Life In Our Foothills July 2016

life in our foothills

JULY 2016

RIVER VALLEY PONY CLUB

Ambassadors to US Pony Club Championships East

IS SOMETHING BURNING?

Equal parts fun and practicality at men’s cooking class

July 2016

A GENTLE GIANT RETIRES St Luke’s CEO Ken Shull leaves large shoes to fill

Live the life you choose

Live...

True maintenance-free living on our beautifully manicured 50-acre campus

828-693-7800 | www.LakePointeLanding.com

T003-XNSP159400

in the heart of Hendersonville.

Editor’s Note The message of the holiday, I think, is that after the fireworks have fizzled and the dogs have emerged from underneath the beds, is that if there is one thing that will make us quit complaining about America – and we’ve been doing a lot of that lately with this crazy election season -- is coming together to take a day to celebrate America. It’s a cause we all can get behind, and we do it really well.

I’ve been to a few Fourth of July Claire Sachse, Managing Editor celebrations in my lifetime, and each claire.sachse@tryondailybulletin.com has been unique and special on its own merits. At the Naval Academy, there was something amazing about the resonatdon’t think I’ve ever met someone ing, earth-pounding booms of cannon who doesn’t like celebrating the fire that preceded the fireworks, echoing Fourth of July. Personally, it’s my around the Chesapeake. In New Orleans favorite holiday. In celebrating our nation’s birthday, there is no overspending, from my downtown office on the 50th guilt from overeating, or the stress that floor, I watched the fireworks light up the mighty Mississippi River and revelers accompanies so many other holidays or celebrations. Nor is it overhyped for on riverboats below. I’ll never forget lighting sparklers on my grandad’s sailweeks and months. I’ve never heard of boat in the San Francisco Bay, while the people camping out in long lines for bigger fireworks lit up the Golden Gate 5 a.m. sales of fireworks, either. And America doesn’t complain about getting Bridge. And right here in Columbus, we have, hands down, the most friendly, older, or lie about her age.

I

down-home, amazing fireworks display and day-long celebration!

I consider myself lucky to have celebrated our country’s birthday in so many places. And each and every time I get very sappy. Maybe because I have lived abroad and have seen refugees who want so desperately to come here, I appreciate the holiday in a different way? Maybe because I am a woman I’m keenly aware that the freedoms I have are unique to the world’s women? Maybe because military funerals are the norm in my family going back generations?

Maybe because I love watching little kids smiling, riding their decorated bikes with red, white and blue streamers in parades?

Maybe because I wonder what those who fought in the Revolution would think about us and their country today?

Could they even have imagined? Would they be proud of us? Would it be worth it to them?

So, this month I hope you “party like it’s 1776” as the kids say, and join me in celebrating our 240th birthday together. We’re worth it. She’s worth it … and then some. •

on the cover PUBLISHER

Betty Ramsey

EDITOR

Claire Sachse

CONTRIBUTORS

Gillian Drummond Judy Heinrich Ellen Henderson Carol Lynn Jackson Linda List Michael O’Hearn Vincent Verrecchio Steve Wong

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

The local Pony Club gives the opportunity to area youth, including Addison Sama with her pony Sugar and Spice, the opportunity to be introduced and to excel in the equestrian arts. Their next big event will be the USPC Championships East 2016 at the Tryon International Equestrian Center July 27-31.

The full story starts on page 34. Photo by Michael Drumgool Photography.

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.

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

3

Table of Contents COLUMNS 12 Much Ado 30 Country Living 32 In Good Taste

SHORT STORY

10

10 Quilts on Trade

Q&A 20 Meet Antoni Staley

FEATURES 14 Is Something Burning?

20

32

14 4 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

24 A Gentle Giant Retires

30

12

Table of Contents FOOTHILLS FEATURED 8 Senior Class Field Day

8 40

APPOINTMENTS 34 River Valley Pony Club 40 PEER Going Strong 46 Farrier Jam

46

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

5

July Events

July 9 Coon Dog Day

July 16 Airing of the Quilts

THROUGH JULY 17

Carolina Camera Club Members’ Photographs Tryon Fine Arts Center Tryon, N.C. tryonarts.org

THROUGH JULY 23

Members’ Show Tryon Painters and Sculptors 78 N. Trade St., Tryon, N.C. tryonpaintersandsculptors.com

THROUGH JULY 29

“Little Clay One Way” Pottery Show Tryon Arts and Crafts School tryonartsandcrafts.org or 828-859-8323

THROUGH JULY 29

Clay Four Ways and Jennifer Zurick: Basketry Upstairs Artspace, 49 S. Trade St., Tryon upstairsartspace.org or 828-859-2828 6 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

July 4 Fabulous 4th Celebration

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 7 P.M.

Summer Tracks Concert Jim Peterman Quintet with Stolen Hearts Rogers Park, Tryon, N.C. summertracks.com

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 7 P.M.

Opening Reception “How the West Was Won: Trains & Transformation” Saluda Historic Depot, Saluda, N.C.

SATURDAY, JULY 2, 7 P.M.

MONDAY, JULY 4, 10 A.M. – 10 P.M. Fabulous 4th Celebration Downtown Columbus columbusnc.com or 828-894-8236

MONDAY, JULY 4, 6 A.M. – 4 P.M. Rotary Club of Tryon’s Fabulous 4th Bike Tour Harmon Field, Tryon, N.C. fabulous4thbiketour.org

FRIDAY, JULY 8, 7 P.M.

Music at the Tracks featuring South 85 Historic Depot, Landrum, S.C. cityoflandrumsc.com or 864-457-3000

Top of the Grade Concerts features Scoot Pittman McCreery Park, Saluda, N.C. saludalifestyles.com

SUNDAY, JULY 3, 4 P.M.

SATURDAY, JULY 9, 8 A.M.

Mainline Sunday Concerts presents Soul Vision Ella Grace Mintz Stage at Top of the Grade Park Saluda, N.C. saludalifestyles.com

Saluda’s 53rd Annual Coon Dog Day Festival Saluda, N.C. saludalifestyles.com

July Events JULY 14-16, 8 P.M. JULY 17, 3 P.M.

Tryon Little Theater presents The Little Mermaid Tryon Fine Arts Center, Tryon, N.C. tltinfo.org or 828-859-2466

FRIDAY, JULY 15, 7 P.M. Summer Tracks Concert Peggy Ratusz Full On Blues Rogers Park, Tryon, N.C. summertracks.com

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 8 A.M. – 3 P.M. Airing of the Quilts Trade Ave., Landrum, S.C. cityoflandrumsc.com

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 7 P.M.

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1-3 P.M.

JULY 18-21, 12 P.M.

SATURDAY, JULY 30

Music at the Tracks featuring Mudlick Historic Depot, Landrum, S.C. cityoflandrumsc.com Roots Music Festival Free Concerts Maple Street Plaza, Tryon 828-859-8322

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 7-9 P.M. Literary Open Stage Lanier Library, Tryon, N.C. lanierlib.org

Empty Bowl Workshop Tryon Arts and Crafts tryonartsandcrafts.org (Through September 10)

Early Fall Show Tryon Painters and Sculptors 78 N. Trade St., Tryon, N.C. tryonpaintersandsculptors.com

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 7 P.M. PacJAM Benefit Concert Tryon Fine Arts Center 828-859-8322

VISIT US ONLINE TO READ A FULL LISTING OF EVENTS www.tryondailybulletin.com

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

7

Foothills Featured

Senior Class Field Day Photos by Michael O’Hearn

The Polk County High School class of 2016 had a field day and picnic at Harmon Field on Friday, May 27. A barbecue and live DJ were just some of the offerings at Harmon Field as the senior class hung out and had fun with one another before graduating on June 10. Students brought their Frisbees, soccer balls, footballs, basketballs and longboards and enjoyed swimming in the river on their day off from school.

1. Melanie Novel, Logan Bates, Abby Diamond and Sophie Curtis 2. Shannon Haynes, Deanna Durham, Jenny Wolfe, Taylor Plumley, Caitlin Davis 3. Tom Artmeier 4. Rachel Tipton and Karissa Blackwell 5. Emma Wagoner and Mitchell Brown 6. Kristen Martinets, Colleen Burke, Scarlett Mosseller, Patrick Stimac, Jessica Bailey, Brieann Seaman, Eamon Hennigar 7. Alice Combernoux, Caroline Lee and Anamarie Gundersen 8. Noah Howell, Jake Gillis, Dustin Calvert, Jesse Morris, J.D. Edwards, Noah Keller, Jacob Russell, John West and Dean Cantrell

1 2

3

5 4

8 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Foothills Featured

6

7

8

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

9

Short Story

Quilts on Trade WRITTEN BY ELLEN HENDERSON he Airing of the Quilts, a colorful outdoor display, takes place in Landrum on Saturday, July 16, from 8 a.m. until 3 p. m.

More than 40 old and new quilts hanging on clotheslines will transform a portion of the North Trade Avenue green next to the Farmers Market. Local merchants are also encouraged to hang quilts in their windows or drape them over outdoor tables and benches. Some quilts will be for sale.

Nancy Basket, a kudzu artist of Cherokee descent, will bring hand painted quilt design cards made from kudzu leaves.

The event celebrates Landrum’s quilting heritage and the Foothills Quilt Trail which features 35 intricately painted outdoor blocks hanging throughout the city, ranging in size from one foot square to eight feet square.

The date is also the second day of the Carolina Shop Hop, a much anticipated event for quilters in North and South Carolina. Elaine’s Attic in Landrum is one of the 12 participating quilt shops.

Coordinating the Airing are the Landrum Quilters, a 100+ member club founded in 1980, the City of Landrum and the Landrum Area Business Association.

Traditionally, winter quilts were collected at the end of the season and hung outside in the fresh spring air before they were put up until the return of cold weather.

Visit the Foothills Quilt Trail on Facebook for updates, plus www.foothillsquiltrail.com and carolinashophop.com. •

T

10 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Much Ado

WRITTEN BY STEVE WONG f you are going to pay my wife and me a social visit at our home, please call first. Give us a heads-up of at least a day or two or three … or better yet, a week in advance. Otherwise, (1) we might not be there, (2) the house might be embarrassing dirty, or (3) you’ll catch us in some compromising position, such as still in our pajamas on a Sunday afternoon. Call, send us an email, text us, but please don’t just show up. There’s no telling what you’ll walk into.

There was a time not all that long ago when going to visit family and friends unannounced was just fine and somewhat expected after church on Sunday afternoons. Even dropping in at mealtime was not a problem; there was always more than enough food on the stove for another family to say grace over. Today, most of us would no more just “drop by” someone’s home than we would crash a country club wedding reception.

The last time I remember just going to someone’s home without issuing advance warning was during my early childhood, when my family would go visit some kin or close-enough-to-be kin

I

12 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

GOING VISITING

folks, such as Uncle Douglas and Aunt Berta and their four daughters, Diane, Vicky, Bonnie, and Shannon or Charlieboy and his wife Luvena (we called her “Sister”) and their passel of young’uns.

During the summer it was too hot to be inside, and, of course, there was no central air conditioning, just an attic fan and window fans circulating the humid Carolina air laced with the mouth-watering smell of fried chicken.

The adults would pull up a chair and join in the ongoing conversations and gossip (men on one side, women on the other), and my brother and I would impatiently wait to be invited to play rollybat, a backyard game that looked sort of like baseball but with ever-changing rules dictated by the older kids.

There were makeshift bases, usually trees or tree stumps, and a ball and a bat.

When a big kid would hit the ball pretty far out, the goal was to find the ball and throw it at him as he ran the bases. No one had to catch the ball: you just threw the ball at the runner. If you hit him, he was out.

If someone caught the ball, he could yell “rolly bat,” meaning the bat was laid

down near home plate and the catcher would then roll the ball across the grass in hopes of it touching the bat but not bouncing over it. If the stopped ball touched the bat, the batter was out and the thrower could bat. If the ball missed the bat or bounced over it, the batter had a pretty good chance of running to some of the bases before the ball was recovered and thrown at him.

If the ball had not gone very far (or you felt a streak of meanness), you could yell “corn stalks,” which required the batter to stand the bat straight up at home plate, making it very hard to hit with the rolling ball.

It all got rather confusing to me, but no matter what the rules or play might have been, there was always opportunity for the big kids to scramble for the ball and throw it at some other big kid running the bases. A big kid hitting another big kid with a ball always called for a lot of whooping and hollering and laughter.

But if they ever hit a little kid (like me) with the ball, well, game over… says Momma coming to the rescue and shaming whoever had beaned the little kid.

Besides, the homemade hand-churned

Much Ado

“Get that jar of lightning bugs out of this car and let ‘em go,” Momma would say. ice cream would be about ready to eat, and that always dried up any rolly-bat tears brought on by ball-and-head collisions.

It wasn’t uncommon for visitors to extend their stay until after sundown, when the lightning bugs would twinkle in the yards like fallen stars that you could catch with your hands and collect in a jar.

By then the vegetable garden had been picked clean for the next few days, and the corn had been shucked and the peas shelled. Aunt Berta and most of the other women would be in the kitchen pulling together dinner, while Uncle Douglas held court on the front porch with most of the other men.

With bellies full of corn and biscuits and the dinner dishes washed and dried by many hands, the day visit would come

to an end, and everyone needed to get on back home to take baths and go to bed early because tomorrow would Monday, and that was a work day. As each uninvited but welcome family made ready to leave, there new rounds of kisses and hugs and calls for the hiding children to get in the car.

“Get that jar of lightning bugs out of this car and let ‘em go,” Momma would say. “You know you cain’t keep ‘em.

They’ll die just like they did last week, and tell Aunt Berta you enjoyed dinner and Uncle Douglas you’re sorry about breaking that window. I swear, I can’t take you young’uns anywhere.”

“Oh, that’s alright,” Aunt Berta would declare. “They’re just children.” She’d bend over to kiss me good-bye, but it was really just her way of secretly slip-

ping me a napkin-wrapped chicken leg or jelly biscuit for later.

“Y’all come back soon,” Uncle Douglas would say as he closed the car door with one final flat-palm slap to the fender.

Of course, we’d come back soon, I remember thinking trying to hide my twinkling bug jar in the dark backseat.

We come back every Sunday. Little did I know the unspoken invitation would never expire until Aunt Berta and Uncle Douglas expired.

But if I look out my window this Sunday to see a car load of uninvited family and friends ready to spend a day at my house, I guess I’ll have to brush up on the unofficial rules of rolly-bat, break out the loaves and fishes, and put on some clothes. •

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

13

Much Ado

IS SOMETHING BURNING? Men’s cooking class teaches more than a pinch of know-how WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED

BY STEVE WONG ometimes a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do — especially if he wants to eat. No, not hunt and kill wild game, not flame-kiss steaks on the backyard grill, not throw together his one-and-only he-man dish of fivealarm chili.

We’re talking about the daily grind of breakfast, lunch, and dinner; stowing the leftovers; cleaning up the mess; and doing it all again the next day and the next, and all the days to follow.

S

14 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Fresh fruits and vegetables may indeed grows on trees, but someone’s got to buy them at to the grocery store – and something other than beer, chips, and Ding Dongs.

For some men, routine everyday cooking is a mystery. They can go their entire lives without ever having to cook, much less plan a meal, consider the calories and fat content, buy the ingredients, and wash the dishes. Their mommas did it for them as children;

their wives did it for them as adults.

But when the women in these men’s lives are no longer able to provide meals, well, fending for themselves is a lot harder than they could have ever imagined. In many cases, they just don’t know what to do.

Since 1986, the hungry men in and around Polk County have had the opportunity to learn how to cook through an award-winning class made possible by the Polk County Cooperative Exten-

Men’s Cooking Class sion and the Kiwanis Club of Tryon.

Simply put, it is a men’s cooking class that is never in need of students. (See page 18 for a history of the class.)

Once a week, for 10 weeks, 10 men meet at the extension office’s kitchen in Columbus from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in hopes of learning the difference between folding, stirring, and cutting batter; when to bake versus when to broil; and just why grits needs to be stirred and simmered rather than left unattended to boil at a full-tilt boogie.

On a Tuesday morning in March, just before St. Patrick’s Day, I sat in on the class with the topic being “breakfast.” I was looking forward to this class because I like breakfast foods and felt certain I’d be invited to eat what was to be prepared that day. The 10 men, ranging from middle age to senior citizen, were sitting around a makeshift table, made of smaller tables pushed together. Some wore aprons; others didn’t. Most had a cup of coffee, sitting next to their open notebooks. None of the coffee cups matched, but no one cared. The teacher was Jimmi Buell, an extension agent and educator, and she was prepping the guys for the day’s lesson.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” she said. To people who cook routinely, this was hardly breaking news, but as the class went on, it became obvious that Jimmi didn’t leave anything to chance when it came to teaching these guys the basics. “It gets your brain up and working.”

She went on to say that skipping breakfast was not a good way to lose weight. She cautioned them on letting their blood sugar level drop or eating too much sugar in their breakfast. She suggested that if they had leftovers in the fridge, they could be used in a breakfast quiche. Yes, real men to eat quiche, omelets, and smoothies.

“Actually,” she said, “eat just about anything for breakfast, as long as you LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

15

Men’s Cooking Class

Instructor Jimmi Buell (in red apron) looks on as her students prepare a casserole and fruit parfait in the breakfast class.

16 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Men’s Cooking Class

eat something.”

Being the third class session, the men already had a pretty good idea of how things would go and seemed anxious to get in the kitchen, which was at the other end of the room. But Jimmi pushed on with the basics: Exploring the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, baking tips (spoon flour, not pour; and level off those measuring spoons), how to read a recipe (at least three times), baking powder versus baking soda, which was somehow made understandable by talking about unleavened bread — “Like in the Bible,” someone said.

Whatever it takes.

The day’s menu would consist of Blarney Breakfast Bake, O’Larry’s Skillet Potatoes, Fruit Parfait, Irish Soda Muffins, and smoothies. They began to look over the recipes and ask questions.

“Can day-old bread be older than one day?”

“Is seeded tomatoes with or without seeds?”

“If you can’t find ground turkey, can you use chicken or beef ?” which lead to an extended conversation about cross contamination and cutting boards and the in-the-news problems that Chipotle Mexican restaurants were having with food poisoning.

When Jimmi said they should not wash the chicken before cooking it, well, that just couldn’t be right, some of the men said, shaking their heads.

She explained that the latest studies have shown there is more cross contamination from splashing water while washing raw chicken than from cooking it right out of the package. Some of the men who had wives said they would

have to check with their better-halves before believing that one.

It was finally time to get in the kitchen. “What is the first rule of cooking?” Jimmi asked. “Wash your hands,” someone said. That’s right, and they headed to kitchen sink to do just that.

The men were divided into small groups, each charged with making one of the recipes. As they jockeyed for workspace in a kitchen way too small for 10 men, a teacher, and an interloping magazine writer, the snatches of conversations laced with a bit of salty language were a smorgasbord of wit and wonder… “let’s heat up this SOB… walnuts, where are those bad boys?… Are the dishes in the dishwasher clean or dirty? Oh, too late, they’re dirty now… cubing bread is not like building a church, get on with it…

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

17

HISTORY OF MEN’S COOKING CLASS

ELOISE JOHNSON

The Home Ec teacher who took a local men’s cooking class to national heights

W

hen Eloise T. Johnson, 73, looks back at the Men’s Cooking Class taught by the Polk County Cooperative Extension office and partially funded by the Kiwanis Club of Tryon, she can hardly believe she was part of an award-winning program that started because local men were having a hard time feeding themselves.

It started in 1986 and was so successful that it made front-page news in The Wall Street Journal on Monday, Sept. 22, 2003, a few years after the program gained widespread use and won Extension Service state and southern regional awards in 1998 and a national award in 1999.

“It is the highlight of my Extension Service career,” she said recently while flipping through several large scrapbooks that chronicle her 30 years of service as a home economics extension agent.

She retired in 2002.

Even though Eloise is the person most people associate with the Men’s Cooking Class, she is quick to point out that it was not her idea, she just took it to a higher level. The class began because local retiree and Kiwanis Club member Gene Parks, now deceased, found himself in the unfortunate situation of having to cook meals because his wife was no longer able because of arthritis that left her wheelchair bound.

Like many couples, the Parks had retired to the Tryon community, and like many couples, his wife had always done the cooking. Mr. Parks rightly believed there were probably other men in his predicament and that a cooking class just for men could be the answer to their prayers.

To make the cooking class idea come to fruition, Mr. Parks approached the Polk County Cooperative Extension about developing the concept and used his influence with the local Kiwanis club to ensure funding would always be in place if needed. The idea took root. The first few years, it was taught by Extension Agent Jackie Henson and did well. It was passed on to Eloise in 1988, when she, at Mr. Parks’ urging, began to document and standardize the “packaged program.”

What Mr. Parks wanted was a textbook/cookbook and that is what Eloise gave him and all the men who came after him. Word spread about how

18 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

successful the class was and soon other extension offices were using the local program and cookbook as the templates for their own classes. It spread far beyond Polk County to others in the state, the region, and eventually nationally, which lead to the news story Eloise Johnson in The Wall Street Journal.

In the beginning, the 10-week class was only $25. Today, it is $60. And if there is ever a shortage of funds to cover the cost of the food used in the class, the Kiwanis club is always standing by to fill in the financial gap. But as a good home ec teacher, Eloise says she always looked for ways to cut costs by asking the men to bring in food they grew in the gardens and to use foods that were seasonally plentiful and cheap.

Eloise remembered the times when Kiwanis purchased much-needed pots, pans, and bowls.

“They even bought me a mixer,” she said. Eloise is a Kiwanis member, actually the second woman to be admitted locally.

“I’m just glad they (the men) are there (in the class) because I saw the need,” Eloise said. “I remember one man coming to me with tears in his eyes. His wife had died, and he didn’t even know how to use a microwave oven or the difference between liquid and solid shortening. He had no concept of these things. He didn’t even know where the dishes were.” For this special case, Eloise went to the man’s home and helped him rearrange his kitchen so he could better find the things he needed to feed himself.

“This program is needed,” Eloise asserts. On rare occasion, she still stops by the class to just see how things are going. “Especially in Tryon, since we are a retirement community. There are men struggling alone in their own homes.”

Men’s Cooking Class

“That looks like it should be in a magazine,” someone said with a bit of pride. “It sure does,” he was answered. did we forget to put the cheese in the casserole that is already in the oven?…

Is something burning?”

While the guys bustled about in the kitchen, Jimmi stood back and let them at it. If they had a question, she was there to answer it, but experience has taught her that practice makes… near perfect. “Men don’t follow directions as well as women,” she said. “But men don’t get upset over mistakes as much as women.” Taking it all into consideration, she noted: “You get to eat your mistakes.”

Some of the dishes were made quickly and were ready for the table; other dishes were still cooking and would be for a while. This could be a problem, and the guys looked to

Jimmi. She reminded them to look at the big picture when preparing a meal and to time each dish accordingly.

Heads nodded, but they decided to go ahead and eat what’s ready, namely the Fruity Breakfast Parfaits, loaded with yogurt, granola, nuts and fresh fruits and berries.

“That looks like it should be in a magazine,” someone said with a bit of pride. “It sure does,” he was answered.

The room went strangely quiet as the men ate, but men are quick eaters, and these men were ready for the hardier courses. As they ate and waited, Jimmi previewed the classes to come, such as Tofu Week.

“I think I’ll be in Charleston that week,” one of the guys said and got

laughs all around. That led to the Joys of the Veggie Burger and a tabletop debate about the proper use of fat.

“Black bean burgers?” one of them questioned. “Oh, yeah, I’ll be in Savannah that week.” More laughs.

The debate over marinating meat with Maker’s Mark versus Crown Royal was a draw, but everyone wondered if feeding pigs beer mash would flavor the meat.

Once the rest of the food was done and served up, it got real quiet for just as long as it took the men to eat. I must say, it was pretty darn good. You can hardly go wrong with skillet-fried potatoes with onions and peppers and a casserole of sausage and bread, even if someone did forget the cheese. •

Roots Music Festival July 18–23

Tryon, nc

Rts FREE ConCE

Maple Steet Plaza y Wednesday • Thursda Monday • Tuesday •

12:00 Noon • Aaron Burdett Fayssoux McLean/Brandon Turner Phil & Gaye Johnson • Blue Studio Tryon Dow ntow n Develop

ment Ass ociation

JAM Camp Student/Teacher Concert Friday, July 22 Noon

JAM Benefit Concert Saturday, July 23 7 pm Battleaxe Band Blue Ridge Rounders Scott Huffman Arrowood Sisters Phil & Gaye Johnson

& Silent Auction

Tryon Fine Arts Center • 828-859-8322 • tryonarts.org • pacjam@tryonarts.org

Donations at the door

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

19

Question & Answer

THE PASSING OF A TORCH A Q&A with Polk County High School basketball coach Antoni Staley

Basketball is in Antoni Staley’s blood, whether playing in the Navy, coaching at the high school level, or in “No wood no refs” pickup games.

WRITTEN BY MICHAEL O’HEARN PHOTOS BY MICHAEL O’HEARN & SUBMITTED BY ANTONI STALEY n February, Polk County suffered the loss of basketball coach Derek “Coach T” Thomas, who died from heart failure at the age of 62. He may go down in history as the coach with the most wins, but the community and his former players, including Antoni Staley, remember him as a guide, a mentor and someone more than just a friend.

Staley, who has been the assistant boys’

I

20 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

basketball coach for Josh McEntyre at PCHS, will take up the mantle of head coach when the 2016-17 season begins in November.

Staley is an alumnus of PCHS and played on the PCHS basketball team from 1995-1998. He’s also served as the boys’ basketball coach at Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy in Mooresboro and served five years in the Navy,

completing two tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom and serving on the Ceremonial Honor Guard in Washington, D.C. Staley played for the Naval District Washington Basketball Team during his service.

Here, he talks about his passion for basketball, what he looks forward to in his first season as head coach next year and how “Coach T” will inspire and drive him and his team.

Question & Answer

Q: What got you into basketball?

Answer: Growing up, my family. You know, I had a long history. My uncle broke a lot of records at R.S. Central and my aunt set records and won state titles, and a couple of them played overseas and in college. Just growing up in that environment, I’d always wanted to play basketball. Playing rec ball growing up here, and when I got around Coach Thomas it really kind of just fed something to me.

Q: What were your first impressions of Coach Thomas?

Answer: Coach Thomas didn’t even like me when I first started and he cut me my freshman year because of my attitude. As I got older, I realized he was trying to help and he knew I loved

basketball so much I would come back instead of getting cut and not even trying to come back. When I got to the point where I couldn’t do it anymore, I would still always be in the gym like in California and Washington, D.C. and the kids would see me play and I would start showing them what I did and it made me feel good. If I made contact with them again, I would feel like I did that.

All I know is basketball now.

Like here, I’m kind of big compared to the people around here so I had to be a forward. It comes and goes. People see my size and they think, “Oh, get the post big man,” but then I get ahold of the ball and they think, “Oh hell no, where did he come from?” I like to play guard because I like the passing game.

I would rather have 20 assists than 50 points in a game.

Q: Who are some of your idols, Q: What positions have you played coaches or players? and which is your favorite?

Answer: Of course, one of them Answer: I’ve played just about every position since I was a kid. When I was younger, I was a guard in middle school and then in high school I was a guard and center. In college, I was a guard and in the Navy I was a guard on a threeman team. It depended on where I was.

would be Michael Jordan. Growing up, every time I watched him get fouled it was like someone beat up somebody in my family or someone I knew. The stuff he did was pretty amazing. Chris Webber because I’m a Carolina fan but when he was at Michigan I was a Michigan

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

21

Question & Answer While playing high school basketball, Staley got the opportunity to meet David Thompson of NBA fame. A Shelby, N.C. native, Thompson played for N.C. State in college and then went on to play for the Atlanta Hawks, the Denver Nuggets from 1975 until 1982 and then the Seattle SuperSonics from 1982 until 1984. Thompson has been a four-time NBA All-Star and was named the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1979. Pictured with Staley and Thompson is Coach Thomas and Staley’s teammate, Louis Deruvo.

Staley played for the Polk County High School’s Wolverines basketball team from 1995 until 1998 under Derek “Coach T” Thomas as both a guard and a center. Now, Staley will replace Thomas after his death in February due to heart failure at age 62.

22 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Aside from coaching, Staley has also played on recreational teams and even played in the Navy for the Naval District Washington basketball team during his service. Here, he is playing for the Queens City Express team in Charlotte, N.C.

Question & Answer

fan, and Vince Carter, are my three top favorite players of all time.

Q: You’re starting to gather your team for next season, correct?

Answer: Yes, we’ve had a couple of meetings already and now it’s just down to figure out gym times because I’m a gym rat. I understand people play other sports, and that’s fine, and if you want to play one sport you can’t really do another. But, with basketball you have to really stay on it. You have to stay on it, constantly doing something and at a young age you can’t take any time off because of the way the sport has progressed. I saw a middle school kid a couple weeks ago shooting, form and all, from half court and making baskets.

They’re doing things you thought you would only see in the NBA. You can’t lay off basketball at all.

anyways, but if there was something bothering you about basketball, he would be like, “Oh yeah, you can do this,” or “Do this and this.”

It would be so simple for him to answer questions. Everything I do I Answer: It might sound weird, but I can hear him in me. I feel like evam Coach Thomas, if that makes any erything I do is based off what I’ve sense. learned from him. I’ve had a lot of coaches, but as I had seen when I got Q: You can’t do the “I am Iron older, he controlled me and I didn’t Man,” thing on me. Come on. understand it when I was young and now I see why he had to. No parent How? complained about Coach Thomas, Answer: [laughs] When it comes to which is amazing, and I know a lot basketball and Coach Thomas, I talk of students may have complained about him so much. When I was at because he would make you run but Thomas Jefferson coaching basketball, I feel like I still have to prove someif I had a question about something thing to him. Like, he was always big and didn’t understand it, that’s who on defense, so that’s what I’m going I contacted. A lot of people didn’t to go heavy on next year. He’s always know I had that relationship. Coach going to be around. • Thomas was someone I looked up to

Q: I know this might be a question that has been on everyone’s minds here lately. How will Derek “Coach T” Thomas affect your coaching and your team?

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

23

Ken has an open-door policy in his office, allowing his employees to drop by and talk with him at any time during the day. Shull will greet the nurses, doctors and staff members every morning before he settles in for another day. The only time his door is closed is when he is on the phone or in a meeting.

24 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Ken Shull Retires

A GENTLE

GIANT RETIRES WRITTEN BY MICHAEL O’HEARN PHOTOGRAPHS SUBMITTED en Shull, president and CEO of St. Luke’s Hospital since November 2009, will retire this month after spending nearly seven years with the Columbus hospital.

The retirement will allow Shull to spend more time with his wife, Heidi, in Tryon and his grandchildren as well as stay involved in the community. The CEO and president said he turns 69 within a week of the time he leaves the hospital system.

Shull is ending a 43-year career in healthcare with this retirement. He calls St. Luke’s Hospital a “good endof-career job” and looks forward to retirement.

“I’m excited about that,” Shull said. “We’re going to stay in the area and in Tryon. We’ll go see grandkids, some live in Charlotte and some in Alexandria, Va., and we’ll keep playing golf at Tryon Country Club and I’ll be a judge for the barbecue contests. Eventually, I’ll start doing volunteering but it’s time to just

K

relax.”

Shull also participates in the Rotary Club of Tryon and as a judge at the Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival along with 20 other festivals across the nation. Shull has even been certified as a Kansas City-approved barbecue judge.

Hospital Board Chairman Clark Benson, who had a hand in hiring Shull back in 2009 with the St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Trustees, said he will miss Shull and the jokes he makes, but also feels fortunate to have worked with him.

“We were sad to hear of Ken’s decision, but we consider ourselves fortunate to have experienced his leadership,” Benson said. “Ken has had a transformative influence on our community hospital. He’s guided us through some difficult times for the healthcare industry and led the change for some very exciting growth for St. Luke’s Hospital. We will all miss Ken’s leadership, his insight and

enthusiasm, even his jokes.”

Colleagues and the staff at St. Luke’s refer to Shull as the “gentle giant,” a phrase Shull does not dispute given his 6-foot-5-inch stature.

Kathy Woodham, director of public relations and marketing at St. Luke’s Hospital, said Shull is always interacting with the staff and patients during the day.

“It’s not unusual to see Ken walking around the hospital visiting patients and asking them how their day is going and asking them if they need anything,” Woodham said. “Each morning, the first thing he does is walk around the hospital to speak to everybody and people appreciate that interest. It’s that personal touch.

Even with his office, the only times his door is closed is if he is on the phone or if he isn’t in there.”

According to Woodham, the not-for-profit community hospital has improved its operating margin after spending 14 years in the red. St. LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

25

Ken Shull Retires

Above: Here, a celebration is being held following a positive review by the Joint Commission with a carnival theme in 2012. Pictured left to right are Crystal Jakubowicz, Mandy Buckner, Chasity Jimerson and Ken Shull.

Right: Community engagement and employee satisfaction are two of Shull’s priorities at St. Luke’s Hospital. The CEO and president, along with Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Will Savage, engage in a water gun fight in the courtyard during the second annual Teammate Fun Day in August 2015.

26 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Luke’s Hospital is Polk County’s largest private employer and manages an annual payroll of approximately $15 million for more than 300 staff members who provide round the clock care.

Jean Eckert, retired CEO of Hospice of the Carolina Foothills, commented on Shull’s temperament and work ethic as the CEO of the hospital. Shull served on the hospice board with Eckert.

“He’s a good, solid thinker and he’s always humble when he approaches people,” Eckert said. “I would tell him just to enjoy himself and his grandchildren as he enters retirement.”

Shull said the influence of the small, rural area of Polk County and the close-knit at“Most of my mosphere of St. Luke’s initially drew him to the career, not my hospital.

“I like small, rural entire career, has areas and I like small hospitals,” Shull explained. been at small “Most of my career, not hospitals. I like my entire career, has been at small hospitals. I like the fact that they the fact that they are personal. You have to have a are personal...” professional commitment but you also have to have a personal commitment.”

Jim Holleman is the general surgeon and chief of staff for St. Luke’s Hospital.

He said Shull has always been a nice guy and a pleasure to work with.

“The main thing about Ken is that he’s a very talented individual,” Holleman said.

“I’ve worked with many CEOs during my time and he stands out as being the most pleasant. There have been a lot of improvements here with Ken. He’s just a stand up guy and we’ll be sorry to see him go, that’s for sure.” As he and the board of trustees looked for a new CEO to fill Shull’s big shoes, Holleman joked that he wished he could “just make a clone of Ken” to continue serving the hospital.

“Hiring Ken was one of the best decisions we have ever made,” Holleman said about bringing Shull on as CEO and

Www.IandrumAntiquesFurniture.com

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

27

.TI ECALPER T’NOD

.TI EZILATIVER ServiceMaster of Polk County

828 - 859 - 7046

tnioP telluB tnioP telluB tnioP telluB tnioP telluB ereH emaN ABD

0000-000-000

sserddA teertS piZ etatS ytiC

moc.naelcretsamecivres.www

ffO 00$

CARPET 3 Rooms $ CLEANING & Hall

97

noitpircsed reffO

fo esahcrup muminiM .ylno noitacol naelC retsaMecivreS siht ta dilaV .00/00/00 hguorht doog reffO .¢1 fo 001/1 eulav hsaC .deriuqer XXX$

24/7/365 Emergency Service

ter Clean. All rights reserved.

• Water Removal & Drying • Smoke & Odor Removal

.devreser sthgir llA .naelC retsaMecivreS 2102 © .naelC retsaMecivreS yb uoy evres ot desnecil ssenisub tnednepedni nA

Known as the “Grillmaster and Barbecue King,” Ken enjoys grilling burgers and hotdogs for hospital teammates, board members, physicians, volunteers and visitors during celebrations in the hospital’s courtyard. But, that’s not all. Ken also specializes in Belgian waffles, ice cream, popcorn and chicken fingers for the employees. Ken is a fan of the South Carolina Gamecocks and is wearing his Gamecocks apron as he works behind the grill.

administrator in 2009. “From a personal standpoint, he’s been able to come in, sit down and listen to the concerns of the medical staff and then act upon it appropriately. He’s been a father figure to me in many ways in helping me lead as chief of staff as well.”

One of Shull’s proudest achievements is being lucky enough to work in some places that were ready to do things, like St. Luke’s, which has improved its operating margin recently.

“One of my personal goals, and everyone has to have personal goals, has been to leave some place better than where I found it,” Shull said. “Working with people, because it’s a very personal thing, has been great because I am a people person. We also have the orthopedic addition here that is two years old that was the first step in modernizing this building.”

28 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

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

Ken Shull, along with his wife Heidi, serve lunch to staff, visitors and first responders on Christmas Day in 2012.

The orthopedic wing and rehab center was the first major expansion project done by St. Luke’s since 1972 and was opened in 2014.

The hospital’s patients are, “One of my personal according to Shull, his first goals... has been to priority in the leave some place organizational chart he created better than where for the system and his view on I found it.” the work ethics of the hospital. ~ Ken Shull “On the top are the patients, then it goes to the direct caregivers who touch the patients everyday, then the people who provide support and managers, and the CEO is at the bottom,” Shull said. “That’s what we do as a hospital.

That’s where the action is and so the patients are at the top. It’s fun to be part of it and, in my letter of resignation, I have surprisingly no mixed feelings because I feel good about it and where the hospital is.” • LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

29

Country Living

A

n interesting conversation evolved among a number of customers in my new home furnishings shop/design studio. It was a discussion about throw pillows, and I was surprised at the strong opinions held by some of the people involved.

We feature a number of lines of decorative pillows in all price ranges, bringing personality and character to our studio. One lady sat in a chair but removed the pillow from it before she sat down. At the same moment another relaxed with a sigh of relief into another chair with a pillow behind her back.

The first lady adamantly voiced her opinion. “I always remove the pillows from the chair before sitting in it, just as my mother did.” The second said she always used them, not just as a decorative accent but to give her back support and the feel of luxury.

I believe this difference of opinion is both cultural and a matter of knowledge about the upholstery you choose and the types, sizes and make-up of the pillows.

Pillows, through the type of filling in them, bring support, comfort and a measure of luxury. They are not just decorative accents. Pillows fall into two different categories depending on the the fill used and their shape and size.

As they say, “There’s more than one way to stuff a pillow.”

From natural fillers like feathers and fiber to the latest high tech fluff, you can choose a stuffing that’s perfectly suited to your situation: • FOAM RUBBER PILLOW INSERTS are the least expensive and not recommended.

• Next is POLYESTER WITH A POLYESTER, OR POLYESTER AND COTTON, OUTER COVER. Quite often the pillows are stuffed so full that there is no give to them and you don’t sink into them when sitting. Look for pillow inserts that have some softness.

• FAUX DOWN: Filled with Micron 2, a micro denier polyester fiber, with 100% cotton, down proof ticking. This produces a pillow insert that has the hand of down and it’s non-allergenic.

• SOFT TOUCH® POLY-FIL SUPREME WRITTEN BY GILLIAN DRUMMOND is made from a blend of siliconized polyester fibers PHOTO BY GRACE SEIDMAN that create a silky, down-like texture with a water repellent shell for outdoor pillows.

Next come the down and feather inserts. They are graded by the percentage of feather in down in them. They should always have 100% cotton, 233 thread count covers on them to stop feather leakage

PILLOW TALK 30 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Have fun with your pillows but remember they are also there to bring you support, comfort and a feel of luxury when you sit in your chair and on your sofa. and add to the softness.

• 95/5 pillow inserts have 95% feathers/5% down. They are heavy and fairly stiff.

• 75/25 with 75% feathers/25% down are preferable and should still keep the price down.

• 50/50 with 50% feathers/50% down are the most universally used. They give you support and a measure of good comfort.

• 30/70 with 30% feathers/70% down are the most luxurious with great support and comfort.

They hold up better and give more support than 100% down pillows.

• Sustainable bamboo is the other natural fiber that is starting to be used for pillow inserts.

All pillow inserts should be 1 inch to 2 inches larger than the cover. My filler supplier automatically makes them 1 inch bigger than the size I specify the pillow will be. If you are using a faux down, 30/70 down or 100% down filler you may want to make them 2 inches bigger. I prefer large pillows of 22- or 20-inch squares on a sofa and 16- to 18-inch squares on a chair.

Rectangular pillows are great for lower back support and add variety to your pillow display. Smaller handmade fun pillows be added as an accent and bring humor and interest to a room.

Have fun with your pillows but remember they are also there to bring you support, comfort and a feel of luxury when you sit in your chair and on your sofa. Be good to yourself, your family and your friends as you sink into luxury. • Gillian Drummond has her design studio, Drummond House, at the Down to Earth Home & Garden Center, 1080 S. Trade Street, Tryon, N.C. 28782. Please drop by to say hello and have a chat. Gillian is in the studio on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 1 and 3:30 p.m. or by appointment. You can see her website at www.drummondhouseco.com and reach her at info@drummondhouseco. com or 828-859-9895.

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

31

In Good Taste

ADVENTURES IN

risotto

WRITTEN BY CAROL LYNN JACKSON isotto is all about technique and that’s one reason, among several, that many people panic at the thought of making it.

Another reason is they’ve never heard of it before.

Risotto is a rice dish from Northern Italy. It’s cooked to a creamy consistency from a broth derived from meat, fish, or vegetables.

Risotto can be risky. It takes a consistent amount of attention to bring it to a perfect al dente finish, and double the time it takes to make an ordinary steamed rice base. It can also, but not necessarily, call for an investment in ingredients: broths from meats, fish, or vegetables, butter, wine, and Parmesan cheese. It’s all worth it, in the end, as risotto can be made savory or sweet and serves as the perfect vehicle to use up nearly any type of ingredient from the garden, forest, or fields.

For over 20 years, I’ve loved my nitty gritty paperback cookbook called, “Risottos, Paellas and

R

32 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Other Rice Specialties,” by Raquel B. Agranoff. Risottos can include nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, dairy and most any kind of meat.

In the caterings and specialty food service we do, it always leans heavily on farm to table menus. We use risotto as that way to incorporate the farmers market into a dish.

Recently, with spring vegetables hanging on well into June, we’ve had asparagus, chards, garlic scapes, ginger, shiitakes, kohlrabi, baby turnips, kale and a multitude of fresh herbs in our risottos. But would you have thought of coconut, dried apricots and raisins, curry, olives, cucumber, or lamb?

Basic risotto is the same and the flavor profile via ingredients is an individual choice. Accompany it with your favorite salad, crusty bread and fruit tart for dessert. Choose the stock that complements your ingredients and use half stock, half wine for the more discerning palate. •

In the caterings and specialty food service we do, it always leans heavily on farm to table menus. We use risotto as that way to incorporate the farmers market into a dish.

In Good Taste

Basic Risotto Recipe 3 T. butter or olive oil or a mixture of the two ½ c diced onion 2 c Arborio rice 1 t. salt 6-7 c. of a simmering stock 1 c. dry white wine to replace 1 c. of stock (optional) ½ c. grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese 1 T. butter Heat butter or olive oil in a 3 qt. pot.

Sautee minced onion until soft. Add rice and use a wooden spoon turning all grains until they are coated with the oil.

Add salt. Continue to stir rice while it is cooking. Add hot stock one cup at a time.

Stir as each cup of stock is absorbed, before adding the next. Save ½ c. of stock or wine to add just before serving.

In about 20 minutes the grains should be al dente, with a soft outside and a firm center. Add 1 T. butter, the reserved stock or wine, and the ½ c. of cheese. Taste for seasoning and add salt if desired. When incorporating other cooked ingredients or fresh herbs, fold them just a bit prior to this finishing step. This basic risotto recipe yields 5-6 servings.

BRAY

WE FOR our real estate agents

CLAUSSEN WALTERS, LLC Tony Walters Barbara Claussen Phone 828 713-1818 Phone 828 989-0423 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

33

17-year-old Rebecca Drumgool riding in this year’s Horse Trials at FENCE.

RIVER VALLEY PONY CLUB Set to be Ambassadors at Championship 34 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

River Valley Pony Club WRITTEN BY STEVE WONG PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL DRUMGOOL PHOTOGRAPHY s the equestrian world continues to spotlight the newly opened Tryon International Equestrian Center in Tryon, N.C., some of the limelight is spilling over to the local Pony Club, giving some 27 children and young adults the opportunity to see and be seen by the movers and shakers in the industry and lifestyle.

The River Valley Pony Club serves the up-and-coming equestrian needs of Polk and Rutherford counties in North Carolina and Spartanburg County in South Carolina. Started nearly 25 years ago as a non-profit organization, the club and its members will be the official ambassadors for the 2016 United States Pony Club Championships East set for July 27-31 at the Tryon International Equestrian Center.

Since Bright’s Creek, a residential and resort community that allows the club to

A

use its equine facility at no cost, and the equestrian center are only 13 miles apart in the Mill Spring community, they naturally have overlapping targets of interest, including the River Valley Pony Club.

Undoubtedly, the five-day event will draw hundreds, if not thousands, of Pony Club members and their families from the entire eastern seaboard, from Maine to Florida, to the Carolina foothills. Not only will it be an event for Pony Club members from near and far to compete and demonstrate their skills and knowledge of all things equine on a national level, but it will also give the local club members the opportunity to put into play the values to which all Pony Club members aspire.

“This is a big deal,” 9-year-old Addison Sama said with an unusually strong and confident voice. “I feel really proud of the club. It helps me with my schoolwork. It has taught me how to present

“I feel really proud of the club. It helps me with my schoolwork.

It has taught me how to present myself… to speak out loud… to be comfortable talking to people and to not run off stage.” ~ Addison Sama

The River Valley Pony Club received nearly $3,000 for selling programs at this year’s Block House Steeplechase.

The money will be used to support clubbers’ participation in professional training, camps and rallies.

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

35

River Valley Pony Club

Carrying on a family tradition, 9-year-old Karinn Delap was one of the many River Valley Pony Club members to ride in a North Carolina jumping mounted meeting this spring.

She is the granddaughter and daughter of River Valley Horsemasters Group members Denise Ritacco and Casandra Delap of Greenville.

36 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

River Valley Pony Club

“The only way for us to do this was for both of us to commit. You can’t do this alone, if you want to be sane. But we love it, we really do.” ~ Alicia Sama myself… to speak out loud… to be comfortable talking to people and to not run off stage,” she said in reference to “Quiz,” a question-and-answer competition that is just one of the seven disciplines addressed by The United States Pony Club, Inc. Such skills and confidence will certainly come in handy when she and other fellow clubbers are stationed about the equestrian center during the championship to answer questions and direct visitors.

The River Valley Pony Club is headed

by District Commissioner Ivette Drumgool, a dedicated volunteer and mother of club member Rebecca Drumgool, a 17-year-old who, because of Pony Club involvement, is eyeing a career in

equestrian arts and sciences. The Joint DC is Alicia Sama, equestrian director at Bright’s Creek. Depending on the points standing, Rebecca hopes to compete in the Eventing or Dressage discipline at TIEC. Claiming to share the same brain, these two women lead the way for the members and totally take to heart the mission, disciplines and values of Pony Club. At times, running the Pony Club is a 24/7 job for them.

“We have an agreement,” Sama said.

“The only way for us to do this was for both of us to commit. You can’t do this alone, if you want to be sane. But we love it, we really do.”

“Especially the horses,” piped up Addison.

“Every single board member, parent, and child’s dedication to the club is the reason for the great success of this club,” Drumgool said. “At the upcoming championships, this Pony Club will exemplify the love of horses, the love of competition, the love of coming together for a common cause and interest. It is hard to express the level of commitment these kids put forth. It is truly heartwarming and amazing.”

At a minimum, the clubbers meet weekly, usually at Bright’s Creek’s wellkept stables, with some traveling one and a half hours to get there. At other times, they meet at members’ homes or at horse-related facilities, such as a veterinarian’s office, a farrier’s shop, or other regional training facilities. The district

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

37

River Valley Pony Club

Pony Clubber Addison Sama, 9, and her pony, Sugar and Spice, at a recent mounted meeting.

38 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

River Valley Pony Club

River Valley Pony Club District Commissioner Ivette Drumgool and Joint DC Alicia Sama take a much needed breather at a recent unmounted meeting. The work never ends, but neither does the fun.

commissioners said they are forever indebted and grateful to Bright’s Creek for providing them with a place for their mounted and unmounted meetings and training at no cost.

They share in a strong belief that involvement in Pony Club should not depend on the person’s financial status.

A member’s yearly dues amount to only $170, and both Sama and Drumgool are always looking for ways to raise money to defer members’ expenses and the club’s expenses, such as fees and accommodations for out-of-town guest trainers.

The River Valley Pony Club is a nonprofit agency, in keeping with The United States Pony Club’s organizational structure. In addition to their spring and fall competitive trail rides (Hunter Pace), the clubbers sell programs at the annual Block House Steeplechase Races. To fill in the financial gaps, they wash cars and horse trailers for fun and fees.

“I wish I had had the opportunity that these kids get from the local professionals,” Sama said. “As a professional, I hope we can teach kids to shoot for the stars and to absorb and take in the different aspects, such as farriering, barn management, vetting, exerciser, feed store. All

of the knowledge allows you to explore all of the equine opportunities, to pick the route you want. You get to see it all.

You can be an artist and still have horses in your forefront.”

“I love the friendships they are getting,” Drumgool said. “We know Rebecca, who will be a senior, will have horses in her future. The education she is getting is phenomenal. The leadership skills and head knowledge will never go away. I love the opportunities and the family bonding that are in process. Just enjoy the journey.”

“You have to have a passion or it doesn’t work,” Addison added and didn’t even look to her mother for confirmation or approval. Her mother just smiled.

For now the River Valley Pony Club is psyched about being the ambassadors to the 2016 United States Pony Club Championships East.

“It’s huge,” said Rebecca. “When we told people where we are from and that the championship would be in own backyard … well, in the Pony Club world, it’s a big deal.”

For more information about the River Valley Pony Club, please visit RiverValleyPonyClub.com.•

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

39

Roger Lauze (left) trains attendees on trailer entrapment rescues.

(Monica Stevenson Photography)

40 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

PEER Support

Monica Stevenson Photography

PEER GOING STRONG, THANKS TO YOU WRITTEN BY JUDY HEINRICH PHOTOS SUBMITTED olk Equine Emergency Rescue recently achieved a longtime goal and wants to thank everyone in the community who helped in the effort.

After depending for many years on the personal vehicles of volunteers to tow its specially equipped equine ambulance, PEER recently purchased its own truck for the task. Having a dedicated vehicle hooked up at all times means PEER is ready to roll as soon as a call comes in that a horse or other large animal is in need of emergency assistance.

According to outgoing PEER president Judy Donlan, the purchase of the truck – and PEER’s ambulance back in 2010 – wouldn’t have been possible without local organizations holding fun-

P

draisers or awarding grants, or without personal donations from many individuals.

PEER especially wants to recognize Tryon Riding & Hunt Club, Tryon Hounds, Green Creek Hounds, Partnership with Horses, the Western Carolina Hunter Pace Series and J.M. Smith Corporation for their longtime support, as well as Polk County Community Foundation and Carol M. Wellman Foundation in Hendersonville for their generous grants.

PEER’S GRASS-ROOTS START The idea for an equine emergency ambulance took root in a few local minds in the early 2000s. For Judy Donlan the impetus was having witnessed a seri-

ous horse accident at a local event and realizing that the attending veterinarians had no way to transport the horse for additional medical attention.

After that experience, she put out some feelers among the area’s horse people about the need for an equine ambulance and found that others were thinking along the same lines. In 2002 a small group that included Alan Bridge, Arthur Bourbeau, Dee Black and Judy organized PEER and began taking a personal trailer to events like the Block House Steeplechase and Hunter Paces to transport horses for medical care if needed. They also solicited local volunteers and organized an instructional clinic presented by a group from the Southern LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

41

Volunteers learned how to rescue a horse trapped in a swimming pool.

(Monica Stevenson Photography) 42 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

PEER Support

Pines area. “We were fortunate to get some of the local Fire and EMS people involved, and they became the nucleus of it,” Judy said.

Judy became the first PEER president and spent much time applying for grants to help buy equipment, and getting the group its 501(c)3 non-profit status so that donations could be tax-deductible, which happened in 2008.

As time passed, some PEER volunteers cycled off and others joined, including Anita Williamson, about six or seven years ago. Anita has since become a team leader who organizes volunteers, ensures that the ambulance is kept stocked with equipment and supplies, and until recently provided her personal truck to pull the ambulance more often than not.

The PEER ambulance is not only

available for medical emergency calls, it’s now a welcome sight at many local horse events, including the Block House Steeplechase, Horse Trials at FENCE, other horse shows, and Hunter Paces.

There is never a charge to owners of horses or other large animals rescued by PEER. The organization is happy to accept a donation if the owner would like to make one.

SPRING VOLUNTEER TRAINING CLINIC With the number of area horse events increasing every year, there is also a growing need for volunteers trained in emergency rescue techniques. On March 5 and 6, PEER held a training clinic at Sue Spiegel’s farm conducted by Roger Lauze, the country’s foremost equine and large animal rescue expert, and featured a presentation on field anesthesia by Dr.

Anne Baskett of Tryon Equine.

Twenty-two people attended the clinic, learning how to use specialized rescue equipment and participating in simulated rescues involving a horse downed in a trailer and a horse stuck in a swimming pool. Seven of the participants were from the Polk Animal Rescue organization, or PAR (see page 44).

It was good timing as both PEER and PAR volunteers helped in a real emergency situation just weeks after the clinic, when a horse went to a spring in her pasture and got mired in mud. “It was an all-hands-on-deck situation with the horse stuck in up to her stifles and elbows,” said Anita Williamson. “Some of the people who came to help had done the Roger Lauze clinic but not an actual rescue yet, so it was good real-world experience with a successful outcome.”

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

43

More Help is a Good Thing There is horse activity every day in the Carolina Foothills, and on any weekend there can be horse shows at Harmon Field, FENCE, Riverbend (Greenville), and Tryon International Equestrian Center, various events at different trainers’ farms, a

foxhunt, and many people riding at Hunter Paces or on six different equestrian trail systems. It wouldn’t be unheard of to have a second emergency call come in while PEER is already involved in a rescue.

That’s why the newly created Polk Ani-

WHAT PEER DOES • PEER focuses on emergency rescue of equines and other large animals like cows, alpacas, llamas, etc., in potentially life-threatening situations, under the supervision of a veterinarian.

• Most of these situations involve extricating animal(s) from entrapments like mud, rivers, fences or swimming pools, downed in a trailer or other confined space, or in a road-traffic accident.

• PEER’s trained technicians use specialized equipment to rescue the horse from the dangerous situation and can transport the horse for additional medical attention, if needed.

• PEER responds to equine and large animal emergencies in Polk, Rutherford, Henderson, Buncombe, Spartanburg and Greenville counties.

• PEER is not involved in care cases like neglect or abuse, or in the rescue of smaller animals.

• As a 501(c)3 organization, PEER depends entirely on volunteers and donations from the community; donations are tax deductible.

• For help from PEER, contact your veterinarian to get him/her headed to the scene, then call 911 and request that PEER be sent to your location.

44 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

mal Rescue (PAR) is another great resource we are lucky to have. It means there are more trained emergency technicians and the necessary equipment available to help when needed. Here’s where PEER and PAR are alike and different:

WHAT PAR DOES • Polk Animal Rescue was created in spring 2016 and is part of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office under Animal Control Officer Sgt. Michael “Cowboy” Herman.

• PAR handles rescues for animals of all types and sizes (like a dog over a cliff, for example).

• PAR has a trailer/ambulance equipped for all types of animal rescues.

• The PAR team is made up of trained volunteers and relies on donations for its equipment.

• Michael Herman is also responsible for other animalrelated situations in Polk County, including abuse, neglect and behavior complaints, and has a team of trained volunteer animal cruelty investigators.

• For help from PAR, call 911 and explain your emergency, which can be for large, medium or small animals. The dispatcher will contact Michael Herman, who will then respond to you and, depending on situation and availability, can send PAR or PEER.

Community support funded PEER’s truck, equipment and ambulance (Photo by Geris Corley).

PEER is hoping to host another clinic this fall so if you like the idea of helping horses and other large animals in emergency situations, watch for date and location information.

HANDING OVER THE BATON As PEER has grown and become a 501(c)3 organization, it has necessarily enlarged its board of directors and formalized its management. After nearly 14 years as PEER president, Judy Donlan is stepping down for, as she puts it, “more time with my husband” and an exciting new project. She’s just gone into a partnership on two two-year-old racing fillies now in training in Lexington, Ky. “It’s my first foray into racing but it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” she says.

During the transition at PEER, board members Dianne Joyce and Chuck Stark will be sharing the duties of president until a new president is named.

To learn more about PEER, visit peernc.org or find it on Facebook. • LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

45

Farrier is from the Latin “ferrum” for iron.

Smith in blacksmith comes from the Old English “smythe” meaning to strike. Josh Bowles, attending the Farrier Jam from Chappells, S.C., is then literally and figuratively a striker of iron.

FARRIER JAM X-Rays and Red Iron

46 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Farrier Jam

Farrier Chuck Costner drives his truck of keg-shoes, round shoes, gas-fired forge, and other tools of his craft from Kings Mountain, N.C., to participate in the open and friendly forum of the monthly Farrier Jam.

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY VINCENT VERRECCHIO onight, here in a typical barn aisle between rows of horse stalls, two ancient disciplines are coming together to the clang of steel striking steel. While not the first and not the only such event, there is nothing typical, routine, or predictable about this meeting of science and art, x-rays and red iron, equine veterinarians and farriers, and a pair of horses with hoof problems to test the talents and training of all involved.

The four equine veterinarians and 15 farriers assembled come from long and different traditions, but their goal is the same: bring comfort to a horse in discomfort or pain. The traditions go back so far that beginnings are obscure.

Before 3,000 BC, the Egyptians practiced medicine for domesticated animals, and there are records of animal medicine in the literature of India circa 1,500 BC. Based on the importance of horses to transportation and warfare, one can assume equine healthcare. In Roman Latin, veterinarius means, “having to do with beasts of burden,” and veterinae translates as “draught animals.” The first veterinary

T

Farrier Bill Reed, left, discusses the negative palmar angle of the horse for which farrier Jeff Pauley is finishing a supportive shoe.

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

47

Farrier Jam

For $200, the horse’s feet are X-rayed, trimmed and shoed based on the diagnosis, and then X-rayed again to help the farrier and horse owner better assess the interaction between hoof and shoe. The $200 is used to finance education seminars with world-class farrier clinicians.

Left: Farrier Jeff Pauley’s solution for a horse with heels too low to the ground is a forged shoe with full pad and a half-pour of resilient polymer for caudal support.

Right: Farrier Jeff Pauley and doctor Bibi Freer assess a radiograph showing a severe rotation and fractured tip of the coffin bone within the hoof.

college was established 1762 in France to remedy cattle plague.

On a parallel course, not quite as ancient, farriers came out of myth with names such as Hephaestus, the blacksmith of the Greeks, and Vulcan of the Romans. Forging with fire and hammer is one of the oldest methods of shap48 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

ing metal, known in Asia Minor as early as 1,200 BC. Farrier is from ferrum, Latin for iron. Smith in blacksmith comes from the Old English “smythe” meaning to strike. Black is the oxide color on flamed iron.

Today, Bibi Freer, DVM, in the Columbus farm headquarters of her

mobile equine practice, hosts the gathering of equine veterinarians from Spartanburg and Rutherford Counties, and the strikers of iron from as far as Brevard and Kings Mountain, N.C., to Greenville and Chappells, S.C. “Todd Danielson [farrier] from Mill Spring and I started the Farrier Jam

Farrier Jam in 2010,” recalls Bibi. “We had been inspired by a similar session held in Mocksville by Dr. Jim Meeker. Since then, the first Monday of every month has usually been our Jam night.”

For Bibi, the meaning of “jam” relates to the blue grass music jams she hosts every other Sunday. A banjo player, she explains, “We have fiddlers—masters and beginners—guitar, mandolin, and bass players...each playing with different style and improvisations...never predictable but definitely the same tune. We learn from each other.”

The similarity to the Farrier Jam is how the veterinarians and farriers with their differences harmonize and complement each other. The veterinarians coming together tonight represent a range of ages and experience including general equine practice and specialization in postural rehabilitation. The farriers at this session cross the range

from apprentice to recognized masters.

“Over my years in practice,” says Bibi, “I’ve seen veterinarians and farriers knock heads. I’m convinced it doesn’t have to be that way. A passion of mine is to build a community to better serve the clients that both of us—veterinarians and farriers—are calling on. The Jam is an open and friendly forum for us to get to know each other personally ... to share ideas and perspectives, to develop appreciation for one another’s knowledge of biomechanics. It’s easier to work together and resolve differences when viewing each other with respect.”

“Education is a major reason I come,” says Jeff Pauley, the only farrier in attendance with a diploma from the Worshipful Company of Farriers in the UK. In fact, he is one of only a few to have achieved that distinction in the United States. The organization’s website presents itself as “promoting the

The art of forging: as iron heats and softens through red, orange, yellow, and white, the farrier recognizes the optimum temperature by color.

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

49

Farrier Jam

Top: Typically, a farrier recommends to the owner to bring a horse to the Farrier Jam for an evaluation of feet, posture, and gait by the group. Bottom Left: All shoeing options are considered at the Farrier Jam from the traditional steel shoe to the latest plastic design. Bottom Right: Digital radiographs are available immediately for review by participants: Left to right: Grace Buchanan, DVM; Alan Berardo, farrier and owner of a farrier supplies store; and Gloria Verrecchio, DVM, CERP, behind Rachel Butterworth-Tice, DVM. 50 July 2016 LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS

Farrier Jam welfare of the horse since 1356.”

“I’m here to learn and I like to teach,” says the former mechanical engineer who in his second career has trained farriers in Colombia, South America. Jeff ’s experience also includes farriery for the Endurance World Championships in Germany and later Malaysia.

“We need to rely on veterinarians for diagnosis and to work together in a give and take relationship,” says Jeff.

“As farriers we have the tools and the knowledge to use those tools to provide practical solutions ... knowing what can be done with round bars at 2,300 degrees or simply with factory-made keg shoes.”

Even through coming from an engineering background and well versed in precise metal forming, Jeff believes, “What we do is not engineering, it’s an art. We practice, we experiment.”

Typically, two horses are at the Jam, resulting from a farrier’s recommendation to an owner. For $200 at Bibi’s farm, the horse’s posture and gait are evaluated by the group, feet are X-rayed, and the digital radiographs reviewed. A remedial plan of action is determined employing any of all possible farrier approaches including steel and aluminum shoes, or plastic shoes.

After shoeing, the feet are x-rayed again to help the farrier and horse owner better assess the relationship between hoof and shoe.

One of the horses tonight belongs to Jeff ’s client and is diagnosed with a negative palmar angle. In layman’s terms, the horse’s heels are too low to the ground. Jeff ’s solution is a forged shoe with a full pad and a half-pour of resilient polymer to provide caudal support and pain relief until the condition mends itself.

The other horse suffers from chronic laminitis and is severely rotated with the tip of the coffin bone fractured and the digital flexor tendon permanently constricted. Many at the Jam grimace at the X-rays and all sympathize at the horse’s obvious pain in standing. Euthanasia would be an option but first an effort is made to bond plastic shoes to the hooves using a two-part adhesive.

Three weeks after the cushioning shoes and a regimen of pain meds, the horse is trotting in the pasture.

Bibi concludes, “The Jam involves basic networking but more importantly it’s is an opportunity to teach and to learn, to get better at what we do...and see results that make us proud.” She notes that farriers are encouraged to bring in challenging cases. The $200 fee is used to finance local seminars with world-class clinicians, open to all equine veterinarians and farriers. •

R YO N TBUILDERS

LIFE IN OUR FOOTHILLS July 2016

51

Get back out there.

Is hip pain or a bum knee keeping you from enjoying the important things in life?

Stiffness, soreness, restricted motion, pain.

It can stop you from doing those things you love. Board certified orthopedic surgeons Brian Rosenberg, MD, and Thomas Cadier, MD, FAAOS, and St. Luke’s Hospital have a reputation for getting people back in the garden, back in the saddle, and back in the game in record time!

With advanced orthopedic procedures, you’ll experience less pain, a shorter (but impressive) hospital stay, and a quicker recovery. If your goal is to have a yard that’s the talk of the town, we’ll get you back in the dirt in no time.

Rosenberg Bone & Joint

89 E Mills St, Suite B, Columbus, NC 28722 (828) 894-3718

101 Hospital Dr, Columbus, NC 28722 SaintLukesHospital.com (828) 894-3311