothing. That’s not my personality.

I’ll be president of the Rotary here locally and I’ll go to work part-time and do some work with schools in North Carolina and do some consulting work with a group of friends that I have and, you know, I’ll be working with some groups across the state. I won’t be working 60 to 70 hours a week but I am going to do some things to stay involved in education and the community. I’m not leaving the community.

Q: Who has had the most influence on you in these last 30 years?

Answer: Geoffrey Tennant, our school board chair, has certainly made an impact on me in that he’s been able to steer me in the right direction and not necessarily tell me what to do. My father, as well, has always told me that it is my responsibility to get along with people and that it’s not the responsibility of others to like me. It’s on me to figure out how to get along with them and that has had so much influence on me because it’s helped me as a coach, teacher and a superintendent. I have that approach now.

Q: When Mr. Greene steps up in your role come August, what words of advice will you give him?

Clemson University students came to Polk County in 2013 to help create a biodiesels program for the school system. Miller said this program was one of his best achievements for the schools during his 12-year tenure as superintendent. Pictured are then-Polk County High School science teacher Sergey Zalevskiy with Miller and a student from Clemson explaining the program.

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Answer: The first thing would be to keep students at the center of the focus, which he has no problem doing since he is that way so that’s not advice at all. He’s got to follow his heart and be his own person. He’s got to do what he thinks is right, and in this role it can be very lonely because you have principals, teachers, commissioners, the community and the higher-ups all telling you what they want you to do and

Question & Answer it falls on you to make that choice. They have all their interests and perspectives.

You’re sitting at the nexus of the wants and wishes of all of these people. He has great instincts and knows what is right for these kids. Communication with people is going to be a challenge in our state, in America and our community. There’s so much misinformation out there. He will have a real challenge with that, too, in bridging that communication gap.

Well, later I was at the gas station and someone came up to the pump next to me and was talking to me about my decision to close schools, saying, “Man, that superintendent is a dumbass for closing schools,” and I smiled and said, “He sure is.”

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Q: I know you’ve received a lot of flak for this in the past. Will you miss having to make the call for closing schools because of snow?

Answer: Oh, absolutely not (with a laugh.) I doubt I’ll miss that at all. I remember this one time I was up really early and I was checking in on all of our local weather stations to make the decision of whether to close and eventually decided to close the schools. Well, later I was at the gas station and someone came up to the pump next to me and was talking to me about my decision to close schools, saying, “Man, that superintendent is a dumbass for closing schools,” and I smiled and said, “He sure is.” There wasn’t any snow that day. Some people are going to be happy, some people are always going to be mad but you have to be concerned about safety and I know it’s an inconvenience to parents to find out at 6 or 6:30 in the morning that school is going to start a half hour later. There’s no really great answer to it, but you just try to do the best you can. •

Brunson’s & Furniture Center

Patio Shoppe

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Much Ado

MY DOG FUTAR WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEVE WONG According to the science fiction Dune series of novels, I have one of the rarest dogs in the known universe or at least among “the million planets.”

I have a Futar.

Futar, rhymes with… ah, well, nothing in the English language rhymes with Futar. That’s just how rare he is.

Let’s go with Foo-Tar. He’s been called “futon,” as in the cheap daybed you buy when you don’t have the money or the space for a real bed and couch, and “tofu,” as in the soybean mush you eat instead of real meat. He’s even been called a FUBAR, which is a military 18

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acronym that cannot be defined in a Grated magazine or polite company.

Futar is a big yellow dog with beady yellow eyes and an eraser nose. Futar is a rescue dog that came to live with me at a low point in my life and for the past eight years has held his head high despite what life might throw at him, including hit-and-run cars, packs of coyotes, snake bites, heartworms, broken legs, a small hole in the top of his head, and dog catchers. But for the most part, he has led a life of freedom, coming and going in our neighborhood in the Carolina Foothills. Times change, and so must he.

For past few weeks instead of run-

ning free through the peach orchards and woods with his companion BeBe, he has been on a leash, either tied to a shade tree or me, or in the house just lying around. I’ve been installing an underground electric fence around a portion of our backyard that will hopefully, by the time you read this column, outline his new reality… a reality that will include a new collar that will vibrate and beep when he gets close to the perimeter of his boundaries, a collar that will give him a harmless but painful shock if he attempts to walk past the row of little white flags that follow the invisible fence line. Little white flags that remind me — and

Much Ado

For whatever reason this strange yellow dog with yellow eyes stayed in my yard, not bothering anything, not asking for anything, just curled up by the stoop or following me around as I came and went. hopefully him — of having limits.

I first met Futar in 2008, the year of the Great Recession. It was a weekend morning during the spring, and I was doing yard work. At some point, I turned to notice a not fully grown yellow dog in the yard, just standing there looking at me, as if lost from no place in particular. I don’t usually approach dogs I don’t know, but he looked harmless enough, no aggressive behavior.

As I approached him, he accepted my hand without question. Actually, he extended his paw first, something he continues to do when meets a stranger.

He seemed to instantly trust me. So I rustled up some people food, because at the time we didn’t have a dog or any dog food, which he gladly ate. And he stayed.

Our children had both just recently reached that age of leaving home to make their own way in the world, leaving my wife as the foster parent of my daughter’s house cat. I’m not a cat person. I didn’t think I was a dog person either. For whatever reason this strange yellow dog with yellow eyes stayed in my yard, not bothering anything, not asking for anything, just curled up by the stoop or following me around as I came and went. He obviously had no place to go and liked where he was. I kept feeding him. And he stayed.

It didn’t take long for me to want him to stay, and began to think he needed a name. Those strange yellow eyes intrigued me, and I recalled an obscure character in a book I had once read, Chapterhouse, one of the great many novels in the Dune series by the late Frank Herbert and his son Brian. The Dune series is one of the great works of literary science fiction,

spanning thousands of years in a universe of imagination, where the most valuable commodity is a spice drug somehow produced by giant worms on a desert planet. From that concept hundreds story lines have been created with some of the most incredible characters ever to be conceived.

A piece of that story line includes a guild of witch-like nuns called the Honored Matres who play rough politics with the universe’s aristocracy and several other human and non-human societies. It all gets very complicated,

Futar.

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Much Ado

but the Honored Matres don’t mess around when it comes to taking over the known universe. About the only characters in the book that can ever get the best of them is the Futar, a genetically engineered half human/half cat creature that is rather dim witted but extremely macho. They are few and far between. Sort of the strong, silent and furry type. The Futar were created by another race of beings, who like everyone else, was at odds with the ruthless and power-hungry Honored Matres.

Thing about Futars is that they only come in the male variety; there are no female Futars and about their only function is to oppose the Honored Matres, often in a weird love/hate relationship. The Futars have yellow eyes, and the dog in my yard had yellow eyes, and no matter how much my wife, daughter, mother, or any other woman

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has badgered me into having him fixed to curb some of his natural male tendencies, I just can’t bring myself to put him under the neutering knife. You are not the first person to wonder about the underlying psychology messages being established here.

Like most dogs, Futar has his faults, one of which is chasing select cars, such as loud white trucks that pass by my house. He likes to check out the neighbors. He’s a regular and welcome visitor at the nearby golf course. He’s part of our neighborhood. But about a month ago, the county dog catcher came by to issue me an official warning: Keep your dog on your property or else. Yes, Futar had chased the wrong person at the wrong time, and someone complained. I get it: no one likes being chased by a big barking mutt. Since then, Futar has been tethered, and I’ve

been digging a shallow trench and laying yellow electrical wire. He watches and wonders: Why am I tied to this tree? What is Steve doing? Why is there a circle of little white flags in the back yard? He will soon find out.

Futar is a good dog. He never fails to greet me with the greatest enthusiasm and after a few friendly licks, he will settle down and extend his paw to me. He just wants to shake my hand.

He somehow finds comfort in my holding his paw for a few moments each day. They say a dog is man’s best friend. I guess they’re right.

Steve Wong is a regular monthly columnist with Life In Our Foothills magazine. He readily admits his columns are usually all about himself, but he strives for readers to find something revealing about themselves in his words. He can be reached at Just4Wong@ gmail.com. •

Foothills Featured

St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation “Hunter Derby” Photos by Jennifer Wilson

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The ninth annual Blue Ridge Hunter Jumper Association “Hunter Derby” in support of St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation was held Friday, June 17 at FENCE. All proceeds benefited the Discretionary Fund at St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation. This fund enables the foundation to exercise discretionary spending when evaluating and purchasing small equipment items, facilitating required equipment repairs, or accommodating other unplanned expenses that develop during the course of the hospital’s fiscal year. This year’s event held fun for the entire family with a caricature artist, kids temporary horse tattoos, build your own ice cream sundae, barbecue and fixins’ and the exciting jumper competition.

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1. Chris Tinkler, Linda Tinkler, Erin Alley, George Alley, Lori Geddings, Jay Geddings, Charlotte Behrends 2. Roger and Joanie Newman, Gail and Tom Glenville, Tina and Ralph Figueroa, Jenny Taft, Juliette Taft, Henry and Lori Martin 3. Madelyn Morris 4. Kerry Holmberg, Sarah Holmberg, Larry Wassong, Carol Blacker, Steve Blacker and Louise Hew 5. Ray Williams, Cheryl Every, Bill Every, Tina Melton and Tommy Melton 6. Meshelle Colvin and Renae Waldman

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Foothills Featured 7. Nicole and Andrew Morris with their children, Madelyn, Mason and McKenna 8. Katherine Schwandt and Jean Shumway 9. Mia Bradley, Vanessa Raposa, Jessie Bradley, Kelly Bradley, Rachel Raposa 10. Roger and Joanie Newman 11. Ken Shull, Meshelle Colvin and Hannah Hodge 12. Joel and Jennifer Wilson 13. Jayden Bishop and Sara Wilson 14. Lisa and Sara West 15. Paul Sutherland and Clark Benson

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Www.IandrumAntiquesFurniture.com

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In Good Taste

THE HEIRLOOM WRITTEN BY CAROL LYNN JACKSON alk to local tomato growers at local farmers markets about what’s taking root from their fields to our tables. At this time of year, talk to them about the traditional heirloom tomato. They are happy to remind us that the round, red and almost flavorless grocery store tomatoes have long suffered from the genetically-modified concessions they’ve made from factory farms to the produce aisle. They also often taste bland because they are picked green and then gassed to ripen which strips them of their lycopene and vitamins.

They will tell you that heirloom tomatoes are an entirely different experience, both in taste and nutrition.

They come from seed that is at least

T

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tomato

75 years old, in thousands of varieties and colors. They will invite you to witness over the coming weeks the tomatoes that are allowed their full time on the vine and how they become more acidic and tastier as the season develops from summer to fall. You will see and taste for yourself tomatoes that are purple, white, black, brown, green, and striped; shapes and colors that contrast markedly from their commercial cousins.

Heirloom tomatoes fall into varieties that include the Purple Cherokee, named from the Cherokees who had the original seed, its distinctive deep reddish purple coloring with green across the top makes it stand out.

The Striped German is a favorite

varietal of the Mennonites from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia in the mid-1800s.

The Mortgage Lifter originated from central Appalachia. This varietal is characteristically pink, and brought in good revenue for the cultivator, hence helping with house payments.

The Brandywine is one of the more popular beefsteak shaped heirlooms.

This pink tomato is noted for its potato-shaped leaves, which are oval and smooth.

Our local farmers can tell you of all these things, but you will decide for yourself, once you’ve sampled them all. Nothing has quite the flavor of a fresh, locally grown, heirloom variety tomato. •

In Good Taste

A summer-time ripe tomato sandwich DIRECTIONS: Toast a good quality bread, brush with extra virgin olive oil.

Rub a crushed garlic clove across toast.

Liberally spread with a homemade or favorite mayonnaise.

Lay tomato slices on one side of the bread.

Salt tomato to taste.

Slap the two sides of sandwich together, lean over kitchen sink, and savor each drizzly summer-sunshine bite.

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

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Short Story

PACKED FOR SUCCESS Outreach hosts annual school supply distribution day WRITTEN BY GEORGE ALLEY hermal Belt Outreach Ministry’s annual School Supply Distribution and Community Resource & Health Fair will be held Saturday, August 6 from 11 a.m.– 1 p.m. at Polk County High School. Eligible students will receive new school supplies such as book bags, pens and pencils, packs of paper, notebooks, crayons and markers -- all important for achievement in the classroom.

Thanks to the support of our community, over 460 Polk County students benefited from last year’s school supply distribution and Outreach expects at least that many to participate this year.

In addition to the school supply distribution, a Community Resource & Health Fair is planned for the same time. Community agencies, such as Polk Health Center, DSS, Girl Scouts of America, local emergency services and many others will be on hand to provide education and information on their services.

“This is a perfect opportunity to bring the resource agencies available to our community together to inform our citizens of the valuable services they provide to children and families,” says Michelle Reedy, Outreach Client Services Manager.

T

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Outreach collects new school supplies year round to keep Polk County schools supplied when children run out. If you would like to donate a new book bag or school supplies for children in need, please bring your donation to Outreach, 134 White Drive, Columbus, N.C. or make a secure financial donation online at tboutreach.org. •

Join Us for the 11th Annual

Ache Around the Lake Saturday, September 17, 2016

Ache Around the Lake is a

family fun event including an 8k road race around Lake Lanier (Ache) and a 2-mile fun run/walk! (Ouch) Open to all runners, walkers, strollers and your canine friends on a leash!

Pre-registration $25 • Race day registration $30 Professionally timed & online registration Race day registration 6:30 - 7:30 a.m.

• Pre-registration $25 • Race day registration $30 • Professionally timed • Online registration • Race day registration 6:30 - 7:30 am • Race begins promptly at 8 am

8K Awards Top 3 Overall & Masters 1st Place Awards for Age Groups Top Dog Award

Visit www.AcheAroundtheLake.org to register!

Call (828) 894-2693 for questions.

All proceeds benefit

Cowboy with three of his five rescues; that’s five not counting a goat.

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Cowboy

COWBOY TO THE

RESCUE A day in the life of Polk’s animal control officer

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY VINCENT VERRECCHIO

P

ut yourself in the boots of Cowboy on a typical workday. Today, it’s a back yard with a stray 60-pound Boxer at the edge of dense woods.

Every time the dog feints toward you across the grass, his teeth flash with barks and snarls at about the level of your knees. Hackles are spiked and muscles defined under a fawn coat. As you step forward, he spins away toward the tree line, then whips back to face you, hopping left and right, yammering with insistence.

You’ve never had a rabies incident with a domestic animal—odds are against it—but perhaps there is a fleeting moment of wondering. Yet,

you take another step. It’s your responsibility. The sheriff ’s deputy waits off to your side, following your lead. The woman, who called in about an aggressive dog, watches from her home.

You look for signals that he’s been pushed too far and raise a taser gun with an effort greater than its halfpound weight. You don’t want to use it.

The electroshock that will immobilize the dog will hurt, and even though only momentarily painful, you believe in the veterinarian’s credo, “First do no harm.” You do this job because you love animals. Now, however, even with all of your training and experience, you can think of no alternative. The dog lurches in the fraction of a second

after compressed nitrogen fires two electrode probes. Only one strikes and he yanks away easily, fleeing into the undergrowth, leaving you with another unpleasant choice.

Such are the routine challenges and decisions of Sergeant Michael Herman, Animal Control Officer, Polk County Sheriff ’s Department; a family man with three children, four rescued dogs, and a once stray cat; and a man of few words known by many as Cowboy.

“Suppose I got the name because I used to manage cattle ranches and rode bulls on the pro circuit,” says Michael.

“I’d been on bulls for about 15 years before my last show. My daughter was three or so then. I told her to stay LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

29

Cowboy Cowboy patrols an average of 200 miles a day looking for distress and cruelty situations, checking rabies tags, bringing wandering animals to safety, and responding to calls such as an aggressive stray in a backyard, a worrisome skunk, or a panicked horse in a swimming pool. Putting on Kevlar-lined gauntlet gloves are a reasonable precaution when rescuing a feral cat.

As the sole Animal Control Officer for Polk County, Sergeant Michael “Cowboy” Herman goes on duty in a self-contained vehicle equipped for routine patrols and the unexpected. For example, there’s a Sheriff’s Department bulletproof vest behind the seat, a microchip scanner on the front seat, and a multi-purpose computer that, among other capabilities, can link to a Foothills Humane Society database in Columbus.

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Cowboy

Cowboy brought this fellow to the Foothills Humane Society after finding him starving, dehydrated and chained to a tree with the collar imbedded in his throat. At the shelter, after months of care and then training to earn his AKC Canine Good Citizen award, Kramer, CGC, is eager for adoption.

behind the fence with everybody and watch. Third time the bull went up, I went off and slammed into that fence. I was on the ground looking at her and she was looking at my bloody face. ‘Daddy, no more bulls’ is all she said.”

Time moved on and Michael was working at the Polk County jail when the position of Polk County Animal Control Officer opened.

Even though he had been milking cows at 11 and usually had animals in his life, the first step in Cowboy’s new career was 50 hours of training to become nationally certified in animal control. Since then he’s also received certifications in Animal Cruelty Investigation; tranquilizers and rabies vaccinations: and In his role as Green Creek Fire from the Commissioner of Wildlife, certification as a Chief, Cowboy found this boy Damage Control Agent. That means he’s trained, as chained to a burning house. an example, to handle skunks.

He was bald from flea infestaThe scheduled workday is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with tion, skin darkened by infection, and chain scars obvious an average of 200 miles a day patrolling in his truck. around his throat. Through He’s looking for distress situations, wandering animonths of treatment at the mals, and has the right to check for rabies tags on Foothills Humane Society, the dogs chained outside on private property. He also dog never complained. Jag listens for calls, such as the one that came from an now looks at life with joy, waitelderly woman who, despite her fear of getting bit, ing for a home.

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LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

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Cowboy

With a long time love of animals, starting with milking cows at age 11, Cowboy today provides a home for more critters than cats and dogs.

Rescued goat at left joins Cowboy’s flock.

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

had been feeding a feral Chow Chow.

“The woman made me promise that the dog would not be euthanized. She was not going to let me leave until I shook hands on it. This was before the shelter was no-kill. I wound up taking the dog home and calling her Molly.

She was good with my dogs for a little while, then she and my Blue-Heeler got into it. I returned Molly to the shelter but couldn’t leave her. I told her I’d give her one more chance. She knew what I was talking about and was a good girl until she died of a stroke five years later. We planted a Molly bush over her grave. I’m real happy that the shelter is now no-kill and there’s always room for my rescues.”

The Foothills Humane Society has an annual contract with Polk County that provides about 18 percent of the shelter’s annual operating budget in exchange for assured space. The balance comes from adoption fees that are hundreds of dollars lower than actual value; and donations and grants that get stretched beyond the shelter to include community services.

“When Cowboy comes in you know he cares,” says Christine Taylor, the shelter’s executive director. “I remember when he brought in three dogs from an abandoned house. Two females in the house had not been fed or watered, but were not as bad off as the intact male Staffordshire Terrier

(Left to right) Lilly the Sheltie, Maddie the Collie/Blue Heeler mix, Iggy the Pug/Chihuahua mix, and Sophie the Blue Heeler.

Cowboy

To a final question, “Do animals have souls”? Cowboy, a man of few words, never hesitated before answering, “Yes.” that had been left chained to a tree. He was disoriented, frightened and wobbly, barely able to stand, starving and dehydrated. A collar had become imbedded in his throat. Cowboy handled what could have been a dangerous situation calmly and professionally but I could see his emotions inside.”

Today, that dog has now earned the title of Canine Good Citizen from the AKC and is ready for adoption.

A bundle of energy named Kramer, CGC, he’s looking for fun and a hug.

Cowboy can tell many stories across an emotional gamut drawn from his job and from the volunteer group he started, Polk Animal Rescue (PAR).

On a county call, there was a Box-

er/Shar-Pei mix that was bald from flea infestation, skin blackened by infection, and chain scars around his throat.

Thanks to Cowboy and the shelter staff and volunteers, the dog’s name is now Jag. He never protested during months of treatment. Today, looking into his eyes, you see only a joy of living, a laughter that perhaps, if you look with an open mind, is also forgiveness of what had gone before.

On one PAR call during February, Cowboy waded into the frigid Green River to rescue a 1,500-pound steer.

Then there was a horse in the swimming pool, kitten in the wall, dog in the well, and, of course, the frantic Boxer that had fled into the woods.

“About a 100 yards in, the deputy and I finally caught up. The Boxer was just sitting there watching us. Next to him, with a leash tangled in the brush, was his friend. I petted that Boxer and told him he was a good boy. A day and a half ago, we’d gotten a call from a couple who’d been out walking when lightning struck a tree and their two dogs ran off. On the way to the vets, I called them and felt really good that I could say that their dogs were safe.

Times like that remind me of why I love this job.”

To a final question, “Do animals have souls”? Cowboy, a man of few words, never hesitated before answering, “Yes.” •

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

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Even a 2-year-old can forget their worries when they’re creating a beautiful masterpiece. The focus of Drawn to Help is to enlist cartoonists from across the country to volunteer to visit camps and implement bedside visits at hospitals to teach patients and camp attendees how to draw using colors and sketchpads provided by the organization.

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

drawn TO

Drawn to Help

HELP

Helping children escape sickness and pain through cartoons WRITTEN BY MICHAEL O’HEARN PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY STEVE BARR hen you or someone you know is dealing with a sickness or disease, your world gets turned upside down and begins to look a little bleak. Plain white walls surround you during your hospital stay, and the rush of doctors, nurses and family members in and out of the room can create a hectic environment.

Enter Steve Barr, a cartoonist living in Columbus, and the founder and executive director of Drawn to Help.

His mission is to teach children how to draw with the hope that the patient will forget about their struggles.

Barr mostly works with pediatric patients at hospitals around the area and created Drawn to Help to invite cartoonists nationwide to get on board with the initiative.

“It has the potential to really take off over the next several months,” Barr

W

explained. “The organization is just at the ground level right now, and I’ve been trying to get cartoonists from across the country to join in as well.”

Copying Mickey Mouse directly into his desk in fourth grade is Barr’s earliest recollection of wanting to become a cartoonist.

“All the other kids started screaming about how good it was, and that drew my teacher’s attention,” Barr said.

“She very politely told me to stay after school that day and scrub it until it was clean. She said, ‘Take this paper home and draw on it instead of furniture.’”

As he got older, Barr said he began to draw his own comic books and sell them to his classmates when he needed their lunch money.

“They all became really skinny because I always got their lunch money,” Barr jokingly said. “Which is why I

resemble Santa Claus today.”

From there, he immediately bought more paper, pens, stamps and envelopes to draw his cartoons to mail out and sell. Today, he is the author of 13 how-to-draw books for children and was once approached by Disney to do work for them.

“They did approach me at one point, but it didn’t work out,” Barr said. “They usually don’t work with a cartoonist who already has a style and try to conform them to the Disney style of animation. I have a no-rules approach to cartooning.”

Barr also travels to local pediatric hospitals and camps to teach children with illnesses how to draw through sessions and bedside visits.

This “no-rules approach” allows the patients and camp attendees to branch out and explore a multitude of drawing LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

35

According to Barr, kids who draw cartoons with him are offered a chance to escape into a wonderful world in their own imaginations. Barr provides the crayons, colored pencils and sketchpads on his visits and his “no-rules approach” to drawing lets the kids decide what they want to learn how to do.

styles and ideas, in Barr’s words.

“They can change and switch around anything they want to at any time,” Barr said. “It’s one of the only art forms I know of that allows a whole array of different techniques and ideas. There’s no rules on them at all, and even with the bedside visits, they get to tell me what they want to do.”

Using sketchpads, crayons and markers he provides to the children, Barr said these sessions allow children to forget about their illnesses while he is there.

Chief Development Officer Mark Schumacher of Camp Victory Junction in Randleman, N.C. recalled meeting Barr for the first time and having him do camp sessions for the kids there.

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

The camp allows children ages 6 to 16 who have limitations and disabilities to stay and participate in camp-style programming at no cost to them.

“He has been a really key component of our family camp weekends during the spring and the fall,” Schumacher said. “It gives them a chance to really be away together with no pressure and, with Steve, he’s been able to take that ‘family unit’ and make them whole through his drawing sessions.

It’s easy to rally around what he does.”

Barr is in the process of creating a digital library that allows artists from across the country to add their works.

This allows Barr to expand his reach and display more works for the children he encounters.

Delfin Barral is a cartoonist living

in New York who met Barr through Facebook and decided to join Drawn to Help after hearing about the initiative. Barral has been helping Barr expand the digital library and spread the word about the organization.

“He showed me what he was doing with Drawn to Help and he asked me to donate a lot of drawings to his digital library for the kids and I, of course, said yes,” Barral said. “He has a big heart and, through our phone conversations and emails, I feel like I had known him for years after we found out we had similar interests.”

This “massive” collection of coloring pages and drawing instructions will be provided to pediatric patients and their caregivers free of charge, according to Barr, and are provided by artists

Putting children in group settings allow them to bond while throwing themselves into creating their own cartoons with wild abandon, Barr said. While Barr does visit hospitals to teach pediatric patients how to draw, he also visits day camps like Camp Victory Junction in Randleman, N.C. and Camp Courage in Greenville, S.C.

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all over the world, even as far - Bulletaway Point as Hong Kong.

Bullet Point“It provides hours of entertainment Bullet to Point keep the children laughing and smiling,”Here Barr said.

DBA Name Reading studies of how art can impact hospital patients in positive ways 000-000-0000 influenced his decision to form Drawn Street Address to Help into an organization two years City State Zip ago. www.servicemasterclean.com “I really started this in the beginas something I was just going to $00ningOff Offer description do every now and then and it just kind Valid at this ServiceMaster Clean location only. Minimum purchase of on good me,” Barr said. $XXX required.of Cash exploded value 1/100 of 1¢. Offer through 00/00/00.

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LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

37

Drawn to Help

Above: Volunteers with Drawn to Help sometimes are required to wear protective gear for bedside visits with the patients. According to Barr volunteers are needed for the organization and can inquire by calling 828-817-7025 or visiting www.drawntohelp.org. Left bottom: Bedside visits are a key part of what Drawn to Help does, Barr said. Children who cannot leave their rooms to join group sessions are not left out and Barr said he gives personal attention to these children and a great escape from their daily routines.

slower than everyone else,” Barr said.

“Afterwards, she came up to me and said, ‘I just want to thank you, and I lost the use of my right arm to cancer and they’ve been trying to teach me how to use my left hand but I just haven’t been able to get it.’ She was drawing with her left hand that day.”

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

He explained that the girl realized the shapes and forms used to draw his cartoons could also be used to form letters. These miracles, as Barr said, make Drawn to Help special.

“It’s really hard to grasp how that is until you see it in front of your eyes,” Barr explained. “I’ve watched miracu-

lous things happen and it’s more than just kids drawing funny pictures.”

Steven Harpster is another cartoonist who, like Barr, creates how-to-draw books and makes visits to elementary schools across the country to teach students to draw. Harpster, who lives in Cincinnati, said he feels Barr is genuine

Drawn to Help

“When a child visits a hospital for weeks at a time and has needles and doctors poking them constantly, art can offer them an escape from all of that.” - Steve Harpster and that his organization is truly and wholly focused on the kids.

“It’s interesting to me that you would think that we would be in competition with each other since we’re both cartoonists and we both do how-to-draw books,” Harpster said.

“But, no, I think this organization has really made an impact on the children and brings Steve and I together for a common goal. When a child visits a hospital for weeks at a time and has needles and doctors poking them constantly, art can offer them an escape from all of that.”

Donations can be made to the Drawn to Help organization to help offset the costs of drawing supplies for Barr’s visits to camps and pediatric hospitals and provide tools to the volunteers of the organization like suitcases and dry erase boards.

Drawn To Help is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit arts service organization, online at fracturedatlas.org. Fractured Atlas will receive grants for the charitable purposes of Drawn To Help, provide oversight to ensure that grant funds are used in accordance with grant agreements, and provide reports as required by the grantor.

“You can touch their hearts and be a part of everything we do,” Barr said.

“It’s the most fulfilling thing I’ve done in my life and I truly don’t see doing anything else at this point.” • LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

39

Art of the Horse

Quilting Bea Stearns Park, Columbus Artist: Lee Barker Sponsor: City of Columbus 40

August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Art of the Horse

ART OF THE

HORSE Where the beauty of horses and art intertwine

WRITTEN BY JUDY HEINRICH PHOTOS BY CLAIRE SACHSE, MARK SCHMERLING AND ERIK OLSEN PHOTOGRAPHY

F

or the past four months there have been 16 fantastical horse statues spread around the Carolina Foothills. If you haven’t seen them all yet, time is getting short but you’ve now got two great viewing options.

First, some background: the 16 painted fiberglass horses comprise the “Art of the Horse” project, conceived and produced by the Our Carolina Foothills organization. OCF is 501c3 non-profit with the mission of promoting our area, especially the four

towns of Tryon, Columbus, Saluda and Landrum. OCF was the brainchild of Suzanne Strickland, owner of Landrum’s Stone Soup Restaurant, who was soon joined in the group’s leadership by independent marketing consultant Mindy Wiener.

“Our goal with Art of the Horse was to draw attention and visitors to our towns and outlying areas by doing something that hadn’t been done before, which would generate media interest and raise funds for future OCF initiatives,” Suzanne explained.

Suzanne Strickland and Mindy Wiener (Erik Olsen Photography)

The project began in May 2015 when artists were invited to submit ideas, with the winning concepts chosen by a jury from the Asheville Art Museum. With the cost of the statues funded by business, group and individual sponsors, blank white horses were delivered to the artists who brought their concepts to life with a variety of unique treatments. All American Auto Body of Columbus then applied a special weatherproof coating, and the horses were then delivered to their designated sites beginning in April.

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

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Art of the Horse

Well Read Horse Landrum Library Artist: Kim Attwooll Sponsor: City of Landrum

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Art of the Horse

TWO WAYS TO SEE ART OF THE HORSE

Horses in Art History Near Landrum Depot Artist: Barbour Taylor Bordogna Sponsor: Budweiser of Spartanburg

Queen Bee Tryon Artist: Becky Collins Sponsor: Diamond B Energies

Driving Tour A driving tour is the perfect way to see the horses while cruising around parts of our area that you might not get to as often as you’d like. Start by picking up an official “Art of the Horse” map at the First Peak Visitors Center at 20 E. Mills Street in Columbus (corner of E. Mills and Walker; 828-894-2324).

The map includes all of the horse locations, short profiles of the artists, and a description of each horse’s concept. But take your tour soon – the horses will start leaving their current locations between August 10 and 13.

At the Tryon International Equestrian Center Aug. 13 If you can’t fit a driving tour in, you can see the horses at their next stop, Tryon International Equestrian Center. On Saturday, August 13, TIEC is devoting one of its popular Saturday Night Lights events to Art of the Horse, with all 16 statues displayed in one place for the first time. The artists will be on hand to meet and talk with the public about their work. Admission and parking for the Art of the Horse and TIEC’s usual Saturday Night Lights entertainment and equestrian activities are free. You’ll also be able to visit the horses at TIEC during the next week.

On Friday night, August 19, an auction of the horse statues will be held at TIEC. Attendees can buy tickets for a special Auction Gala dinner or just come for the auction itself, which will be conducted by the entertaining Duke the Auctioneer from “Duke Says Sold” in Hendersonville.

There is an auction minimum of $2,500 for each statue; 25 percent of each winning bid will go to the artist and the rest will go to OCF for future promotional activities. Businesses, individuals and organizations have expressed bidding interest, with some people planning to band together to secure a horse for a permanent site in a town or at a non-profit’s location. For more information, visit www.ourcarolinafoothills.com or find it on Facebook. •

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

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Art of the Horse

Dream Weaver Saluda Artist: Gigi Dover Sponsor: Sixteen Hands

Horses I First Loved FENCE Artist: Barbour Taylor Bordogna Sponsor: Ivey Sumrell for FENCE 44

August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Thoughts of Home Tryon Artist: Barbour Taylor Bordogna Sponsor: Missildine’s

Art of the Horse

MEET THE HORSES PEACE KEEPER Stone Soup Restaurant, 1522 E. Rutherford St., Landrum, S.C.

ALL I EVER WANTED St. Luke’s Plaza, 62 N. Trade St., Tryon, N.C.

QUILTING BEA Stearns Park, 40 Courthouse St., Columbus, N.C.

WELL READ HORSE Landrum Library, 11 Asbury Dr., Landrum, S.C.

INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS Tryon Re/Max, 231 N. Trade St., Tryon, N.C.

NIGHT & DAY Foothills Humane Society, 989 Little Mountain Rd., Columbus, N.C.

A HORSE FOR ALL SEASONS Ken Feagin Truck & Trailer, 701 E. Rutherford St., Landrum, S.C. HORSES IN ART HISTORY 211 N. Trade Ave., Landrum, S.C. HORSES I FIRST LOVED Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Rd., Tryon, N.C. THOUGHTS OF HOME St. Luke’s Plaza, 62 N. Trade St., Tryon, N.C.

QUEEN BEE 231 N. Trade St., Tryon N.C.

TR&HC SPIRIT Tryon Riding & Hunt Club, 6985 Hwy. 9, Columbus, N.C.

SILVER BULLET Harmon Field near Tryon Arts & Crafts School

THE HARVEST Overmountain Vineyards, 2014 Sandy Plains Rd., Tryon, N.C.

HOMAGE TO THE CHINESE HORSE Isothermal Community College Polk Campus, 1255 W. Mills St., Columbus, N.C.

DREAM WEAVER The Depot, 211 E. Main St. & Hinson, Saluda, N.C.

34 melrose ave, tryon 828-859-8322 tryonarts.org

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chose Your Shows: 4-Pack or 6-Pack Subscriptions available LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

45

Brunello

Brunello TR&HC’s Joann and Olivia Loheac, Breyer Rep Stephanie Macejko, Jack Towell, Janet Peterson, Liza and Elle Boyd, and Alberto Ramirez.

A BREYER FOR

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY JUDY HEINRICH

T

he lives of show horses are not always stable, if you’ll pardon the pun. They’re often sold as they move up or down the competitive ranks and can undergo many changes of owners, riders, trainers, routines and locations.

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Brunello, the celebrated Hunter Champion with local ownership, has been a very lucky exception. Since the Hanoverian gelding was imported from Belgium in 2007, he’s lived on the same farm with the same trainer and the same rider. And not just any

trainer and rider: National Show Hunter Hall of Fame trainer Jack Towell and top Hunter rider Liza Towell Boyd, a winner of numerous national and international championships as a child, junior, and professional. Remarkably, Brunello has even

Brunello

Jack, Janet and Liza watch as Brunello meets his Breyer.

had the same groom and acknowledged “best friend,” Alberto Ramirez, for his entire life here.

And when there was a brief danger that Brunello might be sold in 2010 by his former amateur owner, a Towell client, Landrum horsewoman Janet Peterson stepped up to partner with the Towells and keep the big chestnut where he was.

After three near misses, Brunello and Boyd won their first USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship Finals at Kentucky Horse Park in 2013. Then, at a point when many show horses would be retiring or at least slowing down, they won again in 2014 and 2015, when Brunello was 17. No other horse or rider has won more than once.

Brunello was named U.S. Equestrian Federation National Horse of the Year in 2014 and 2015, and was second only to Triple Crown Winner American Pharaoh in the Chronicle of the Horse year-end 2015 Horse of the Year selection, covering all disciplines.

Now Brunello has achieved something even rarer: he’s been immortalized as a Breyer© Horse Model. As any horse-crazy kid or adult collector could tell you, that is the pinnacle of horse world stardom.

Securing a Breyer for Brunello started as a grass-roots effort by the Tryon Riding & Hunt Club after his 2015 Hunter Derby Championship “three-peat.” TR&HC took to their Facebook page and other social

R YO N TBUILDERS

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

47

Brunello

A long line of kids and adults met Brunello and his longtime groom, Alberto

media to get fans across the country to “like” the Breyer for Brunello idea.

You can imagine that Breyer gets suggestions for new models just about daily, and they have to be picky.

But Brunello’s accomplishments, the “Breyer for Brunello” campaign, and fan response were all impressive, and

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

when Mark and Katherine Bellissimo of Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) lent their support (after having worked with Breyer on a special edition George Morris model), the Breyer for Brunello became a reality.

So it happened that the Breyer Brunello Portrait Model was intro-

“So it happened that the Breyer Brunello Portrait Model was introduced on June 10 in a centerring ceremony under the lights at TIEC.... “

Brunello duced on June 10 in a center-ring ceremony under the lights at TIEC’s George Morris Arena during a $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. Breyer honored co-owners Liza Boyd and Janet Peterson, and groom Alberto Ramirez, by presenting them with the first official Brunello models.

The following day Liza autographed Brunello Breyers for a long line of kids and adults at TIEC, while Brunello himself greeted and posed for pictures with fans. For a horse that’s known for being less than friendly to other horses, he clearly likes people, and being the center of attention.

The initial limited edition of 400 Brunello Breyer Models sold out at TIEC and Breyer is planning to release another model of him later this summer. Visit www.breyerhorses.com for more information. •

Liza autographs Brunello for Annmarie Driscoll of Greenville, S.C.

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

49

Parting Glance

ODE TO THE RED WAGON POEM AND PHOTO BY Red wagon, red wagon what memories you hold.

ANNE REGAN Pulling child, pets, racing down the road.

Playfully decorated for holiday parades.

Stored in the shed for future days.

Rescued for garden filled with colorful flowers galore.

Red wagon, red wagon what memories you hold.

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August 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Marketplace Life in our Foothills • 828.859.9151

Call Bill the Painter for all your painting needs! We also do drywall repair and wood repair! 32 years experience.

Call 828-899-2647 Master Carpenter Design/Build Anything On Your Farm or for Your Home. Mini houses, tree houses, creek cabins, etc. References Available.

To View Portfolio Call: (828)817-4096 David Trevino, L.Ac. Licensed Acupuncturist Board Certified Serving the Tryon Area 13 Years Experience For External Injuries & Internal Diseases •Acupuncture •Bodywork •Herbs By appointment: 864-640-9274 Fox Mountain Landscape: Lawn maintenance, stone work, waterfeatures, patios & walkways, paver, irrigation systems and grading. Free estimates - 12 years experience.

Call Miguel 828-817-5847 www.foxmountainlandscaping.com ANTIQUES INTERIOR DESIGN ESTATE SALES CONSIGNMENT VINTAGE/COSTUME/FINE JEWELRY Historic Downtown Greer 201 Trade Street Mon-Sat/10:00am-5:30pm 864-235-4825 THE GALLERIES OF BRIAN BRIGHAM Let Us Design Your Home GOOD BY STUMPS Stump Removal Fully Insured Free Quotes!

Call Ron at 828-447-8775 The Hay, Lady! Offering North Carolina and New York Hay. Call for specific needs. (828)289-4230 PRESSURE WASHING & HOME MAINTENANCE Home Exterior • Decks • Sidewalks Let FHM help with new projects or home repairs! Call Jake for a free quote! 828894-6581 828-577-0513 JUST ONE CALL! Yard work, odd jobs, fencing, gutter, gravel, mulch, stonework, carpentry, cutting grass, trees, cleaning, bush hog.

References. 12 years experience.

(828) 429-7834 Do you want a clean home, but are too busy to maintain it on your own? Let me help! Weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.

Give ma a call! 864-398-7725 Private House Cleaning Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly or 1 Time. 15 yrs exp. References upon request. Free Inhome Estimates! Marjorie 828-817-6350 $10 OFF Summer Preventative Maintenance (Reg $75) Rutherford Heating and Air 828-287-2240

Mitch Contracting Serving your demolition needs since 1918. We offer roll-off waste containers for home and commercial use. Call 828252-0694 or visit us at www.mitchcontracting.com.

Need Pressure Washing?

Our SoftWash system completely kills all mildew/algae with low pressure.

Ocean Force Pressure Washing 864-590-1092 Dan Steiner Painting For A Fine Paint Job High Quality-Low Prices •Professional Pressure Washing •Gutter Cleaning •Minor Repairs 828-817-0539 or 828-894-6183 *Senior Discount Available* Tommy’s Home Improvement •Roofs, renovations, siding, carpentry, decks, windows, screening. All Home Repairs.

FREE Est. Home: (828)859-5608 Cell: (828)817-0436 MEDITATION Free group meditation with free yoga warm-up (optional) every WEDNESDAY evening in Tryon. Beginners welcomed (we’re all beginners)!

Call 828-273-4342 for directions.

APPLY TODAY!! FREE Programs For Eligible Young Children WCCA serves children ages Birth to Age 3 at our Columbus location in Lynn, NC. Current Early Head Start openings for Birth to Age 3. Children with special disabilities welcome.

Limited transportation available.

Contact us today for more information.

828-693-1711 ext. 141.

STONE MASONRY: specializing in retaining walls, fireplaces, patios, sidewalks, chimneys & foundations.

25 years experience.

864-621-7043 or 864-497-9988 Rutherford County Acreage Ridge at South Mountain Development Bostic Sunshine Hwy 14 undeveloped lots and 400+/- Excess Acres. Heavily Wooded. Bank Owned. $720,000 Call Chris Miller, Broker, AFM LAND SALES. Text LAND27 to 88000 for more information or call 704-577-7082 www.AFMLandSales.com 3BR/2BA COUNTRY HOME Large Kitchen. Hardwood floors throughout. Total remodel just completed. 2-car carport. Gambrel style barn on 5-1/2 acres. Excellent small horse farm. 5-minutes to Equestrian Center.

Reduced to $175,500! Additional 3 acres w/creek available. 828-625-4820 Ashley Meadows Apartments Columbus, NC Now accepting applications for large 2 & 3 BR units.

858-894-2671 BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME! 12 acres on CETA Trail near TIEC: •Approximately 5 acres in pasture •Equipment building •Home Site w/winter views •Well, other improvements $349,900 864-316-6901

LAND FOR SALE 48 +/- acres in Northern Spartanburg County. 1 mile from NC, 15 minute leisurely drive to the Tryon International Equestrian Center. Mostly open with pine and old growth hardwood mix. Private and partly secluded. Two big creeks, good grass and 100’ road frontage. City water and sewer available. 9K per acre. Call or text (864)809-3286 Lake Lure Area Ranch Style 2/Bedroom, 2/Bath Log home on 2 private, level acres. Only $157,900.

Fireplace, screened back porch. Too many features to list. 828-286-2981 RENTALS Go to www.tryonrealestate.com For Furnished and Unfurnished Long and Short Term Rentals Contact Pat Martin at First Real Estate 828-859-7653 3BR/2BA in Columbus.

Convenient but secluded. Upscale subdivision. Hardwood floors, 2-car attached garage, 2,000 sqft. $1,250/mo + deposit. Available July 1.

Call 828-899-0300.

TIEC visitors - 2 or 3 bedroom house – pool table/laundry room – garage and parking available. CLOSE to TIEC and local restaurants. 828-894-2763 LAND & ACREAGE FOR SALE Beautiful 13.1 acres of rolling hills, with established fescue pasture, mountain view & 400 foot road frontage$140,000. Property is 20 minutes from TIEC in South Carolina. Follow the signs at Hwy 11 and Burnt Chimney Road to property on North Pacolet Road. Call 864-590-1906, after 5pm or 864-6806309 for more information.

2BR/1BA. 2nd floor house.

1,100 sf. Private Community.

All new. Mountain view.

All utilities included. Must See! Minutes to Equestrian Center.

Call for info: 828-286-3081 Commercial Space Available immediately 1500 sq. ft. with office.

Near downtown Columbus. Easy access to Hwy 74. Includes water, sewer, trash service, and wifi. 828-863-2280” RENT TO OWN! Carports--Garages--Barns Garages from $115/mo, 36 mo Horse Barns from $265/mo, 36 mo No credit check.

J Johnson Sales, Forest City 828-2455895 TRAILERS! 7x16_Enclosed: $3,995, 5 in stock New_5x8_UT: $525 5x10_High-side: $1195, 5 in stock Over 60 Trailers in Stock!

J Johnson Sales, Forest City 828-245-5895 Step Back In Time!

Visit Buffy’s Timeless Treasures.

Hwy 176, Gramling, SC. Authentic antiques, primitive, Victorian, oak & period pieces, furniture, lots of glasswear. Open Monday-Saturday at 10am (864) 708-1145

Peach Country Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Sun, 12pm-6pm 13891 Highway 11, Campobello, SC (Corner of New Cut and Hwy 11) 864-468-4999 or 864-430-3353 *Weather Permitting, Please Call!

ACTS Home Health Agency located at Tryon Estates, recruiting for PRN-RN Must have valid NC nursing-license, current CPR. Candidate needs to be organized, flexible, dependable. Past home health experience preferred, but not required.

Interested applicants email: ccarpenter@actslife.org or join the Talent Network: acts-jobs.org CARPENTERS & CARPENTER HELPERS Benefits package included. Qualified applicants should apply in person to Blue Ridge Log Cabins 625 East Frontage Rd Campobello, SC 29322.

Marketing Event Reps $12/hour vs. commission. No selling, no hassels. Simply schedule free estimate appointments at events.

Send resume to: robie@carolinagutterhelmet.com or call 864-877-0692.

MAINTENANCE UNLIMITED If you can break it, we can fix it!

All types of home maintenance: pressure washing, yard maintenance and more!

828-447-0669 or 828-817-4284 CERTIFIED DENTAL ASSISTANT: Full time position available with benefits in our Columbus NC office. Send resume to: Support@drcotty.com CDL Driver with Passenger Endorsement needed to drive 24 passenger bus from Spindle to Hendersonville and return.

5:30am-8:30am and 5:30pm-8:30pm sales@eastsidetransportation.co 864-609-5466 Ask for Delon First Staffing Now Hiring •In-Home Aides •Textiles •Mental Health •Sewers •Weavers •Warpers •Production Workers Apply in person: 1987 Lynn Road, Suite A Columbus, NC 28722 NOW HIRING: Experienced Cook/Chef & Server Apply In Person: Harvest House Restaurant Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-9pm 864-457-2823 J. Grady Randolph, Inc. Hiring Local and Regional Class-A CDL drivers. 1-year experience required. Pay starting at 40 CPM. Monthly bonus opportunities. Free health insurance. www.Drive4JGR.com 864-649-2063 Are you looking for a great place to work? Housekeepers Needed to work in safe, clean environment. Competitive pay, great benefits. Drug screen & background

check required. Apply in person: 333 Thompson Street, Hendersonville, NC No phone calls, please.

Full-time Cook, Wait Staff, Exp. Med Techs (cert. req’d) and CNAs Incl. weekday & weekend. Background check, drug screening req’d.

APPLY IN PERSON. Laurel Woods Assisted Living & Memory Care, 1062 W. Mills St, Columbus, NC 28722. No phone calls.

Link Medical, in Columbus, Needs Full-Time Medical Equipment Technician/Driver Past medical equipment/engineering experience preferred. Drug screen/ background check required.

We are a tobacco-free workplace.

Email: gmiller@linkhomemedical.com Morris Financial Services Call us for all of your tax, payroll and bookkeeping needs.

1603 E Rutherford St Landrum, SC 29356 864-457-4550 Pavillon Bringing hope, healing, and lasting recovery to individuals and families who suffer from alcoholism, drug addictions and related disorders. 828-694-2300 241 Pavillon Place, Mill Spring South Carolina Elastic a division of Rhode Island Textile Company is expanding and hiring for full-time positions, all shifts. We offer Medical Insurance – 401(k) – Life Insurance Flexible Spending Accounts – Accrued Vacation – Seven Paid Holidays.

Apply in person at: 201 SC Elastic Road, Landrum, SC 29356 (8:30am to 4:00pm) Staffing Associates 100 Henry Place, Spartanburg SC 864-542-0039 Hiring for local Textile Company (All Positions) Machine Operators, CNC operators, Forklift, Landscaping, Construction, Welders, Fabricators, Fitters, CDL drivers Part-time Thrift Store Warehouse Assistant Must be able to lift 50 lb. and work some Saturdays. 20-28 daytime hours/week.

Valid driver’s license required.

Send résumé to: Steps To HOPE P.O. Box 518 Columbus, NC 28722 or apply in person at: Second Chance Thrift Store 232 East Mills St Columbus, NC Waste Industries is now hiring DIESEL MECHANIC. $1500 Sign-on Bonus! Top pay. Full benefit package!

Walk in and apply today at: 180 Ada Moore St, Columbus, NC Or apply on-line at: www.wasteindustries.com EOE/AA/D/V Waste Industries is now hiring CDL Drivers $1500 Sign-on Bonus!

Top pay. Full benefit package!

Walk in and apply today. Columbus location at: 180 Ada Moore St. Or apply on-line at: www.wasteindustries.com EOE/AA/D/V

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS August 2016

M ay 2 0 1 6

51 1

24/7 Emergency Care for

10,118 patients

life-improving surgical procedures for

1,573 patients

radiology, rehab, and lab completed

105,909 procedures

geriatric psychiatric care totalling

2,486 days

direct and shared community benefit of

$4.15 million

101 Hospital Dr, Columbus, NC 28722 • SaintLukesHospital.com • (828) 894-3311 * statistics based on 2014-2015 fiscal year