Life in Our Foothills January 2019, Tryon Newsmedia, Tryon Daily Bulletin

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

LIFE IN OUR

JANUARY 2019

A gem in the Foothills FENCE to celebrate 35th anniversary this year

JANUARY 2019

DRAWN TO HELP

Local cartoonist uses gifts to inspire children 1$4.95 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

SHRINKING THE GRADE

Model railroad combines art, craft and engineering

TAKING ROOT

Columbus restaurant is farm fresh and budget friendly

our agents are ready to

Share The Love

Our agency consists of agents who either grew up in the area and elected to stay here or agents who grew up somewhere else and selected to move here. Whether by election or selection, it is their love for this area that makes our agents excited about helping buyers or sellers experience that same feeling.

KATHY TOOMEY BROKER/OWNER

285 N. Trade St. • Tryon 828-817-0942 Kathy@KathyToomey.com

NewViewRealtyLLC.com

Experienced agents licensed in both NC & SC • Members of Carolina MLS & Greenville MLS 2

Active members of the community & sponsors of Tryon Beer Fest, Tryon International Film Festival, Carolina Foothills LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS Chamber of Commerce, Summer Tracks, Tryon Little Theater, Foothills Humane Society and Tryon Fine Arts Center

Caitlyn

Farms

CELEBRATE

Graze

500 MAJESTIC ACRES

Unite

Caitlyn Farms Event Center’s stunning location in the foothills of North Carolina is an idyllic setting for an indoor or outdoor wedding ceremony and reception.

Our beautiful barn, covered patio and large pavillion offer many options for your guests all year round while they watch the sun set over Historic White Oak Mountain. Your private, beautifully appointed bridal suite makes your day that much more sumptuous.

We look forward to helping you create the most anticipated day of your life.

CAITLYN FARMS

286 A.R. Thompson Rd. Mill Spring, NC, 28756

info@caitlynfarms.com www.caitlynfarms.com

Find us on:

JANUARY 2019

1

WELCOME LIFE IN OUR

Welcoming the New Year

I

don't know about you, but for me, 2018 seemed to fly by.

I guess that tends to happen when you move hundreds of miles to a new community and take the helm of a daily newspaper and monthly lifestyle magazine. When you're keeping up with big change after big change, you're not exactly keeping track of time.

Now that the calendar reads "2019," though, I think I'll take a breath and spend a couple minutes between the deadlines to reflect on where I'm at in life — where I've traveled in 2018 and what path I would like to take in the months and years ahead of me.

There’s just something about the New Year that makes all of us suddenly turn inward as soon as the ball drops at midnight on Jan. 1, as if the act of resetting the calendar resets something within ourselves as well. Perhaps witnessing the beginning of yet another year stirs something within us, the knowledge that — no matter what we've done or who we've been up to this point — there's still time for us to change, to accomplish the things we've only talked about or become the person we've only imagined we could be.

Or maybe it's just because we're bored after being cooped up for the past several months. A little introspection beats worrying about the cold, wind, rain and snow.

Speaking of 2019, this year marks an important milestone in the life of one of the Foothill's most beloved institutions.

The Foothills Equestrian Nature Center — or, as its known by pretty much everyone around here, FENCE — turns 35 this year. The Tryon property is a haven for equestrians, nature lovers and families throughout the Foothills and beyond, offering trails, horse shows, concerts, lectures and other activities.

You can learn a little more about what makes FENCE a special place in our Tourist for a Day feature inside.

In our Food in the Foothills feature, we dive into the kitchen of Columbus' The Rural Seed Restaurant, which is kicking off the New Year with some big changes of its own.

The business, which opened last spring, is now bringing its farm-to-table approach to dining to supper time, with a menu of burgers, tacos, steaks and more, made from wholesome ingredients primarily sourced from farms close to home. The owners have also partnered with Polk County nonprofit Growing Rural Opportunities to house the Columbus Winter Farmers Market, which gives many of the restaurant's suppliers a place to sell their meat and produce to customers before the outdoor market reopens in the spring.

These stories and more await you inside. As always, happy reading!

Ted Yoakum, Managing Editor ted.yoakum@tryondailybulletin.com 2

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

JANUARY 2019

General Manager Kevin Powell Managing Editor Ted Yoakum Marketing Magan Etheridge Trish Boyter Production Gwen Ring Distribution Jeff Allison Jamie Lewis Alex Greene Administration Heather Holbert Contributors Heather Holbert Leah Justice Mark Levin Vincent Verrecchio Jennifer Wilson

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 LLC. 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 St., Tryon, NC 28782, or email to ted.yoakum@tryondailybulletin. com. Life in Our Foothills is available free of charge at locations throughout Polk County and upstate South Carolina, and online at TryonDailyBulletin.com. Subscriptions are available for $35 per year by calling 828-8599151. To advertise, call 828-859-9151.

JANUARY 2019

3

CONTENTS

20

14

38

06

14

28

January calendar of events

Local cartoonist uses gifts to inspire children

Get to know the WCCR Old-time Radio Club

Social Life

Foothills Featured 08

Tryon Halloween Stroll

10

Seventh annual Tryon Beer Fest

12

St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation celebration

In the Studio

20

The man who shrunk the Grade

Creator combines art, craft and engineering to make model of Saluda's famous railroad

Club Corner

32

Difference Maker

Local fire chief, school board chairman making a difference in Polk County for over half a century

38

Food in the Foothills Columbus restaurant making farm-to-table dining affordable for families

ON THE COVER: Therapeutic Riding of Tryon, or TROT, is one of the most well-known programs offered at Tryon's Foothills Equestrian Nature Center. Read more about the popular institution, which turns 35 this year, on page 48.

Photograph by Mark Levin

4

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

48 44

Quick Bites

Cooking with canned foods combines convenience, nutrition

46

Five Questions for...

Toby Jenkins, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission

48

Tourist for a Day

FENCE to celebrate 35th anniversary this year

53

Why I Love the Foothills

Tommy Williamson, owner of Williamson's Paint Center

54

Marketplace 56

Advertiser Index JANUARY 2019

5

SOCIAL LIFE

Big Brothers Big Sisters “Have a Heart”

Christmas Around the World Concert

Jan. 6, 3 p.m.

Christmas Around the World Concert Polk County High School

Jan. 8, 7 p.m.

Tryon Fine Arts Center Film Series Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon

Jan. 10, 6 p.m.

Live@Lanier: Wofford College President Nayef Amhat “Middle East Perspectives” Lanier Library, 72 Chestnut St., Tryon

6

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

The Moon and You

Jan. 11, 4 p.m.

Paper and More, artist reception Carri Bass Studio, 94 N. Trade St., Tryon

Jan. 12, 5 p.m.

Big Brothers Big Sisters “Have a Heart” Opening Gallery Reception Upstairs Artspace, 49 S. Trade St., Tryon

Jan. 12, 10 a.m.

Crash Course Fused Glass Class with John and Karoline O’ Rourke Tryon Arts and Crafts, 373 Harmon Field Road, Tryon

Jan. 15, 7 p.m.

Stage Door Series: "She Speaks" by Annie Evans Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon

Jan. 15, noon

Live@Lanier with Bobby Silvers on Craniofacial Reconstructive Surgery on Children in Palestine Lanier Library, 72 Chestnut St., Tryon

Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m.

Big Deals - Small Town Purple Onion, 16 Main St., Saluda

Jan. 19, 9 a.m.

Breadmaking: Sticky Buns With Ruby Drew Tryon Arts and Crafts, 373 Harmon Field Road, Tryon

Jan. 19, 10 p.m.

Forged Candle Holder workshop with Pat Hayes Tryon Arts and Crafts, 373 Harmon Field Road, Tryon

Jan. 19, 10:30 a.m.

Speaker Series, "Landslides in Western North Carolina" Walnut Creek Preserve, Mill Spring

Jan. 19, 1 p.m.

Wire Bonsai Tree Of Life Dreamcatcher Workshop With Sarah Jane Oiler Tryon Arts and Crafts, 373 Harmon Field Road, Tryon

Jan. 20, 4 p.m.

Family Concert Series featuring The Moon and You Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon

Jan. 22, 7 p.m.

Stage Door Series: Lori Corda & Peter Kutt Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon

Jan. 26-27

Leatherworking workshop with Tom Slavicek Tryon Arts and Crafts, 373 Harmon Field Road, Tryon

Jan. 29, 7 p.m.

Destination Film Series: "In Bruges" Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon

Jan. 31, 8 p.m.

Tryon Concert Association: Zlatomir Fung Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon JANUARY 2019

7

FOOTHILLS FEATURED 1

Tryon Halloween Stroll

2

Photography by Leah Justice The town of Tryon held its annual Halloween Stroll on Oct. 31, with hundreds, if not thousands, in attendance. The costume contest drew a large crowd with several winners, and downtown restaurants were packed with patrons following the event.

1. Jeffrey, Rudy, Sarah, Tracy and Brianna Gray 2. Madalyn Varnadore, Gabriella Betancourt and Addie Buss 3. Grant Harding 4. A.J. Giles 5. Abby Lewis and Elena Greve 6. Patti and Tom Trobaugh 7. Ava Betancourt and Claire Ashworth 8. Mandy Wolfe and Margeaux Lewis

8

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

3

4

5

6

7

8

Using Our 30+ Years of Excellence to Define the Path Forward.

At Parsec Financial, we recognize that priorities around money are different for everyone. And these priorities are shifting toward a higher purpose about what money can do. We develop each client’s path individually, making wealth management more meaningful.

For today and tomorrow.

Individuals | Businesses | Trust Services | Tax Services | parsecfinancial.com JANUARY 2019

9

FOOTHILLS FEATURED

Seventh annual Tryon Beer Fest

1

Photography by Heather Holbert Hundreds came out to downtown Tryon Saturday to enjoy craft beer, live music and more during the seventh annual Tryon Beer Fest, organized by the Tryon Downtown Development Association.

1. Mr. Leonard 2. Jessica Pullara 3. Bill Ingham 4. Pete Viehman and Michael Watson 5. Crys Armbrust and Jenny Zieler

2

10

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

3

4

5

Align goals, investments, and the right advice to make the perfect blend Life changes, markets fluctuate, and your portfolio might need an adjustment to help keep you on track toward achieving your goals. If you’re wondering whether you have the right investments in your portfolio, we’d be happy to give you a professional evaluation. It could be the only thing you need is more cream in your coffee, but your investments are worth an important second look.

Call today for a complimentary consultation over coffee.

Michael Ashworth, CFP® Managing Director – Investments 187 N. Trade St. Tryon, NC 28782 828-859-9499 mike.ashworth@wfadvisors.com wellsfargoadvisors.com

Steve Collie, CFP® Vice President – Investment Officer 187 N. Trade St. Tryon, NC 28782 828-859-9499 steve.collie@wellsfargoadvisors.com

Katheryn Gordon Financial Advisor 187 N. Trade St. Tryon, NC 28782 828-859-9499 katheryn.gordon@wfadvisors.com

Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker/dealer and nonbank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2016, 2018 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. 0418-05395 A2068 IHA-549084

JANUARY 2019

11

FOOTHILLS FEATURED 1

2

St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation celebration

3

4

5

6

Photography courtesy of Jennifer Wilson St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation held its annual donor and physician celebration Friday, Nov. 16, at the home of Larry Wassong. The evening affair was catered by Pat Strother’s Impeccable Taste Catering and accompanied by live music by Dan Keller. This annual celebration is an opportunity to show how grateful the foundation is for its donors and physicians throughout the year.

1. David Pope, Meshelle Colvin and Larry Wassong 2. Jay and Lori Grddings and Jennifer and Brian Jones 3. Bob and Judy Lair 4. Jean Shumway, Clark Benson and Linda Greensfalder 5. Linda Haynes and Lynn Hensley 6. Lucy and Tim Brannon 7. Marsha and Keith White 8. Olin Sansbury and May Ann Claud 9. Roger and Joanie Newman 10. Sadler and Mary Love

12

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

7

8

9

10

JANUARY 2019

13

IN THE STUDIO

14

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Photo courtesy of Steve Barr

Photo courtesy of Steve Barr

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY VINCENT VERRECCHIO / CARTOONS COURTESY OF STEVE BARR

Y

ounger pediatric patients have asked cartoonist Steve Barr if he is Santa Claus.

With his white beard and hair and twinkle in the eyes, the resemblance to Clement Moore’s jolly visitor is apparent, even when he’s behind the polycarbonate face shield of a disposable hood.

His visits, however, are not restricted to one date in December. By appointment with the medical staff, he can arrive from his home in Columbus almost any day of the year at a children’s medical facility.

He always brings creativity and joy, plenty of paper, pens and pencils, and gifts. Sometimes, in addition to wearing the hood, he appears in a translucent plastic medical gown and non-latex surgical gloves required for isolation wards. Other times, a checkered shirt and Dockers will do.

Either way, every child he visits struggles with extreme medical challenges.

At a bedside or in a group, Steve draws cartoons to help children escape into a magical place of happy possibilities and, there, teaches them how to populate it with their own fun characters. He also gives them art supplies so they can create and further explore on their own after he has gone.

“I leave feeling so uplifted,” Steve says.

“I love watching grins spread when I say that the crayons and other art supplies are theirs, free to keep. I remember laughter and growing excitement during a visit.

The children give back to me so much more than I could ever give to them.”

He gives one example that began with an urgent call. A heart transplant team wanted him to come to the hospital as soon as possible. Their 16-year-old patient was despondent.

He had his first heart transplant at age 3 and his second at 6. When Steve last visited him, prior to the third transplant, the boy confided that he wanted to grow up to be a cartoonist.

“The third transplant damaged his kidneys and he would need a kidney transplant,” Steve says.

He looks inward as he continues.

“It had been about two weeks since the operation and the team felt the boy was giving up. Would I come back and try to lift his spirits?

“After I was suited up in full sterile attire, looking into the isolation room at the boy, so tired and distant...I focused on what I could do to make this as much fun and distracting as possible for him.

“The joy in drawing cartoons has always been there for me. I wanted to give that joy to this boy, and to give it, I had to tap the energy of it within myself, and not JANUARY 2019

15

16

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

feel the sadness of the room.”

Steve stepped forward, unaware of the courage it took to battle the unthinkable, armed only with memories of previous successes, blank paper, pencil and pen, an abundance of good humor, and artistic talent exercised and strengthened over a lifetime.

Steve’s mother painted and encouraged her children to be creative. Steve remembers finger painting in kindergarten and writing and drawing comic books to sell to fellow fifth-graders for their lunch money.

“I would also create comic books about coursework to try and butter up teachers when I was late for an assignment,” he says.

“I always loved cartoons. I read the comics in three different newspapers.”

He remembers Snuffy Smith, in color and black and white, and the “Gene London Show,” a Philadelphia black and white TV production where the host taught kids how to draw cartoons.

“I was glued to the set when he was on, then doodled endlessly...never had time for formal training,” he says.

Steve’s TV lessons and practice have proven to be productive.

In seventh grade, he sold a cartoon to Venture Magazine for $7.50. In high school, he landed his first book illustration job.

JANUARY 2019

17

Photo courtesy of Steve Barr

18

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

When a contract arrived special delivery from the publisher, Steve and his friends were stunned by what he was going to earn.

“Over the following years, I drew for Tribune Media Services, Bell Atlantic, The Complete Idiot’s Guides, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Multi-Ad Services, Impact Books, Peel Publications, Super Duper Publications, Childswork/Childsplay and many others,” he says. “But then, I lost all of my business when my brain swelled from Lyme disease.

“I was dying. My customers were loyal and understanding but they had deadlines that I couldn’t make. I recovered in time to be with my cousin, who was dying of cancer. I was frequently thinking about pain and death, wondering why my slate had been wiped clean, but felt compelled to draw and continued drawing to help brighten our time together.”

One by one, Steve’s happy critters carried him through the dark times.

“When I look at a blank sheet, I never know what might pop out of my hand and appear on the paper,” he says. “It’s always a surprise and the next great adventure.”

In 2014, he began his next adventure, giving free cartooning classes in hospitals to pleasantly distract pediatric patients during painful procedures and lengthy stays. As interest increased for his Drawn-to-Help Program, cartoonists in other areas started asking how they could do something similar. Grants funded the necessary art supplies.

Steve reports that 28 professional artists are now volunteers in five states. Donations have continued to fund the art supplies given now to more than 4,000 girls and boys. More volunteers, many well known, are waiting for additional funds so they can add hospitals and reach more children.

Children like the girl who lost use of her right arm from cancer and wanted to learn to draw cartoons for her mom with her left, or the hairless girl clutching art supplies to her chest, singing “I get to draw, I get to draw,” or the boy who survived three heart transplants and, facing a kidney transplant, still found smiles in what he was drawing.

“As he drew, I thought I could see his spirits lifting,” Steve says. “Two weeks later, I got the assurance I wanted from the nurses and doctors who had worked with him for so long.

The boy had gone outside for the first time in more than eight months. He was soon back at the Ronald MacDonald house, and now, after the kidney transplant, he is home with his family.”

For more information about the nonprofit status of Drawnto-Help, visit stevebarrcartoons.com • A photo waits in all things, all places, and everyone with a passion has a story to be told.

That’s the perspective Vince Verrecchio, lightly retired ad agency creative director, brings as a writer and photographer contributing to Life in our Foothills. He can be reached at vincent.verrecchio@gmail.com.

Gift Certificates Available!

Reservations Recommended

If your Wealth Advisor doesn’t know much about the concerns of horse and horse farm owners, maybe you should talk to one that does.

Peter Shanahan CFP®, CRPC®, MPAS® Senior Vice President Wealth Advisor 475 S. Church Street Suite 100 A Hendersonville, NC 28792 828.233.1900 spggroup.hilliard.com J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, LLC Member NYSE, FINRA, & SIPC

JANUARY 2019

19

FEATURE

Larry

MORTON The man who shrunk the Saluda Grade STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY VINCENT VERRECCHIO

T

he further we walked down the mountain on the railroad, the more frequently we stepped through spills of kudzu flowing off the slopes and across the tracks.

Finally, the rails disappeared into a dense covering as far as I could see around a bend. With a lapse in good sense, I followed the rails, leading the way and beating down and aside the hip-high growth with a stick.

Refusing to be turned back to Saluda, I was illogically 20

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

determined to make it all the way down to Melrose and see the entirety of this “road less traveled.�

Getting there would satisfy the curiosity of all five dauntless members of our family expedition. Each of us would also have a story for posterity of how we had hiked the legendary Saluda Grade.

We had already come so far through the quiet of the gorge and forested mountains that the end had to be just out of sight. We had clambered over and through a tree

JANUARY 2019

21

toppled across the tracks, left behind a hefty copperhead snake in peaceful warmth along the roadbed, wondered about the colorful corrosion on the housing of a routing signal, and wisely left a stinging caterpillar untouched on a rail tie plate.

We had joked that a box turtle at the base of a rail had come to the wall at the end of its world and should turn back.

Advice I wish I had heeded. About a dozen steps into the deep tangle, I vanished before my startled wife, daughter, granddaughter and grandson.

It would have been so much easier and more sensible for us to have waited a few months and view the 22

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Saluda Grade diorama when it was installed at the Saluda Historic Depot Museum.

The hike we had attempted would be there in miniature. We could have satisfied our curiosity without the kudzu and had the bonus of historically accurate locomotives and cars at the depot, on the grade and at the Melrose coal loader.

When we five explorers first saw the diorama, we enthused about the various locations we identified from our adventure. I wondered who had shrunk the terrain of our hike with such amazing accuracy and how it had been so cleverly built to fit the room.

Larry Morton, president of the

Apple Valley Model RR Club in Hendersonville, remembers receiving his first train on his eighth Christmas, an O-scale Lionel set (O-scale is 1/48 actual size). Before he went to college to study engineering, he built and rebuilt three variations of the Reading Railroad in HO scale (1/87 actual size).

From 1964 to retirement in 2000, he worked at NCR in such positions as a computer technician, network engineer and service manager. Much less time was available for model railroading, although he did some work in N-scale (1/160 actual size).

From childhood and throughout his career, he was learning and practicing to shrink miles to feet, inches

$100 Patron Lounge Food & Drinks Included

$30 General Admission Food & Drinks Available

JANUARY 2019

23

24

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

and fractions, not knowing he was heading for the littlest project of his life, bringing 4 miles of the Asheville and Spartanburg Railroad into 28 feet at Z scale (1/220 of the real world). He would lead a team to shrink the steepest stretch of standard gauge railroad in the United States into a modular display that could be folded and rolled out of the way when necessary for Saluda Depot programs.

“Model railroading is craft, art and engineering,” Larry says.

Craft can be in the woodworking of building a flat platform or multiple tiers, the bonding of Styrofoam sheets to be sculpted into mountains, transforming bottle brushes into pine trees, or constructing buildings from kits or from scratch with materials such as basswood.

Larry thinks his most challenging project was sculpting clay sheets to replicate stone walls of an actual Reading depot, allowing for shrinkage in the kiln to maintain proper scale when assembled.

Art is in the imagination to conceive and visualize a finished model. It’s the ability to paint stores and houses, riverbanks and roads, and backgrounds that use forced perspective to create illusions of depth and distance.

Engineering is the electrical circuitry of complex switching and calculating angles of incline to match topographical

JANUARY 2019

25

26

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

maps.

“The diorama is 28 feet long but, to be totally accurate at Z scale, the length should be 84 feet," Larry elaborates.

"There is no smaller scale, so to make a convincing model as accurately as possible, we modified elevations, and with selective compression, decreased the linear distance in modules 2 and 3...retaining readily recognizable features.”

While researching an earlier project for the Hendersonville railroad museum, Larry, in a team of three, had already hiked the Saluda Grade twice in stages.

The Saluda Grade project took Larry about three months, with help from club members. His duties included carving and coloring the gorge, raising forests out of foam rubber, carefully bending 0.256-inch wide track and securing it with “adhesive nails.” Other members built automobiles and buildings, painted, wired, and more.

Larry’s vision was a 1950 Saluda, when steam and diesel engines were pulling and pushing up the grade.

Thanks to member Larry Weed’s research, the models used are replicas of the actual locomotives and cars of the day.

“The club has 105 members, and we’re there to enjoy the art, craft and history,” Larry says.

As I listened, I thought that what some of the members enjoy is a multiplayer game. Larry has a 28-square foot S-scale model of the Reading Railroad in the Pennsylvania mountains of 1964. At 1/64 of actual size, it recreates an extensive coal hauling operation with 22 locomotives and 250 rail cars.

“In operating sessions, one member is the dispatcher, four are yard operators and four are train crews," he says.

"The objective is to run a railroad as realistically and effectively as possible, improving scheduling and transport time, and have fun.”

In closing, I asked Larry to confirm on the diorama where I thought I had fallen through a gap in the ties.

Fortunately, I had caught myself at waist deep, and my camera bag prevented me from dropping further into a washout under the tracks. I was sore for a few days, but the camera was undamaged, as evidenced by photos in this article.

“The kudzu is more navigable in winter,” Larry advised for future reference.

For more of the story, visit SaludaHistoricDepot.com and avmc.com. •

Trusted in the Industry.

Rooted in the Community.

• SINCE 1931 •

EQUINE | FARM + RANCH | LIFE AUTO | HEALTH | BUSINESS TRYON 2536 LYNN RD, STE A | 828-859-6700 HENDERSONVILLE 225 6TH AVE W | 828-692-9171

pennyinsuranceagency.com

• Design Build General Contractors

• Fine Custom Homes A photo waits in all things, all places, and • Equestrian Facilities everyone with a passion has a story to be told.

• Timber Frame and Log Homes That’s the perspective Vince Verrecchio, lightly Horse barns built by horse people with an amazing attention to detail retired ad agency creative director, brings as a writer and photographer contributing to 75 S Trade Street, Suite E, Tryon, NC 28782 | www.tryonbuilders.net Life in our Foothills. He can be reached at vincent.verrecchio@gmail.com.

JANUARY 2019

27

CLUB CORNER

Get to know the

WCCR OLD-TIME RADIO CLUB Answers provided by Bob Reynolds and Hoyt Griffith Name of organization WCCR Old-time Radio Club Years of operation 2004 to present Current membership Approximately 20 on the club’s email list. Usually seven to 12 attend.

Current leadership Officially, the club operates without a president, chairman or other officers. There are no bylaws and no dues or fees. Newcomers are welcome to attend meetings and, if desired, get on the club’s email list to learn about upcoming programs. In the club’s current membership are Bob Reynolds (one of the club’s founders) and Hoyt Griffith (who usually selects and presents the programs).

28

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

How to join Simply come to a meeting. They are held on the third Monday of the month at the Isothermal College in Columbus, beginning at 3 p.m. Meetings usually last a little over an hour.

What is the primary mission of your organization?

To meet together to enjoy and appreciate audio recordings of old radio programs from the golden age of radio broadcasting, between 1925 and 1950. In addition, by watching old video recordings, attendees also appreciate radio stars and programs that made the transition from radio to television.

What are the main causes the organization is involved with?

Development of interest in and knowledge of old-time radio, including radio’s influence on early television.

Brunson’s & Furniture Center

Patio Shoppe

How long have you been a member?

How did you first get involved?

Bob Reynolds, since 2004. Hoyt Griffith, since 2005.

The idea of the club began in 2002 when Hugh Anderson ran a series of articles in the Tryon Daily Bulletin dealing with old time radio. One of the readers was Bob Reynolds. The two got together and formed the club, which began meeting in 2004.

How does the organization make the Foothills a better place?

By being a unique organization in the western Carolinas, the WCCR Old Time Radio Club contributes to the diversity of interests in the Foothills area. Senior citizens in particular find the club’s presentations a way to reminisce about the time when radio was the dominant source of entertainment and news in the home.

Younger people can develop an historical perspective by hearing programs and events of the past and also appreciating the advancement of mass media through the years.

What is the main thing members get out of joining?

Members benefit by learning about and enjoying the early days of radio and television in a pleasant social atmosphere in a college setting.

JANUARY 2019

29

30

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

JANUARY 2019

31

DIFFERENCE MAKER

GEOFFREY M. TENNANT Making a difference in Polk County for over half a century

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK LEVIN

Y

ou would think someone turning 80 years old in a few months would have long retired by now.

Not so for Geoffrey M. Tennant.

Not only is he the chief of the Tryon Fire Department, but he’s also chair of the Polk County Schools Board of Education.

And Geoffrey says he has no plans to retire anytime soon.

Just to listen to his involvement as a community servant tires me out, but to Chief Tennant, it’s what keeps him active and committed to Tryon and Polk County.

Geoffrey made it to Polk County from Virginia in 1960. At the time, he was on active duty with the United States Air Force. A couple of years later, his career with the Air Force was over and he went back to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to finish his bachelor’s degree.

His career path moved from airman and university student to serving in front of a classroom as a teacher at Tryon High School.

A career in education would be enough for any one person’s lifetime, but even as Geoffrey’s education job was in full swing, he was also serving with the Columbus Fire Department. He was elected chief of the Columbus department soon after he volunteered, and he served in this role for another 28 years.

Geoffrey did “retire” from the Columbus Fire Department, but retirement wasn’t on his agenda.

Geoffrey was immediately asked to come to Tryon and serve as battalion chief for the Tryon Fire Department. He accepted the job and, in 2016, was elevated 32

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

JANUARY 2019

33

to chief.

The role of fire department chief in a small town is a challenge. Geoffrey and James “Tank” Waters, the assistant fire chief, are the only paid members of the department.

In a big city, each firehouse would be staffed by a full complement of round-the-clock paid professionals. Tryon, and just about all small-town fire departments, rely on a small army of dedicated volunteers.

And while Geoffrey and Tank have set working hours of 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, they are always on call.

Evenings, weekends, holidays don’t matter, and he’s never even considered asking for “comp time.” It’s not in Geoffrey’s vocabulary.

The Tryon Fire Department currently has 35 members on the roster, and all of them have had basic firefighter training, which requires a minimum of 36 hours for the basic training series. Members who want to receive a minuscule retirement from the state after 20 years on the depart34

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

ment have to complete a minimum of another 36 hours of continuing training hours each year.

Many of the volunteers have gone beyond this and have extensive specialized training, such as hazardous materials handling and emergency medical technician training. Geoffrey is a certified advanced EMT and serves as a professional instructor in EMT training for the Tryon Fire Department.

Geoffrey went on to discuss some of the biggest challenges of leading a volunteer fire department.

“The budget is always an issue," he says. "It takes money to offer first-class service day in and day out, and that’s expensive.”

When someone calls 911, they don’t want to worry about the budget. They are desperate for the help only the fire department can give, and Geoffrey wants to make sure they have the best service. Someone having the worst day of their life, watching their house consumed by fire, doesn’t care how much a new truck costs.

The Tryon Fire Department has two older trucks, which will soon age out of use. He’s constantly pressing the Polk County Fire & Rescue Advisory Commission and the Tryon Town Board of Commissioners to make sure new trucks are included in budget plans for the future of the town.

Other challenges include finding new firefighters. It takes someone special who is willing to make such a huge commitment of time and energy, plus put themselves in harm’s way with each call.

Over the years, it has also become more difficult for volunteers to be able to drop their paid job at the first call for help to be able to respond to a fire or other incident. The Tryon Fire Department averages over 1,000 calls a year, including fires, road accidents, medical emergencies and even an occasional cat-up-the-tree rescue.

Serving as Tryon Fire Department chief should be enough for any one person, but it would be impossible not to mention Geoffrey’s role on the Polk County Schools Board of Education.

Geoffrey was first elected to the board in 1992 and has been chair since 1996. He’s a natural, as he’s been in the trenches of education as a teacher, a coach and an administrator.

When asked which is harder, being a teacher or a firefighter, it didn’t take long for Geoffrey to say that each job has its own issues, but he thinks teaching these days is

VINEYARD & SANCTUARY Vineyard and Home to Rescued and Special Needs Equines from Across the United States The Sanctuary at Red Bell Run Columbus, NC • 828.863.2017 JANUARY 2019

35

36

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

probably harder.

“There’s tremendous pressure on public school teachers in this day and time," he says. "My heart goes out to people who teach!”

Geoffrey’s not so sure if he would go into teaching today if he were starting over, but he’s very satisfied and pleased that he had the honor of serving as a teacher. It was a rewarding experience.

Geoffrey says his desire to be a public servant goes back to a quote his dad used that stays with him to this day. Loosely stated, Geoffrey explained, his dad said, “To whom something is given, much is expected.”

“I’ve been very fortunate," Geoffrey says. "I feel I have an obligation to pay back or pay forward. It is a way that when I leave this world, people will say, 'At least he tried to make a difference.'”

It is obvious that Geoffrey Tennant is making a difference every day, and has been for over half a century.

A friend once told Geoffrey, “Do something as long as you are able.

Do not retire!”

Polk County can be glad he listened. • Mark Levin has recently retired from a career in education and, along the way, has had a lifetime of experiences, earning a buck as a photographer, videographer, author, musician and camp director.

You can follow his blog about people and places in the Foothills at FoothillsFaces.com or on Facebook.

JANUARY 2019

37

FOOD IN THE FOOTHILLS

38

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Where food

COMES FULL CIRCLE Columbus restaurant making farm-to-table dining affordable for families STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY TED YOAKUM

I

f you ask a hundred restaurateurs what it ultimately takes to run a successful restaurant, you’ll get a hundred different variations of the same answer: “Great food, at the right price.”

It was this philosophy that Columbus’ Carl Pleasants and Tryon’s Adrienne Wilson embraced nearly one year ago, when the pair decided to make their own mark on the Foothills' culinary scene.

Since then, their business, The Rural Seed Restaurant, has sprouted

into a local dining destination with a reputation for offering the farm-totable dining experience at a price that families of all walks of life can afford — just as the owners envisioned.

With Adrienne’s husband, John, recently joining the team in the back of the house, the Columbus restaurant is continuing to grow, with the addition of an “After Dark” dinner menu, the opening of a second dining room and a new selection of beer and wine.

The business has also teamed up with local nonprofit Growing Rural

Opportunities to host the Columbus Winter Farmers Market, offering local farmers — including several whose fresh meats and produce lines the kitchen’s pantry and fridge — a place to sell their products every Saturday through March.

The new partnership has allowed the restaurant to become a place where local food truly comes full circle, a place where customers can shake the hands of the very same growers whose labor is transformed by Adrienne and John into delicious dishes that run the JANUARY 2019

39

40

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

gamut from garden salads and hearty soups to tacos, burgers, pasta and more.

The owners say that around 70 percent of the ingredients the kitchen uses are sourced from farms in Polk County and the surrounding region. The owners purchase ground beef, eggs and chorizo from Saluda’s Bradley Farms, greens from Saluda’s Bearded Bird Farm, and other local vendors.

By continuing to develop relationships between themselves, their growers and GRO, the owners are hopeful they can rely even more on locally sourced foods.

“The more we buy from them, the more that farmer is gonna grow,” John says.

The team behind The Rural Seed are familiar with both ends of the farm-to-table equation.

Carl has farmed on his family’s land in Lynn for the past several years, with John helping out every now and then.

The two, along with Adrienne, used to work together at Bright’s Creek Golf Club, with Carl working in the front of the house while John led the kitchen, and Adrienne served as pastry chef.

When Bright’s Creek closed in late 2017, John decided to return to his previous job as a chef at Mill Spring’s Tryon International Equestrian Center, while Carl and Adrienne decided to make their dream of offering affordable farm-totable dining to their neighbors a reality.

Inside the building that once housed Winding Creek Brewing Co. in Columbus, The Rural Seed Restaurant took root, with the owners initially focusing on a simple yet tantalizing menu of breakfast and lunch dishes.

“We had an opportunity, but we didn’t have a lot of leeway or choices,” Carl says. “We wanted to make sure we could take care of breakfast, take care of lunch, because we know we could do it. We wanted to make sure we could build a business and do it correctly, and provide what we were promising before we got too big for our britches.”

For the morning hours, Adrienne and her team whip up a selection of waffles, pancakes, French toast and omelets, as well as breakfast classics like biscuits and gravy, eggs Florentine and more. For lunch, customers can enjoy a variety of different tacos, sandwiches, burgers and salads, served with french fries, soups and the kitchen’s house-made potato chips.

With John joining the team late last year, the kitchen was ready to apply its farm-to-table approach to dinner as well.

Building on the restaurant’s already popular assortment of burgers, tacos, salads and sandwiches, the evening menu also features a selection of quality steaks and chops, topped with the customer’s selection of béarnaise, demi-glace or the house steak sauce. Other entrée choices include a grass-fed beef short rib Bolognese sauce, tossed with pappardelle pasta; an all-natural chicken breast, stuffed with chorizo and fontina cheese; and the kitchen’s variation of the tried-andtrue Southern staple, shrimp and grits.

A division of NJK Consulting, Inc.

JANUARY 2019

41

42

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

22336 Asheville Hwy Landrum SC

864-457-4115

The Rural Seed Restaurant 322 E. Mills St., Columbus 828-802-1097 theruralseed.business.site Hours Wednesday through Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday: 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

www.hensonbuildingmaterials.com

Complementing the food is the restaurant’s new selection of beer and wine. Inside the recently opened second dining room is the establishment’s bar area, which has six brews on tap, while the wine cabinet is stocked with six varieties.

With The Rural Seed Restaurant rapidly approaching its second birthday, the owners say the journey thus far has been amazing, and that things are only going to get better for the unassuming grey building on the outskirts of town.

“I don’t think we ever wanted the polished, really nice, fancy brass place,” John says. “We wanted a place people had to discover. And that’s what [Adrienne] and Carl have done — create a place people can discover. And that’s really, really cool. To think you can come in and get a coconut-crusted mahimahi in a building like this, that’s what I always wanted.” • Ted Yoakum is the managing editor of Life in our Foothills and the Tryon Daily Bulletin. He can be reached at 269-588-1040 or ted.yoakum@tryondailybulletin.com.

JANUARY 2019

43

QUICK BITES

WHAT’S IN THE CAN? Cooking with canned foods combines convenience and nutrition

44

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Simple, convenient and versatile, canned foods provide an array of options for families looking to increase nutrition during mealtimes.

However, some home chefs may not be aware of the benefits canned foods bring to the table.

Consider these common consumer misnomers, cleared up by the Canned Food Alliance: Myth: Canned foods don’t count toward dietary goals.

Fact: Canned foods provide important nutrients that deliver on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines, as all forms of fruits, vegetables, beans, meats and seafood — whether fresh, frozen, canned or dried — are recommended to help ensure a proper balance of nutrients. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the Canned Food Alliance, 95 percent of health professionals surveyed agree that all forms of food, including canned, can help consumers meet the USDA’s MyPlate fruit and vegetable recommendations.

Myth: Canned foods aren’t as nutritious as fresh or frozen foods.

Fact: Research published in the “Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture” shows canned foods can be as nutritious and, in some cases, more nutritious than fresh and frozen counterparts.

Myth: Canned foods are filled with preservatives.

Fact: Because canned foods have already been cooked, preservatives aren’t necessary to prevent spoilage. The canning process itself preserves the food.

Myth: Canned foods are highly processed.

Fact: Once canned fruits and vegetables are picked and packed near peak ripeness, they’re cooked quickly at high temperatures to lock in nutrients, similar to the home-canning process.

Myth: Canned foods are high in sodium.

Fact: Salt and sodium aren’t required for preservation of canned foods, and low- and no-sodium canned food options are available.

Additionally, draining and rinsing canned foods can further reduce sodium by up to 41 percent.

CHIPOTLE PUMPKIN BLACK BEAN CHILI Start to finish: 80-90 minutes Servings: 4-6

INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 1 rib celery, chopped 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 can (28 ounces) no-salt added canned diced tomatoes 1 cup canned pureed pumpkin 1 cup no-salt-added canned chicken broth 1 can no-salt-added canned black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can (12 1/2 ounces) no-salt-added chicken, drained 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, finely chopped 1 teaspoon brown sugar Salt, to taste 2 green onions, finely chopped Lime wedges, for serving DIRECTIONS In Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions, celery, jalapenos, garlic, cumin, oregano and pepper. Cook, stirring, 5-8 minutes, or until vegetables soften.

Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, pumpkin puree, chicken broth, black beans, chicken, chipotles and brown sugar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour, or until chili thickens. Add salt, to taste.

Garnish with green onions and serve with lime wedges.

Tip: Add preferred canned beans, such as white kidney beans, pinto or Romano beans, in place of or in addition to black beans.

Nutritional information per serving: 240 calories; 6 g fat; 35 mg cholesterol; 210 mg sodium; 29 g carbohydrates; 8 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 18 g protein; 7,390 IU vitamin A; 35 mg vitamin C; 98 mg calcium; 3.2 mg iron.

(Recipe courtesy of the Canned Food Alliance)

Find more canned food facts and recipes at mealtime.org.

JANUARY 2019

45

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR...

Five questions for‌

TOBY JENKINS, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission

S

gt. Toby Jenkins is a 23-year veteran with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Law Enforcement Division. Jenkins has served as an FTO (Field Training Officer), general instructor, firearms instructor, special weapons instructor and is a certified SWAT operator through the North Carolina Justice Academy. He lives in Polk County with his wife, Billie, and daughters, Lindsey and Maddie. Jenkins is a licensed drone pilot and enjoys filming and producing drone videos in his spare time.

Jenkins and his family attend Crossroads Baptist church in Columbus.

What is the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission?

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Law Enforcement Division is the agency charged with enforcing in the states hunting, fishing, trapping and boating laws.

What are your responsibilities as a game warden?

The law enforcement division is charged with enforcing the game, fish and boating laws of North Carolina as established by the North Carolina General Assembly and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Game wardens are state law enforcement officers, with arrest authority for state and federal violations. Each holds a basic law enforcement training certification.

46

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

In particular, game wardens enforce the game, fish and boating laws to protect the resources of the state and the safety of its citizens. They can arrest for any criminal offense committed in their presence.

Game wardens in Polk County make many other arrests each year, especially in the Green River Cove area, such as for littering and alcohol offenses, DWIs, and numerous drug charges.

What was your motivation for getting into the profession?

I grew up hunting and fishing in the mountains of western North Carolina. I saw and heard about violations taking place in my local community and wanted to make a difference.

One example, in the past two years in Polk County, we have apprehended and prosecuted several poachers who were killing deer in the River Road and Hunting Country areas of Polk County. In two separate cases, we caught five people who had illegally poached over 40 deer in the area.

Most of the deer were being shot at night, between midnight and daylight, by spotlighting the deer and then cutting the heads off, leaving the carcasses in the fields.

This month [November], we apprehended two South Carolina men who had killed over 18 deer illegally in the River Road area by driving around shooting the deer from the road with a rifle. The season was closed for gun hunting, and men were shooting onto private property. Discharging a firearm from a vehicle/roadway, both day and night, is extremely dangerous.

We’ve had poachers who illegally take wildlife, giving decent hunters a bad name.

In a lot of the cases, it’s the legal hunters who are hunting in the woods and observe these violations and report them to us and assist us in detecting and prosecuting these serious cases involving our wildlife resources.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Catching serious poachers who pose a hazard to public safety as well as detrimental to our wildlife resources. When you receive reports of serious wildlife violations and spend the time working the case and follow through with the cases until they are prosecuted in the court system, it’s very rewarding.

Also, introducing our youth to hunting and fishing opportunities is one of the most rewarding aspects of our job.

What makes the Foothills’ wildlife so special and worth protecting?

My patrol area includes Polk, Henderson and Transylvania counties. I also work areas of Rutherford County from time to time.

In Polk County, we have one of the highest populations of wildlife in western North Carolina. We have over 100 miles of trout streams in my area; five lakes; The Green River Game Lands, which is over 15,000 acres; Dupont and Headwaters state forests; Pisgah National Forest, which is over 100,000 acres; The Blue Ridge Parkway; two state parks, Chimney Rock and Gorges; in addition to all the privately owned lands in the area. Across North Carolina, we usually have one officer per county, so it’s a challenge to enforce the laws as well as conduct the hundreds of programs we offer each year.

Anyone reporting wildlife violations should call 1-800662-7137, 24/7.

JANUARY 2019

47

TOURIST FOR A DAY

A NATURAL GEM FENCE to celebrate 35th anniversary this year

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK LEVIN

I

f you are yearning to stretch your legs or your mind — you can do both at FENCE, a 384-acre treasure in our own backyard.

FENCE, officially the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, is open dawn to dusk 365 days a year. FENCE truly offers something for everyone, and thousands of visitors make that turn off Hunting Country Road to start their own adventures. For most, it’s a return trip to take another class or hike another trail...but others are discovering FENCE for their very first time.

It can become habit-forming, and Tracie Hanson welcomes that.

Tracie has worked at FENCE for 13 years, the last three of those as executive director. She has seen a lot of growth in all areas, including programming and the ensuing increase in visitors.

Tracie is also excited about all of the special activities coming up in 2019 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Tracie Hanson FENCE. A check of the calendar of community activities published regularly in The Tryon Daily Bulletin or the nonprofit’s website will give you an idea of some of the variety of activities taking place at FENCE. Most programs are free, including an extensive nature education program enjoyed by about 9,000 school kids a year. These programs, led by FENCE nature educators, start with visits at the school campus and then culminate with field trips to FENCE. 48

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Students from throughout Polk County and from Rutherford, Henderson, Buncombe and Spartanburg counties enjoy this chance to learn more about nature and the environment by experiencing it firsthand. The programs are designed to match up with North and South Carolina school curriculum standards. Some of the kids enjoying these school programs end up attending one of the five day-camp sessions held each summer.

Hikers and other nature lovers can roam the over 5 miles of trails that crisscross the property.

These trails are separate from several miles of horse trails that are maintained by the Foothills Equestrian Trail Association for its members.

There’s room for both on the FENCE property.

People just driving past FENCE can’t help but notice the equestrian side of the property, with professional riding rings, including one that’s covered, and the barns for stabling over 300 horses. It is an impressive facility.

FENCE hosts 23 weekends of horse shows on that side of the property each year, but there’s more! It also hosts dog agility competition weekends as well as a professional rodeo once a year.

On several occasions, FENCE has served as a welcoming haven for horses living in floodprone areas during hurricanes. The community has come together many times to see to the welfare of these equine visitors.

Cross back over to the “nature” side of Hunting Country Road and follow the long driveway up to the FENCE Center to find the starting point for dozens of activities for all ages. There’s

JANUARY 2019

49

a bird hike each season, led by Simon Thompson or Aaron Steed, that attracts a following of amateur and experienced ornithologists.

FENCE even has their own “Birds of FENCE” pamphlet with a list by season of all birds observed on the property. It’s a great way to introduce a youngster to the concept of a birding life list that nurtures a newfound love of nature around us.

FENCE offers a free family concert 10 times a year, held in the Great Room at the FENCE Center. One month, it might be a solo musician, and the next time, a trio.

The intimate setting encourages audience engagement with the performers, who often weave stories around their shows.

There are tree identification, mushrooms and other guided hikes held throughout the year. There are regularly scheduled nighttime astronomy sessions.

And, of course, not a day goes by that people aren’t out hiking the trails on their own or with their canine companions.

Hundreds of visitors make it out for a couple of big events each year — the Celebrate Nature event in the fall and the Go Fly a Kite Day in the spring. Both are free.

TROT, Therapeutic Riding of Tryon, has become a well-known and respected equestrian program using horses to help people with disabilities lead fuller lives. Led

by Allison Rhyne, TROT offers two 10-week sessions each year, each culminating in a horse show.

Over 70 human volunteers are involved in the Allison Rhyne program, and they work with horse volunteers who are trailered in for each session. It’s a big commitment for these volunteers, but the smiles and confidence this program brings is worth it.

A few activities do incur a small fee to cover special expenses, such as “wine and paint” nights or an occasional needle-felting class. The FENCE facilities can also be rented for special events such as weddings and reunions, and that income helps the bottom line.

There are special fundraisers that are feebased, such as the first-ever Roastin’ on the 50

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

DON’T REPLACE IT.

REVITALIZE IT.

- Bullet Point

ServiceMaster of Polk County

828 - 859 - 7046

- Bullet Point Bullet Point Bullet Point DBA Name Here

000-000-0000

Street Address City State Zip

www.servicemasterclean.com

$00 Off

Offer description

Valid at this ServiceMaster Clean location only. Minimum purchase of $XXX required. Cash value 1/100 of 1¢. Offer good through 00/00/00.

CARPET 3 Rooms $ CLEANING & Hall

97

24/7/365 Emergency Service An independent business licensed to serve you by ServiceMaster Clean. © 2012 ServiceMaster Clean. All rights reserved.

• Water Removal & Drying • Smoke & Odor Removal JANUARY 2019

51

.devreser sthgir llA .naelC re

Ridge oyster roast, held this past November. The annual summer rodeo is another fundraising event, as is the first-ever cyclo-cross endurance bike race and 8K foot race being held Jan. 19 and 20.

Fundraising events, donations from community individuals and businesses, and some grants provide the bulk of the money it takes to run such a first-rate program and to be able to provide such an incredible community resource.

Thirty-five years ago, FENCE was a vision by a group of community enthusiasts, led by James Flack, 52

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Paul Culberson, Davis Kirby, Gustav Hoffman and George Moore. Today, a plaque in the Great Hall recognizes their leadership along with dozens of others who made the dream a reality.

They might not have envisioned the success FENCE was to become and is now — a place that means so much to so many.

Plan your visit soon. It’s worth every minute.

FENCE is located at 3381 Hunting Country Road, Tryon. Check the website at FENCE.org for program calendars, phone numbers and contact info. •

Mark Levin has recently retired from a career in education and, along the way, has had a lifetime of experiences, earning a buck as a photographer, videographer, author, musician and camp director. You can follow his blog about people and places in the Foothills at FoothillsFaces.com or on Facebook.

WHY I LOVE THE FOOTHILLS

Tommy Williamson Owner of Williamson’s Paint Center

that it is so important to support the community that supports our business.

T

ommy Williamson is the owner of Williamson's Paint Center in Landrum. A longtime member of the local business community, Williamson was recognized in 2018 with the Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce's Businessperson of the Year. He is also a former member of the Tryon Little Theater board.

What is it you enjoy most about owning a business in town?

I really do enjoy seeing our longtime customers come into the store, as well as the faces of new customers building a home, renovating or just working on a small project. It’s always interesting to see people, especially those we’ve served for years, and how they have changed, grown or moved into a new stage in their lives.

What do you think the community appreciates most about your business?

The fact that we offer, by today’s standards, “old fashioned” customer service. The business started in 1949 in Spartanburg and later opened in Landrum, and we have the expertise and focus that you will not find in the big chain stores or most similar businesses. We do our best to maintain records for customers, so that, down the road, we may duplicate product orders as needed.

In what ways have you and the business given back to the community?

Over the course of each year, we make numerous contributions to various local nonprofit organizations, either financially or in product. I feel

What do you love most about the Foothills?

This is such a unique community in so many ways, and, geographically, you couldn’t ask for a better place.

There’s nothing more visually special than where the Foothills meet the mountains!

What is the one place you recommend people visit when they come here?

It’s difficult to narrow it down to one place. The area has so much to offer that you really must take the time to explore. There are good local restaurants here for sure and are also so fortunate, for a small community, to have cultural organizations like the Tryon Fine Arts Center, the Tryon Little Theater and the Tryon Arts & Crafts School.

JANUARY 2019

53

Marketplace 828.859.9151

Real Estate for Sale: 10 Miles from TIEC • 5 Homes • 35 Acre Farm • Airport - All by owner www.avionre.com Acts Home Health Hiring CNA’s Full-Time and PRN, 1:1 Client Ratio, Competitive Pay Apply at www.acts-jobs.org or Call: 828-894-2142 ARCHITECTURAL GARDENS • Affordable Home/Garden Vintage Decor • Vintage Garden Furniture • Custom Iron Work • Statuary • Gates • Planters • Architectural Salvage • Chandeliers • Fencing • Fountains 188 Johnny’s Rd Inman,SC architecturalgardens188. com 864-401-0674 or 864-473-2042 Local busy repair shop - Advanced Automotive - Now hiring Full-Time Automotive Technician.

Call 864-706-1604 C.N.A $1,000 Sign-On Bonus 2nd $2 shift diff 3rd shift $1 shift diff RN/LPN $2000 Sign-On Bonus 7p-7a FT PT 3p-11p and 11p-7a C.N.A II PT Weekends. Please apply in person at Autumn Care of Saluda 501 Esseola St. Saluda, NC 28773.

Bathliners of the Carolinas Bathtub Fiberglass & Ceramic Tile Guaranteed 35 Years Experience Call us NOW!!!

864-915-7297 www.bathliners.com 54

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Call Bill the Painter for all your painting needs!

We also do drywall repair and wood repair! 32 years experience. Like Bill the Painter on Facebook!

Call 828-899-2647 CUSTOM STONE & BRICK MASONRY • Decks • Water features • Lighting effects • Landscaping.

Call Craftsman Services now to schedule your personal consultation.

864-978-2283 email: Craftsman1211@gmail. com No Experience Necessary!!!

Now Hiring Seamstresses • Training provided • Pay based on experience • Seasonal over-time Apply in person at: 212 N. Lyles Ave Landrum, SC Now Hiring Experienced Gutter & Downspout Installers Pay based on experience Call Robie at: 864-303-5955 Carolina Gutter Helmet 20yr Local Specialty Home Improvement Company Bush Hog Work done on Saturdays. 6” bush hog with 4WD tractor.

Call 828-674-7940 Craftsman Services.

YOUR most trusted name for remodeling and repairs. For more information e-mail: craftsman1211@gmail. com Or call: Tel: 864-978-2283

Maintenance Unlimited For all your home maintenance needs. We

GOOD BY STUMPS Stump Removal Fully Insured Free Quotes!

Call Ron at 828-447-8775

kitchen sink ... no wait, 828-447-0669 or 828-817-4284 Double-wide Trailer for Sale on almost an acre, between Holbert Cove Road & Green River Cove Road. Priced to sell as-is!

828-894-6183 Deal Asphalt & Paving • Driveways • Parking Lots • Asphalt Seal Coating GC Licensed Contractor Free Estimates Call 864-4730194 or 864-580-9892 dealasphalt@yahoo.com DIXON AC & HEATING • Your HVAC Service & Repair Expert • Serving the Tryon area for 30+ years.

Call (828)863-0555 Dominguez Tree Service, LLC • 828-460-7039 Free Estimates • Insured • Stump Grinding • No Job Too Small • Bucket Truck Available Epperson’s Tree Service • Complete Tree Service • Dangerous removals • View Cutting • Lot Clearing • Tree Trimming • Crane Removals Serving NC for 25yrs Fully Insured

Now Accepting Applications for Several Positions • Class A CDL Drivers • Heavy Equipment Operators • Landscape Supply Yard Associates www.hensonsinc.net Click on Employment Opportunities 828-859-5836 HOLT’S GRADING “No Job Too Small” •Land Clearing •Retaining Walls •Riding Ring & Repair •Fencing •Landscaping •Sod & Irrigation •Driveways •Tree Work All Types Brandon Holt: 828-899-0116(Cell)

Now Hiring: Hospice of the Carolina Foothills: •Case Manager RN FullTime •RNs & CNAs for Crisis Care as needed Visit www.hocf.org Email hr@hocf.org EOE 1BR/1BA APARTMENT FOR RENT - TOWN OF TRYON. Charming historic home with garage space. Private location. All utilities & cable included.

References required. $950/ month. Broker-owned.

828-817-0755

One free meal included with each shift worked.

Please apply in person: 333 Thompson Street, Hendersonville NC 28792.

No phone calls, please.

Full-Time Housekeeping positions available at premier retirement community in Hendersonville, NC. medical, dental, vision, life, short-term disability, paid time off. Country club atmosphere, friendly environment, competitive pay. One free meal included with each shift worked.

Please apply in person: 333 Thompson Street, Hendersonville, NC 28792.

No phone calls, please.

Cook position at premier retirement community in Hendersonville, NC. Country club atmosphere.

Full-time, excellent dental, vision, life, shortterm disability, paid time off, competitive pay. One free meal included with each shift worked.

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

Full-time 1st shiftMaintenance position at premier retirement community. Country club atmosphere, excellent

(828)606-4980 828-817-2580 garywcorn@gmail.com First Real Estate, Inc 2512 Lynn Road Tryon, NC 28782 www.TryonRealEstate.com

Part-time security position at premier retirement community in Hendersonville, NC. Tuesday/Wednesday/ Thursday, 4PM-Midnight.

Country club atmosphere, friendly environment.

environment. Excellent Complimentary meals for each shift worked.

Please apply in person: 333 Thompson Street, Hendersonville NC 28792.

No phone calls, please.

Full-time driving position at Lake Pointe Landing premier retirement community.

Country club atmosphere.

CDL, passenger stamp & medical examiners card are required. Please apply in person: 333 Thompson Street, Hendersonville NC 28792. Excellent benefits including: medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, life insurance.

Paid vaction and sick time.

Free meal included for each shift. Competitive pay, friendly work environment. Come join our winning team!

CNA positions available at premier retirement community in Hendersonville, NC. Fulltime positions. Excellent benefits: Medical/dental/ vision/life, short-term disability, PTO. Country club atmosphere, friendly environment, competitive pay. Free shift meals.

Please apply in person at: 333 Thompson Street, Hendersonville NC 28792.

No phone calls please.

HIRING CNA’s, PCA’s & Experienced Med Techs (cert. req’d). 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.

Private House Cleaning.

Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly or 1 Time.

15 yrs exp. References upon request.

Free In-home Estimates!

Marjorie 828-817-6350 KARATE CLASSES Won Moo Do • Children & Adults REGISTER NOW!!

4:00pm-6:00pm Grace Community Center, Tryon Call 864-382-9313

FOR SALE BELOW RECENT APPRAISAL 7 minutes to TIEC. Home, 15 acres, barns, storage shed, great horse farm or grape vineyard potential.

Call Robin: 828-231-5069

background check -Willingness to work some weekends. Print and complete online application at www.Pavillon.org and fax to 828-694-2326. EOE.

Mitch Contracting Serving your demolition needs since 1918. We offer roll-off waste containers for home and commercial use.

Call 828-252-0694 or visit us at www. mitchcontracting.com.

FULL-TIME DISHWASHER Washing/sanitizing, storage/rotation of food/ supplies in accordance with sanitary procedures/ standards. HS Diploma/ GED, 1 year fine dining/ hospitality/commercial foodservice experience, some weekend work required. Benefits include: medical/dental/life/longterm disability insurance, generous PTO, 401k.

Download application: www.pavillon.org Fax to 828-694-2326 or email to: humanresources supportteam@pavillon.org Background check/drug test required.

HAY FOR SALE • Alfalfa / Orchard Mix -orTimothy Hay for Sale.

Call 828-817-4970 Nelon-Cole Termite and Pest Control- Locally Owned and Operated.

Pest control including termite, general, carpenter bees/ants, mosquitoes, moisture-control including waterproofing, mold/ mildew remediation, indoor air quality and odor control, termite & water damage, repairs.

828-894-2211 For Lease or Sale: Commercial/Industrial Metal Buildings, 43,200’, High/Low Docks, Offices, Spindale, 3 phase.

Properties UnlimitedCommercial Division: 828-287-0750 HOUSEKEEPER: Pavillon, a private residential treatment facility for adults recovering from alcohol and substance abuse seeks a full-time housekeeper. A Pavillon housekeeper provides housekeeping services to all areas on the campus.

Required: -High School Diploma or GED -2 years commercial housekeeping experience -Valid driver’s license & good driving record -Pass drug test &

PSR PLUMBING • Service • Repair • New Installations • Commercial & Residential Local, licensed plumber with 10+ years experience Call Lou at: 864-326-5051 or visit facebook.com/PSRPlumbing Polk County Farm Bureau Insurance Customer Service Representative •Office duties •Strong people skills •Ability to work with public •Credit check/aptitude test Monday–Friday FullTime •Benefits included 828-894-3320 EOE POLK COUNTY SCHOOLS •Full-time Bus Driver/ Custodian Sunny View & Tryon Elementary Custodian-$12.07/ hour Bus Driver-$13.74/ hour+$.25/hour •After-school Workers/All

Schools $10.00/hour •Substitute Bus Drivers-$13.74/hour •Substitute Bus Monitors-$11/hour •Food Service Worker Substitute $8.28/hour Visit: www.polkschools. org/employment Call:828-894-1001 $10 Off Winter Preventative Maintenance (Reg $75) Rutherford Heating and Air 828-287-2240 Rojas Maintenance & Gardening: •Fall Clean-up •Leaf Blowing •Tree Trimming •Landscaping •Mulch Services FREE ESTIMATES!!!

Horacio Rojas: 864-518-6793 Furnished 1BR/1BA Hunting Country Rental New kitchen, carpet, painting, and washer/dryer included. Mountain views w/deck. No Pets or Indoor Smoking $1,000/month Includes water, AC and heat 828-817-4663 NOW HIRING!!!

Help needed in a 4 horse barn in Gowensville, basic horse care required 5-6 days a week, prefer 4pm-7pm shift 864-895-8715 OR 864-360-5286 7-K Garbage Service Monthly • Weekly One Time Service We Pick It Up! 828-894-9948 hyatt2658@yahoo.com Owner - Suzette Hyatt STEPS TO HOPE - HELP WANTED: PRN Shelter Staff Position. Responsible for crisis intervention, answering crisis phone & text imes. 3-5 hours per week working nights and weekends. Valid driver’s license and background check required. Bi-lingual

applicants preferred.

Mail resume to: Director of Client Services, Steps to HOPE, PO Box 518, Columbus NC 28722 or email to cm@stepstohope.org • 115-Acres • Mountain Views • Ponds • Rolling Meadow • 1,900sq.ft House with Cellar • 100yr Cantilever Barn • 2hrs from Tryon,NC 1754 Muddy Creek Road Dandridge,TN $1,040,000 Details/ Additional Photos Contact:Wynne Kenworthy 252-229-9654 or email skyedancefarm@yahoo. com NOW HIRING!!

Full-time line cooks & dishwashers. Must be able to work all shifts and weekends. Looking to fill positions ASAP. Apply at: 101 East Rutherfordton Street, Landrum Fifth Wheel 32 Ft. 2007 Sundance by Heartland Three Slides.

Fully Loaded Like New $14,500 OBO Call: 864-804-0035 or 864-895-1278 WARRIOR MET COAL NOW HIRING Located in Brookwood, AL Immediate need for experienced: •Underground Miners •Electricians •Maintenance Foreman •Supervisors Apply online: www.warriormetcoal.com Meditation FREE Every Wednesday. Qigong class: 6:30-7:00p.m.

Meditation: 7:00-7:30p.m.

Come to one or both. No charge, just locals coming together. In Tryon. Call for directions. 828-273-4342 JANUARY 2019

55

ADVERTISER INDEX The Book Shelf 6

Laurel Hurst / Laurel Woods

43

Boon Choo 17

McFarland Funeral Chapel

56

Brunsons’ Furniture Center

29

New View Realty

Caitlyn Farms Event Center

1

Odean Keever & Associates Inc.

Carolina Storage Solutions

13

Parsec Financial 9

Inside front 47

Carruth Furniture 37

Penny Insurance 27

Cason Builders Supply 29

Polk County Transportation 47

Claussen Walters LLC

S.G. Power Equipment 41

Centerspread

The Esmeralda Inn & Restaurant

19

The Sanctuary at Red Bull Run

35

EcoView Windows, Doors, Siding

25

Service Master of Polk County

51

Harper Eatery & Pub

5

Southside Smokehouse 37

Heartwood Contemporary Crafts

7

St. Luke’s Hospital

Henson Building Materials

43

Tryon Builders 27

Back cover

Hilliard Lyons 19

Tryon Fine Arts Center

Home Technology Consultants 41

Wells Fargo Advisors 11

Hospice of the Carolina Foothills

Williamson’s Paint Center

Inside back

23 51

Lake Pointe Landing 3

Subscribe today!

Receive Life in Our Foothills magazine at your doorstep for only $35 per year!

56

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Call 828-859-9151

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT FAIR Give a little time….. It only takes a few hours per month to make a huge difference in a hospice patient's life.

ARE YOU

Join us at one of our 3 upcoming

- A good communicator

Volunteer Recruitment Fairs:

- Committed

Wednesday, January 9th, 2019

- Flexible

Carolina Event & Conference Center

- Reliable

374 Hudlow Rd, Forest City, NC Lunch from 11:30am - 1:00pm

- Passionate

Thursday, January 10th, 2019

- Interested in helping patients and their families

Cunningham's Restaurant 2915 Highway 14 E, Landrum, SC Brunch from 9:00am - 10:30am

NO MATTER WHAT YOUR SKILLS OR TALENTS, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO HELP.

Friday, January 11th, 2019 Countryside BBQ Restaurant 2070 Rutherford Road, Marion, NC Lunch from 11:30 - 1:00pm

For further information and to RSVP, please call (800) 218-2273 and speak with a Volunteer Coordinator.

JANUARY 2019

57

ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL INFUSION CENTER EXCEPTIONAL CARE, CLOSE TO HOME.

My hospital for chemo and infusion services.

St. Luke’s Hospital understands that it’s less stressful to stay close to home for chemo and infusion services. That’s why we offer world-class chemo and infusion services right here in Polk County.

We’re here for you, so you don’t have to drive long distance.

Exceptional care, close to home.

828.894.0111

SaintLukesHospital.com 56 Hospital Drive, Bldg 4 Columbus, NC 28722