Monday, December 30, 2013

January - February 2014


Now in winter most trees have shed their leaves giving a clear wooded view from most hiking trails.  If you are looking for some great short hikes with a combination of mostly easy to moderate trails, The Donald Ross Nature Park has what you want.

Near the town of Lake Lure, the Donald Ross Nature Park has a system of 10 natural-surface trails that total some three miles through wooded, rolling terrain near Lake Lure Golf Course.   Trails range from .15 to .60 mile in distance.   Benches and picnic areas are sprinkled among the trails.  You will find the park entrance and trail heads just off Highway 9 across from the Ingle's Store.  Happy Hiking!  --Shirley Boone




The Echo is published bi-monthly throughout the year by the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Community Club. You can access the online blog at www.gertonecho.blogspot.com or pick up a paper copy at the Gerton Post Office. News is always welcome; pictures, too. Please submit to Editor Margaret Whitt at mwhitt@du.edu or 625-0264. Photographers: Jean Bradley, Shirley Boone, Jane Lawson, Debbie Posturino.

Officers for 2014: Margaret Whitt, President; Lynn Morehead, Vice President; Becca Hathaway, winter secretary; Lana Roberts, summer secretary; Sylvia Sane, treasurer. Board members include Jim Earnhardt, Claudia Freeman, Jean Bradley, and Jim Sane. Immediate past president, Mel Freeman.
      

President's Note

We have had an unusually busy fall this year, with varied events, new purchases, and plans for the spring already in progress. First of all, thanks for the fine response we have received from our annual report and dues-request letter. Our checking account is in good shape and our savings account--even with some big expenditures--remains healthy. (A full accounting will appear in our March-April Echo.) Thanks to Sylvia and Jim Sane for all the due diligence on the purchase of our brand new Whirlpool refrigerator, a gift we were able to procure because of the wonderful contributions of Helen Brown and the Hickory Creek Players. Next time you are in the clubhouse, take a look at our new refrigerator. 

The board is moving ahead with a plan to open our own branch of a "little library" to be placed in the azalea garden next to the clubhouse. In something that Jim Earnhardt and Jim Sane will build that will look a bit like an over-sized mailbox with one shelf, which will be placed on a post above the ground, we will fill with books--both for adults and children--and people may drive by, pick up a book or two, leave a book or two, and go on their way. Little libraries exist all over the country, and we will be the first in the gorge to have our own. We hope to have this in place by spring.  Stay tuned. 

Thanks to all those who helped decorate our gorge for the holiday season, thanks to the repair crew of the Gerton Welcome signs, thanks to all those who have hosted our dinners this year, and thanks to all of you who keep saying "Yes" when we ask for help. What a great place to live and what a great community we continue to be!

And thanks to Jim Sane for once again repairing our flag pole at the clubhouse, and to all of you who contributed to our new flag fund.

Work has begun on a new community roster that will be available at our January dinner, or you may request one be sent to you by email: mwhitt@du.edu

All the best for a good new year in 2014. I look forward to seeing you at dinner.
Margaret Whitt

Calendar of Events


January 21, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. - Community Covered Dish Supper. Program: Tom Earnhardt, of Discovering North Carolina will appear on a DVD of his popular PBS television show. Brother of Gene and Jim Earnhardt, Tom spent his boyhood summer days in Gerton. The show will be on invasive plants.

January 29, Wednesday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Chamber of Hickory Nut Gorge and Rutherford County Tourism Development Authority will present a program about customer service at the Old Rock Cafe in Chimney Rock. Cost is $10 for Chamber members. For more information: www.hickorynutchamber.org

February 18, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. - Community Covered Dish Supper. Program: Ruth Ann Nappi will tell some stories from her tour guide experiences at Biltmore.

A Letter from the Gerton P.O's Roni Peterson...

To my Gerton Friends,

If you have not already heard, I will be leaving the post office for a better opportunity of employment. The company is Stone Connections in Zirconia, which is closer to home, better hours, pay, and improved benefits. I'm looking forward to a new beginning with this company.

I have enjoyed my 8 years here at the post office, but most of all I have enjoyed servicing you as your postmistress! You will never know how much you all  mean to me and how much Gerton will always be a part of my life! Please drop me a note sometime at our new address:
Roni Peterson
1323 Locust Grove Street
Hendersonville, NC  28792
828-685-1537

Have a blessed New Year and remember to keep business coming to the Gerton P.O.!
With all the love,
Roni Peterson




Fall Clean-Up Day

Goals: Clean the Serving Room. Bring Order to the Storage Room
Result: Goals accomplished.

Thanks to Margaret and Doug Colwell, Jim and Sylvia Sane, Margaret Whitt, and Barbara Earnhardt on the morning of Wednesday, November 6, everything movable was taken from the storage room, reorganized and returned as appropriate. Leftover items from the Silent Auction of GertonFest V were repackaged and stored in the hanging cabinet of the storage room to await our spring community yard sale. Signs for GertonFest were wrapped and stored. Crates that contain our decorations for holidays throughout the year were sifted through and re-packed as needed. Dust from the carpentry work on the new ramp was swept, tables were cleaned, and garbage was re-distributed so as not to break the bags. Seven bags of trash were hauled away. 

We will host a spring clean-up day to bring order to the back room off the kitchen and the kitchen itself. This will occur before our annual Sale on the Trail event in April.


Henderson County Communities

 Recognized for Exceptional Programs

 Upper Hickory Nut Gorge receives Community of Promise Designation

(ed. note: 62 clubs competed this year for the annual regional awards. 44 received $300 each for the designation of Participating Community; 16 received $1,000 each for selection as Community of Promise; 2 received $2,000 each for Community of Distinction. For the past two years, UHNGCC has been one of the top two clubs in the region. Following is the press release sent from the office of WNCCommunities.)

            WNC Communities is proud to announce the winners of the 64th Annual Honors Awards Program. Saturday, November 9, over 260 community leaders from 14 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee were recognized and rewarded for their exceptional community development programs at a luncheon at The Omni Grove Park Inn.

Generous sponsorships from Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Hotel, Duke Energy, Mission Health, Buncombe County Farm Bureau, Carolina Farm Credit, First Citizens Bank, HomeTrust Bank, Telco Community Credit Union and Wells Fargo made it possible to award over $33,000 to 62 communities throughout Western North Carolina for their innovative approaches to addressing community needs.

“We are proud of the energy our rural communities put into making Western North Carolina such a great place to call home,” shares Linda Lamp, Executive Director of WNC Communities. “This annual awards program is an opportunity to recognize them for their invaluable contributions to the mountain region.”

Crab Creek Community received the President’s Award for submitting an application for an impressive 50 years to this annual recognition program.

Participating Communities receive a cash award of $300 and Crab Creek, Edneyville and Upward from Henderson County were each recognized for their successful projects implemented during the past year.

Community of Promise is the second highest honor with a cash award of $1,000.  Upper Hickory Nut Gorge was one of the 16 rural community associations from Western North Carolina to receive this honor.  They were chosen because of the initiatives implemented by the community that show promise and can be replicated around the region.

             Upper Hickory Nut Gorge was recognized for the following initiatives: working with local conservancy groups to protect land and water resources; continuing success with older traditions like their monthly community dinners, hosting popular summer productions like “Gloria’s House” put on by the Hickory Creek Players; managing the Labor Day GertonFest; and holding a Pancake Breakfast for the Annual Sale on the Trail, which is a 19-mile yard sale that runs the length of the gorge from Gerton to Lake Lure. 

WNC Communities is dedicated to providing a unique forum for leaders in the mountain region to convene, collaborate and carry out innovative programs to improve the quality of life for rural communities and the agriculture sector.  This year marked the 64th WNC Honors Awards, a program built on the tradition of recognizing achievements in communities for their work on behalf of their residents.  The awards are designed to serve as an inspiration for replicating community success. 

Communities voluntarily participate in the WNC Honors Awards Program by submitting an application to WNC Communities in September.  Communities are judged on projects, fund raising efforts, collaboration with local organizations or businesses, economic development and sustainability, as well as their community future and vision.

Sylvia Sane, Jim Sane, Jim Earnhardt, Margaret Whitt, Lynn Morehead, and Evelyn Silwedel receive the award, Community of Promise and a check for $1,000 from Jason Walls, district manager with Duke Energy at the Grove Park Inn annual luncheon.


One Hour from Gerton

(ed. note: fifth in a series. This column invites readers to share their stories. Each place should be no more than one hour from Gerton.)

FOREST CITY, N.C. may be reached by heading to Lake Lure, turning left around the lake at Larkin's on 74-A and motoring on to Rutherfordton. Just before you get to downtown Rutherfordton, you can turn on 221 toward Forest City, passing through the little known spot called Ruth, N.C. For visitors and grandchildren, a pleasant stop is the Bennett Classics Antique Car Museum on Vance Street (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday - 10 a.m.-3 p.m.). Bennett's sits down in a hollow in the midst of Truck Services physical plant, but signs will direct you. The cars have a high shine and are in immaculate condition. When you leave here, head to Davis Donut House--since 1972, "We Put Our Hearts In It." They are located in the same pre-fabricated building as the Sherwin-Williams Paint store, but don't let the look fool you. The donuts are fresh and filling. The orange twist is the most popular. 

A few years ago, Our State magazine picked 100 top restaurants, one for each county in the state. Forest City's downtown institution, Smith's Drugs (Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday - 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.) represents Rutherford County. Right on Main Street, you can not only fill your prescriptions, but shop for unique gifts and have a delicious breakfast, sandwich (award-winning), or light early weekday dinner in their 50+ seat in-house cafe. 

As you leave town, and you have children in the car, you might want to pull off the road at Bubba's Fun Park and KidsZoo. The fun park has a pitching machine for batting practice. The KidsZoo (no animals) has a great climbing apparatus, hosts children's birthday parties, and offers video games and skee ball as well. Heading towards home on 74 - A west and 64, you will pass the attractive campus of Isothermal Community College nestled around an attractive pond. 

If there is time and the kids are still raring to go, don't forget about the children's on-hands museum in downtown Rutherfordton. The drive is delightful -- in any season. 

                       

The only time you will witness this phenomenon in your life.     

                                                       

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This year, the month of August will count 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This phenomenon occurs only once every 823 years. Chinese people call it: ‘Pocketful of money!’  


Thanks for the American Flags

In response to our request in the November-December ECHO, we have been able to place our order for brand new American flags that the Gerton Volunteer Fire Department will mount around Memorial Day weekend. The flags will remain in place through the summer months and be taken down on Labor Day weekend. Thanks to the following for answering the call for new flags:
Jean Bradley, Doug and Margaret Colwell, Susan Murray and Ann Weiss, Jim and Sylvia Sane, Dave MacDonald and Stan Mobley, Gene and Barbara Earnhardt, Virginia McGuffey, and Margaret Whitt. 



November Program

An induction of the new officers for UHNGCC was held before our speaker, Christine Martin, of Humana Insurance, gave a brief overview of insurance issues around Medicare. She also answered a few questions about the new Affordable Care Act. While many people may qualify for financial assistance, they can only receive this aid if they go through the www.healthcare.gov web site. Shopping directly with a particular insurance company does not provide a possible discount. Also, we were encouraged to be our own advocate, asking for preventative screenings (no charge), not diagnostic screenings (a charge). It is important to know how your doctor codes whatever tests he or she requests.

 
Gene Earnhardt leads the officer induction ceremony. From left: Lynn Morehead, vice-president; Margaret Whitt, president; Becca Hathaway, secretary; Sylvia Sane, treasurer; Jean Bradley, Jim Sane, and Jim Earnhardt, board members. 

December Program


After a wonderful dinner of "finger foods," we sang some Christmas carols--led by Barbara Earnhardt with Mary Robinson on the piano and Debbie Jennings on the harp. Afterwards the Hathaway family played Santa and distributed the presents. As is our custom, after opening the gift, we took turns "stealing" from another something that somehow seemed more desirable!


Tour Stop at UHNGCC 

Gerton and the UHNGCC was a stop on the tour of a class from Blue Ridge Community College, The History and Heritage of Henderson County, taught by Jenny Jones Giles, on Saturday, November 23. About 30 people made a lunch stop at the clubhouse mid-day. They were joined by Gene and Barbara Earnhardt, Jim Sane, and Jean Bradley, who all shared parts of the history of this upper part of the gorge. Jean showed pictures and told a brief history of the Bearwallow Baptist Church; Gene and Barbara brought pictures of the old swimming pool of Chestnut Hills and told stories of long ago days in the neighborhood; Jim told how his great great aunt gave her name to Gerton. After an hour stop, the class members were on their way to Sherrill's Inn. As they left, with our cookbooks in hand, several paused to say that it was their favorite part of the day!

Welcome Signs Get Facelift

The Final Product! (courtesy: Debbie Posturino)
Many thanks go out to Jane Lawson, John Myers, Gloria Anders, Wendy Nethersole, and Debbie Posturino for scraping, sanding, and re-painting the Welcome Signs that greet visitors coming from both the north and the south on scenic byway 74-A. The work took place on the afternoon of Saturday, November 23. 

 Wendy Nethersole climbs aboard the sign for necessary preparation, while Jane Lawson scraps from below.
John Myers, Debbie Pustorino, Gloria Anders, and Wendy Nethersole, with tools in hand, get ready to clean up our welcome signs. (courtesy: Jane Lawson)

Work Day for Christmas Decorating

Sarah Gayle and Sylvia Sane arrange the Christmas tree at the window.

Once again Christmas greens with bright red bows were prepared and then hung on every street sign in Gerton that exits off scenic byway 74-A, at the UHNGCC sign, at the Welcome signs, at the Gerton Post Office, and on the Chestnut Hill neighborhood sign. On Monday, December 2, workers gathered to arrange, tie, and adorn the donated greens. A Christmas tree was decorated and placed in the clubhouse, and garlands of green with red bows were placed on the poles in front. For all this work in preparation and hanging we have the following to thank: Lorri Erskine, Gloria Anders, Sarah Gayle, Becca Hathaway and son John Solomon, Jean Bradley, Jane Lawson, Sylvia Sane, Jim Sane, Travis Waldron, and Margaret Whitt. 
Lorri Erskine, Gloria Anders, Jean Bradley, and Becca Hathaway sort the collected greens and prepare them for red bows.

Jim Sane and Jane Lawson prepare to deliver the greens to the street signs for hanging.

Neighborhood News

Christmas came early for Evelyn Silwedel: she spent two weeks with her son Darryl on a Royal Carribean Cruise.  Leaving Asheville December l, and then from Atlanta, they flew to Rome to join the tour with around 3,000 other tourists, not counting the crew.  “The ship had 15 different levels,” Evelyn reported, “and our 6th level room balcony allowed us to sit and pass by gorgeous coastal scenery, watch the ocean sunsets, without a care in the world.”  The food was "phenomenal," the best she’d ever eaten on any of her other four cruises.  The international crew couldn’t have been more congenial.  She judged there were more Canadians on board than Americans, and more seniors than the younger crowd.  Among other places, the ship docked at Toulon, France, and Barcelona, Spain, and left from the Canary Islands for Ft. Lauderdale, 7 days away.  Evelyn would love to revisit Barcelona, especially—because of its parks with its famous Gaudi sculpture, its cathedral, and the many friendly, helpful people who speak English fairly well.


Virginia "Ginger" Williams, 72, of Gerton, died on Thursday, November 28, at the Elizabeth House. Thos. Shepherd and Son Funeral Home handled arrangements. A celebration of her life was held at her home on Sunday, December 1, with the memorial service at Bearwallow Baptist Church on Monday, December 2, at 2 p.m.

Ginger is survived by two daughters, Carolyn Williams Alley and her husband Jay, and Cindy Williams Wilson and her fiance Shannon Frye; one granddaughter, Brittany Elizabeth Rae Wilson, and one grandson, Robbie Alley and his wife, Stephanie; two  great-grandchildren; one brother, Donald Freeman and his wife Syble. Ginger was preceded in death by her beloved husband Melvin, her brother Raleigh, her father Ray and mother Rita, all of them well known to Gerton neighbors over many years.

Ginger had a special gift for crocheting, knitting, tatting, sewing, and baking. She was active in her community as a member of the Gerton Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary in the 1970s. She was a member of Bearwallow Baptist Church and attended Arden Missionary Baptist Church.

Memorial contributions may be made to Four Seasons Hospice, 571 South Allen Road, Flat Rock, NC 28731.


Former Chestnut Hills resident and Echo editor, Katie DuMont, reports the passing of her mother, Doris DuMont, two days before Thanksgiving, November 26. Doris was a friend to many in Gerton and lived here briefly while recuperating from a fall. She fell in love with Gerton, as most visitors do, but spent the last four years with Katie just up the road in Fairview.

Word has come to us that George Holden, Jr., 88, of Atlanta, died November 21. He was born in St. Augustine, Fla., raised in Jacksonville, served in the Navy and received a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Florida. He married his childhood sweetheart, Wilburta "Billie" Trout. He and Billie had and are survived by one son Richard George and two daughters Sheron Angell and Deborah Payne. George spent time in Gerton and enjoyed the fellowship of the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Community Club as his parents, George and Anne Holden, did. George owned "Willowbrook" in Gerton.



Wednesday, October 30, 2013

November - December 2013


This summer and fall seasons many neighbors have reported visits from bears. Up at the home of Dave MacDonald and Stan Mobley, a bear comes to empty the morning bird seed from a feeder. 

ECHO of the GORGE is the bi-monthly newsletter of the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Community Club. Paper copies are available in the Gerton Post Office. The ECHO may be read online at www.gertonecho.blogspot.com  The Editor welcomes news items: E-mail Margaret Whitt at mwhitt@du.edu or phone 625-0264 or ace reporter and photographer (unless otherwise noted) Barbara Earnhardt at  lualice@bellsouth.net or 625-9255. Pictures of local Gerton activities, people, or places are always welcome.

UHNGCC officers: Margaret Whitt, president; Jim Earnhardt, vice president; Jean Bradley and Lana Roberts, secretaries; Sylvia Sane, treasurer; Mel Freeman, immediate past president. Board members: Gene Earnhardt, Claudia Freeman, Syble Freeman, Jim Sane, Jean Bradley. Community Dinner and Program, third Tuesday of each month.


Winners of the third annual Gerton 5K: from left, Jonathan Jenkins (3rd place), Eric Freeman (2nd place) of Rock Hill, S.C., and Nick Cain (1st place) of Rock Hill, S.C.

GertonFest V

Held this year on Saturday, August 31, our annual community celebration and fundraiser, GertonFest V, was again successful. We made over $2,000 that has gone into our savings account in hopes of making our new kitchen a reality. While GertonFest continues its same line-up of familiar events, this year we added some new ones. The Asheville Amblers helped us create a new route for our Gerton 5K; the route was less complicated but still rather challenging. The winners are pictured above. Mel and Claudia Freeman designed the custom t-shirt--light blue with a bear chasing a runner. A few are available if you would like to purchase one; let a board member know. 

The spelling bee consisted of teams of both adults and children. Like last year, we had a tie for the championship: Barbara and Gene Earnhardt and Karen Hudson-Brown on one team and a group from Laughing Waters on the other. This is the second year both of these groups have come out on top. Bob Stepp and Helen Wright led us in a community Sing-a-Long, providing sheet music for the participants. Billy Gaines, once again, prepared the delicious bar-b-que and banana pudding. When the sun set and dark settled in, we had fireworks (leftover from our rained-out July 4 celebration). Thanks to Jason Freeman and Jason Moore for setting off the display.

And thanks to Syble Freeman and her team for serving the breakfast. Lana Roberts, Sylvia Sane, Barbara Earnhardt, Jean Bradley, Jonathan Jenkins, Syble Freeman, Travis Waldron, Jim Earnhardt, and others provided items for the silent auction by soliciting from nearby businesses. Thanks to Claudia Freeman for running the dog show. 

And, finally, thanks to the following people for providing baked goods for the big sale on GertonFest morning: Jean Bradley, Syble Freeman, Sylvia Sane, Lana Roberts, Margaret Whitt, Lois Simpson, Meg Mumpower, Patty Tanner, Margaret Colwell, Betty Cameron, Virginia McGuffey, Sarah Gayle, Jean Carson, Helen Brown, Ruth Hudson, Barbara Earnhardt, Keith Earnhardt, Lynn Morehead, Shirley Boone, Joan Erskine, Mary Kay McAdams, Roberta Pope, and Jean Bryan.

Thanks to the whole community who supported GertonFest V and said YES when asked to help. We couldn't be successful without the help of everyone!


Calendar of Events

November 6, Wednesday, 10 a.m. - Work Day at the Center

November 9, Saturday - noon - WNCCommunities Annual Awards Luncheon at Grove Park Inn

November 16, Saturday - 9 - 12 noon - Gerton Fire Department. A refresher for those who would like to practice or review CPR techniques

November 19 - Tuesday - 6:30 p.m. - Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Helen Brown will provide turkeys and dressing; bring sides.  Bring canned food to support the local Food Banks.

November 23, Saturday - 12 -1 p.m. History and Heritage of Henderson County, a class from Blue Ridge Community College. Field trip to Gerton and Bat Cave. Local people who know our history are invited to join the guests to talk about Gerton.

November 28 - Thanksgiving

December 2 - Monday - Work Day for preparing Christmas Greens for the streets of Gerton

December 5, Thursday, 6:30 - 10 p.m. - Chamber of Hickory Nut Gorge Holiday FUNdraiser Gala at Lake Lure Inn. See www.hickorynutgorge.org for further information.

December 7 and 14 - Santa Claus appears at Chimney Rock State Park

December 17 - Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. - Annual Christmas Party and $5 gift exchange. Bring canned food to support the local Food Banks

December 24 - 7 p.m. - Christmas Eve Service at Bearwallow Baptist Church

December 25 - Christmas 
More Gerton neighbors--of a different kind. A double spider web appears on
 Gene and Barbara Earnhardt's porch.

President's Note

The rains have subsided and fall is with us; the leaves are turning their magnificent colors of yellow, orange, red, and brown. Acorns are beginning to drop, and our drives are leaf-strewn. GertonFest V was a success; everyone pitched in--and to quote a neighbor: "It is fun when neighbors come together to celebrate our collective lives in the gorge." 

On the good news side: we thought we might have to replace our clubhouse roof, but the roof experts have done due diligence and determined that our roof should last us another five-ten years. So, we need only to repair the weak spots--all on the back side of the clubhouse. This work went to the lowest bidder and has been completed. Our insurance coverage went up this year by almost $500, so we began a search for competitive bids, only to determine that the cheapest rate we could get was over $500 more than what we are presently paying, so, for now, we are sticking with what we have.

Finally, a big thank you to Jim Earnhardt, who had help from Jim Sane, Marc Eastman, Jack Mumpower, David Pope, and Doug Colwell on building the new ramp that will make our building more accessible to all. 

I will look forward to seeing you at our upcoming holiday meals and our work days to organize our new storage area and prepare the Christmas greens for our street signs. 

Margaret Whitt

Photography Contest

Please remember to keep taking those pictures for our GERTON CALENDAR for 2015. If you have questions about the contest, please email Shirley Boone (shirley101@bellsouth.net). If you plan to enter the contest, but have not yet done so, please email either Margaret Whitt (mwhitt@du.edu) or Shirley Boone (shirley101@bellsouth.net). Check earlier blogs (all available online at www.gertonecho.blogspot.com) for complete information about the contest. We are looking for pictures that represent the many seasons of Gerton and that are easily identifiable as "Gerton" or its immediate environment. Pictures should include an informational caption. 

Henderson County Community Development 

Annual Awards Program


Mel Freeman, Jean Bradley, Margaret Whitt, and Lynn Morehead attended the county awards banquet on Saturday, October 12, held this year at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center in Henderson County. Down from six clubs, only four community clubs are active participants in the Henderson County competition: Crab Creek, Edneyville, Upper Hickory Nut Gorge, and Upward. 

This year, UHNGCC was the recipient of FOUR awards:  first place in Beautification ($125), the Club Improvement Award (no cash prize, but a framed certificate), second place in Senior Citizen activities ($100), and second place in Community Club of the Year ($100). The $325 total will be placed in our savings account for our one-day kitchen! 

Thanks to all who helped make our efforts successful.

New Ramp at UHNGCC

Thanks to the efforts of Jim Earnhardt, with good help from Marc Eastman, David Pope, Jack Mumpower, Jim Sane, and Doug Colwell, we now have a new ramp leading into the front doors of the community center. The ramp will make it possible for those needing special assistance--wheel chairs, walkers, and other walking aids-- to easily access the building. Along with our handicapped-accessible bathroom, re-fitted last year, we now have a clubhouse that is welcoming to all. 
Jim Earnhardt and Marc Eastman begin the work on the new ramp.
Sylvia Sane, Becca and John Solomon Hathaway, Margaret Colwell, and Meg Mumpower use the new ramp to make their way to exercise each morning.

One Hour from Gerton

ed. note: fourth in a series. This column invites readers to share their stories. Each issue, we will focus on a place to go that is no more than one hour from Gerton.

BOILING SPRINGS, S.C., is located just north of Spartanburg. You can reach Boiling Springs by heading toward Lake Lure, turning right on highway 9 and staying on 9 into South Carolina; you will arrive on Boiling Springs Road, which is still highway 9. Look for the 15-year-old locally owned Clock Restaurant. The menu advertises "Good Food is our recipe," "Everything is Homemade," and the word "FRESH" is the adjective for literally every item on the menu. You can get a meat and 2 or a vegetable platter, your choice of a dozen possibilities, including sweet potato casserole and yellow squash casserole. Trust the menu's language, and the food will not disappoint. 

You will know you are in Boiling Springs because there is a line of shopping strips one after another. No historic block of a downtown exists, but you can pull into the Bi-Lo Shopping Center and lean toward the left hand side. The original "boiling springs" (no longer boiling or bubbling) is meticulously manicured, and an historical marker tells the history of the community. People settled here beginning in the mid-1700s, and as late as the early 1900s, the spring was a site for watering horses to and from market. The small park also honors local veterans with a monument and a towering magnolia tree.

Two dominant buildings occupy the area: the first is the Boiling Springs First Baptist Church, which dates from the late 1700s. The imposing edifice has gigantic white columns outside the red brick building. If you have an interest in church architecture, this is surely worth a look. The other site is just off Old Furnace Road, the major crossroad of Boiling Springs Road. Here you will find Boiling Springs High School, with a separate campus for the 9th graders. This is no single building, but a number of impressive buildings. 

If you were to keep driving south through Spartanburg, you would pass Dorman High School, the second largest high school in the state, with a stadium that holds 12,000! The campus of this high school must be in the hundreds of acres, with every athletic field possible, beautifully landscaped lawns, and impeccably clean buildings --from the outside. These two high schools in South Carolina make a statement in imposing physical appearance.

An Archer Among Us...

Freddie Ann Nappi, a home-schooled tenth grader, spends lots of time in her backyard lately—practicing for Olympic competitions she hopes to eventually qualify for.  Now classed as a cadet, she competes in Jr. Olympic contests with other young competitors. Her coach, Don Bishop, has evidently spotted her blooming talent and has encouraged her to think ‘big’—enough so that she is researching colleges which offer Archery Scholarships. James Madison presently tops the list.
  
     During an interview, Freddie Ann described her journey in archery: “I first got interested when my parents gave me a toy bow and arrow set for Christmas.  A kind of ‘starter set’ I played with off and on.  I loved playing soccer then, too, and basketball—and even karate.  Then on my 13th birthday, I asked for a Recurve bow—and loved practicing enough that I started going to Junior Olympics in Fletcher.  Now I have a ‘serious’ Recurve bow—which has really helped me become more successful—I hit the bull's eye more often.  Once, I hit it 14 times in a row—when the standard asked for 8.” 

      That particular bull's eye stood more than 60 meters, or 66 feet, away—3/4 of a football field in length.  Freddie Ann named the parts of the bow—the stabilizer, the site device, the riser, limbs, plunger, clicker—and can show what each of these means in terms of accuracy of aim.

      She wears loose comfortable practice clothes, but for the competitions she dresses in all blue, including  blue finger nail polish!  Competition dress codes dictate no jeans, no flashy clothing or jewelry.

    About the popular movie series based on the books of the Hunger Games: "People always ask if 'Hunger Games' is the reason I got into archery, and it is not! I was into archery long before that book and movie series, of which I'm not a big fan.  What I’d really like to do is meet her coach—Khatuna Lorig.  She’s on the Olympic team, and I admire her skill and dedication." 

       While in the cadet division presently, Freddie Ann could advance quickly to more competitive categories if she wins the necessary competitions. There will be many competitions, but her coach seems to think she has what it takes to compete in the U.S. Olympics. It remains to be seen if it's Rio in 2016 or Tokyo in 2020.  There’ll be much competition and many events before that time.  So, readers—stay tuned!  Or go check her out practicing—but not on Tuesdays and Fridays when she’s team-practicing with her coach in Fletcher.            --by Barbara Earnhardt

Freddie Ann Nappi takes aim...

Prohibitions for Large Trucks on Highway 74 A 

Ordinances have been in place since either 1996 or 2008 to prohibit the use of 74A for especially large trucks. While we will probably not ever solve this problem completely, here is what we CAN DO. Call this number: (from a cell phone - *47 or 298-4252. The Henderson County Sheriff number is 697-4911.) Report what you have seen and WHERE you have seen it. If you can get a license number, all the better. More neighbors have been reporting close and uncomfortable confrontations with large trucks. Here are the specifics for those who are interested in the details of prohibition:

US 74 A in Buncombe County: Trucks and other vehicles of a gross vehicle weight in excess of 13,000 lbs. from 1-40 to the Henderson County Line.
No through truck tractors with trailers longer than 30 feet, and no truck tractors with trailers longer than 48 feet between SR 2813 and the Henderson County line.
No through truck tractors with trailers longer than 30 feet between 1-40 and SR 2813.

US 74 A in Henderson County: No through truck tractors with trailers longer than 30 feet, and no truck tractors with trailers longer than 48 feet between Buncombe County line and the Rutherford County line.
 No vehicles in excess of 13,000 lbs. in the same location as above.

US 74 A in Rutherford County: no through truck tractors with trailers longer than 30 feet, and no truck tractors with trailers longer than 48 feet between Henderson County line and US 221.
No vehicles in excess of 13,000 lbs. in the same location as above.

     Neighbor Dave MacDonald writes the following:  “In the past 12 months there has been a significant increase in the number of 18-wheeler "SEMI" trucks daring us to drive up and down Highway 74-A.   In the past week, I was forced off the road to Fairview two times within 13 hours.  I'm imagining that these guys (and gals) are using their personal communication network with each other to encourage the lawbreaking. The more they get away with it the more they are pushing us.
I’m making it a habit to call the Highway Patrol at every incidence I encounter. I encourage others in our community to do the same.”

(EDITORS’ NOTE: we called the Department of Transportation. What they said: 74-A is OFF LIMITS to l8-wheeler truck traffic.  “Your (2008) petition signatures and working with your NC Representative (Carolyn Justus) was successful.”)

See a SEMI, call STAR 47 or 298-4252


              GERTON NEEDS NEW AMERICAN FLAGS!

We're grateful to our venerable Fire Department for each spring hanging our stars-and-stripes before Memorial Day, and hauling  them down Labor Day.  You've probably noticed many are now tattered and shabby. We need 14 new flags.  If readers will donate $10 per new flag,  to salute a present serviceman, to remember a former friend or family member--would you send please $10 for replacing with a new sturdier, tightly stitched American flag. Community Club members will scotchguard them (a suggestion for strengthening against all-weather use), and by next Memorial Day, we should see hanging new flags--stars spangling!

       Mail your $l0 (checks made out to UHNGCC) to Box 222, Gerton.  We'll be sure you receive a  receipt.  (Sylvia Sane, bless her, did the homework on finding better quality flag replacements.)

September Program

Mrs. Honiafe Piccolli, who grows the tallest crops around at Sherrill’s Inn farms, spoke in September to the Community Club members about her experience as a Kosovo citizen, forced, with her family of six, to leave her country because of the dangerous political situation, which brought war to her country.  In her musical voice, and quite at home with us, she described coming to America—in 1999—and how happy she was when she and her family members finally became citizens of the United States. Mrs. Piccolli has been elected spokesperson for the Buncombe County Habitat for Humanity and beams when she describes her new life here.  Her youngest son plays on the football team at Reynolds High School.
         Honiafe Piccolli and Geneva Matteis greet each other anew at our September program.


October Program 

John Ager talks with UHNGCC neighbors who participated in the field trip on the afternoon of October 15, before our monthly dinner. We had 27 people who carpooled to Sherrill's Inn for an informative tour led by Barbara Earnhardt. We learned a bit about the history of the house and the people who have lived here as we took our time in seeing the downstairs rooms, including the library, the kitchen, the dining room, and the front sitting rooms. We then spent time in the outside: the garden, the various small homes, once most likely used as slave cabins, the work sheds, and the landscaped yards that now serve often as the setting for weddings. 



Poetry Corner

"Retirement"

Someone asked my son about me,
My health and general well-being
Here at Elder Acres.
He reported that I was well,
That I read a great deal,
Enjoyed games and 
Good conversations.
"In fact," he said, "it's like a college
Campus at vacation time
When everyone stays around
Instead of going somewhere else,
But no one wants to graduate."
-- Griff Campbell

Deer in Bradley garden looks almost like a cardboard cut-out, but it is the real thing!

Neighborhood News

Dave MacDonald won a 2nd place ribbon and $500 for his ironwork display at the juried art show during the Annual Bakersville Creek Walk Art Festival in September.  The art show is held annually in downtown Bakersville, near the Penland School. 



 Million Dollar Birthday Present  (450 inches of dollar bills!)
 This past July, Buster Ziegler and wife Mary celebrated his 90th birthday in an Orangeburg restaurant with many family members, including two great-granddaughters, aged 5 and 8.  With many giggles, the little girls presented to him a three-inch square silver gift box.  Buster noted a tiny slit at the top of the sealed box, and after poking gingerly around, he discovered a paper jutting out.  “Pull it OUT!” cried one little girl, unable to stand the suspense. So—Buster did.  And lo! a one dollar bill was pulled out, followed by another and another, each scotch-taped and linked to the next one. The dollar bill chain curled onto the restaurant floor, much amusing other diners and waiters.  Buster finally stopped,  and finished the count at home.  The final total of $90 has now been rewound into its silver box, all tucked into a dresser drawer.  Those bills are a million dollars to a 90-year-old great-grandpa!
Buster Ziegler (at head of table) joins neighbors for dinner at our October meeting.

New Batteries.
A reminder to change your batteries in your smoke detectors. If you need assistance, please call the Gerton Fire Department for help.

Dr. Bob Stepp was surprised for his 80th birthday at a party attended by tons of friends at the Fairview United Methodist Church October 19.

J.D. Nappi leaves soon for a week-long mission trip in the Honduras.  This is J.D.’s second trip there where he’ll help with construction projects supported by Trinity of Fairview on Concord Road.

Steve Ruddy is something of a genius when it comes to odd-jobs: he’ll do vehicle mechanical work, he’ll install/repair tiles, he’ll wash windows, he’ll neaten yards.  Call him at 707-8138 to describe what you need doing—and he’ll give you a fair estimate.  (Roni Peterson recommends his work.)  





Thursday, August 22, 2013

September - October 2013


GertonFest V: The Schedule

8- 11 a.m. - Sausage Biscuits or Biscuits and Gravy; orange juice and coffee -  $4
8:30 - sign up for Gerton 5K and report to the starting line as announced
8- noon - Home Baked Goods for sale: cakes, cookies, pies, brownies
1 p.m. - Dog Show
1 - 4 p.m. - Inflatables, sponsored by Bearwallow Baptist Church
3 p.m. - Team Spelling Bee
5:30 - 6 - Bar-B- Cue Dinner - $8 
5 - Music begins with Dr. Bob Stepp and friends
at dark - Fireworks

Gene Earnhardt, Hank Will, and Jim Sane put up the GertonFest V signs 
 (They are not responsible for the upside down Pepsi logo)













Sassy flight attendants Winkie Hightower (Faith Perry) and Babs Winger (Freddie Ann Nappi) plot to make a bundle by carrying diamonds to their contact back in America.








 Fraudulent undercover FBI Agent Beverly Brennan (Lisa Jackson)
displays her darker side as Gloria Franks (Pam Lewis) and
Irene Franks (Ruth Ann Nappi) prepare to unarm her and bring 
true justice back into their boarding house. (Play pictures courtesy Frankie Tipton)

ECHO of the GORGE is the bi-monthly newsletter of the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Community Club. Paper copies are available in the Gerton Post Office. The ECHO may be read online at www.gertonecho.blogspot.com  The Editor welcomes news items: E-mail Margaret Whitt at mwhitt@du.edu or phone 625-0264 or ace reporter and photographer (unless otherwise noted) Barbara Earnhardt at  lualice@bellsouth.net or 625-9255. Pictures of local Gerton activities, people, or places are always welcome.

UHNGCC officers: Margaret Whitt, president; Jim Earnhardt, vice president; Jean Bradley and Lana Roberts, secretaries; Sylvia Sane, treasurer; Mel Freeman, immediate past president. Board members: Gene Earnhardt, Claudia Freeman, Syble Freeman, Jim Sane, Jean Bradley. Community Dinner and Program, third Tuesday of each month.



On dress rehearsal (July 25) for our summer play, Freddie Ann Nappi thought her shot seemed a bit off, but, without realizing it, she pinned this eastern water snake just below her target. More on Freddie Ann's talents in archery in our next issue of the ECHO.  (courtesy: Ruth Ann Nappi)

President's Note
As fall returns to the gorge, we can begin to look back on a summer of what seemed like endless rain. However, the weather did not dampen our community spirit. We had 45 people at our July dinner and 50 at our August meal. And we are starting to see more young people among us! (No future without the young!) We had another fun time at our community play, "Gloria's House," and I want to thank again Helen Brown for her talented writing, Ruth Ann Nappi for directing and stepping in to take Bonnie Moore's role when she had to go to the hospital. The whole cast was wonderful and laughter could be heard as far away as Bat Cave!

During the rain, we discovered that our roof leaks; in fact, it just came right into the kitchen during an especially heavy fall. We will now have to put our kitchen renovation on hold while we pursue the cost of a new roof and new gutters. Next, we found out that our annual insurance premium increased by $500. We are in the process of searching for competitive bids, but with weather on the coast all of North Carolina could be affected by higher premiums. We are in the process of finding out. 

As fall settles in, the work of the UHNGCC continues. I look forward to seeing you at dinner and more presently, at GertonFest V on August 31.

Margaret Whitt


Calendar of Events

September 2, Monday - Labor Day

September 8, Saturday - 1- 4 p.m. Laughing Waters: You Pick the apples: 25 apples for $4 or 3 bags for $10.

September 13-14 - Bullington fall garden plant sale  9 a.m.-3 p.m.

September 17, Tuesday - 6:30 p.m. - Community Covered Dish Supper. Program: TBA

October 15, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. - Community Covered Dish Supper. Program: Carpool to tour Sherrill's Inn. Leave Community center parking lot at 4 p.m. We will then return for dinner at our regularly scheduled time: 6:30 p.m.

October 19-20 - NC Arboretum Center Chrysanthemum Society Show

October 25 - Bullington Garden Dahlia Show - 2 - 4 p.m.

October 31, Thursday - Halloween
Blue swallowtail visits pink phlox. Butterflies can be seen wherever there is an indigenous flower in bloom. 

JULY 4th ANNUAL Cook-Out and the RAIN
Yes, it did rain on the 4th of July this year, but we opened the club house and went ahead with our limited celebration. Jim Sane provided umbrella help from car door to club door. Almost 40 neighbors came together for hot dogs and burgers, cooked on the grill by Jim Earnhardt. While we waited for the rain to stop, we played BINGO. The champion of the evening was Bonnie Moore, winning five games. Her table, which included Mary Robinson, Ed Hunting, Debby Jennings and Les were consistent winners all night. Seemed as though all the "good cards" went to them! Our Bingo finale was a cover-all and won by one of the youngest in the house, Gayle Morris's granddaughter, Sarah, visiting from Athens, Georgia.

"Gloria's House"

Helen Brown's 2013 play, "Gloria's House," was another success for the Hickory Creek Players. In its two-day run on July 26 and 27 at the clubhouse, the play netted the UHNGCC over $1400. A strong cast, with several last minute substitutions, produced plenty of laughs as we all followed the intrigue, chaos, multiple plot lines, and cleverly thought out conclusion wrap-ups. Will Billy and Gloria find possible love? Will mature woman and young man find same? Will the house be torn down? Will oil be located under the house? Will there be enough money? Will the flight attendants and the fake FBI agent be apprehended? Will the diamonds be turned over to the appropriate authorities? Well, yes and yes and yes and yes.

Irene Franks (Ruth Ann Nappi) is about to use her martial arts on an exposed Billy Blackner (Don Lewis), as Gloria Franks (Pam Lewis) tries to defend him.


 Gloria's friend Linda Fox (Michelle Perry) gets ready to make her entrance and let Gloria know that someoneforeveryone.com could be the answer to her loneliness.

Thanks go out to the cast: Pam Lewis, Michelle Perry, Ruth Ann Nappi, Freddie Ann Nappi, Faith Perry, Lisa Jackson, Don Lewis, and J.D. Nappi. Those who put the stage together: Jim Sane, Gene Earnhardt, Jim Earnhardt, Jack Mumpower, and Jonathan Jenkins; those who set up the chairs: Jean Bradley and Meg Mumpower; those who sold tickets: Virginia McGuffey and Lynn Morehead; those who sold refreshments: Sarah Gayle and Lana Roberts; those who bought the refreshments: Sylvia Sane; those who put the stage back into storage: Stan Mobley, Michelle and Eric Perry, Ted Roberts, Fred, J.D., and Freddie Ann Nappi; the one who drew the cover art for the program, Ruth Hudson; the director, Ruth Ann Nappi, and the playwright, Helen Brown.
And...a thank you to everyone who came to the play and brought your out-of-town company along!


Gerton's own local playwright, Helen Brown, who writes the plays the whole town loves!

One Hour from Gerton

ed. note: third in a series. This column invites readers to share their stories. Each issue, we will focus on a place to go that is no more than one hour from Gerton.

WEAVERVILLE, N.C., can be reached by traveling I 240 to exit 5A, turning north on Merrimon and continuing until you find yourself in the delightful town of Weaverville. Another way is via the Blue Ridge Parkway off Reems Creek Road (if exiting from the Parkway: Weaverville/Vance Birthplace sign, between mileposts 375 and 376). I recommend a stop for lunch, dessert, or dinner at the Well-Bred Bakery and Cafe, now in its tenth year. The Well-Bred specializes in a mountainous chocolate eclair (smaller ones available as well), always a standout in their line of "exceptional handcrafted edibles." Next, walk the downtown section of three blocks and make your way to Mangum Pottery. Here you can watch the potters prepare, design, and throw their art (the studio is in the rear part of their space), and then make a purchase in their gallery. Take some time to visit the Main Street Nature Park, a delightful grassy knoll with a walking path surrounding it and water running beside it--a great place to run, sit, or stroll. Several antique galleries line the street, along with other restaurants--The Glass Onion, if you are looking for a special eatery or the Jack of Hearts Pub and Restaurant if you want something more casual.

En route back to Gerton, stop by the Zeb Vance birthplace and take the well-informed guide's tour of the two-story log cabin where Vance spent his childhood years. A great visit back in time to another complicated era of our state's history.

25 Years in Highway Beautification...

(ed. note: the following is excerpted from a recent letter from the Coordinator of the State Adopt-A-Highway Program, Kodi Ledford)

"Congratulations! You have participated in the Adopt-A-Highway Program since 1988. In recognition of your service to protect the environment and enhance the quality of life for all North Carolinians, we are pleased to award you with a 25-year-appreciation plaque, safety vests with the 25-year-emblem and two 25-year stars for your AAH signs. We hope you will display this plaque and these stars with pride as they acknowledge your commitment to preserving the beauty and cleanliness of North Carolina roadsides.

"Nearly 5,000 AAH groups have adopted approximately 10,000 miles of state-maintained roads. Last year more than 100,000 volunteers from all 100 counties picked up more than three million pounds of litter. AAH volunteers save the tax payers more than $5 million annually in roadside cleanup costs!"
Thanks to Jean Bradley and Karl Bradley for attaching the 25-year star to our sign.
Litter crew rests beside sign with our new 25-year star attached. From left: Keith Earnhardt, Barbara Earnhardt, Meg Mumpower, Doug Colwell, Margaret Colwell, and Jean Bradley, with new plaque from the state honoring our time in service. New orange vests also acknowledge our longevity.

Looking Back...

History of UHNGCC

Hickory Nut Gorge Home Demonstration Club
Research by Louise Sinclair

This Home Demonstration Club was formed and organized in 1953 through the efforts of Mrs. Guy Newton and Mrs. Mary Ruth Wilson, the Henderson County Home Demonstration Agent at that time. Meetings and demonstrations were held at the homes of the various members until in June 1965 the Club elected to purchase the Copper Kettle Tea Room and the large open pavilion adjoining from Chestnut Hills, Inc.

The property was purchased for the sum of $6,000 and the owners of Chestnut Hills, Inc., Mr. N. C. English and Mr. E. I. Earnhardt of Thomasville, N.C., stipulated that if the ladies could raise $1,000 the first year, they would match this amount. The thousand dollars was raised and matched and the balance owed was paid off within a few years and the deed recorded to the club.

Friday night suppers, curb markets featuring crafts, jellies, cakes and garden produce, flower shows, as well as reunions contributed for the use of the building, were all presented by club members, and other interested ladies and friends, to make money to pay for the property. Summer residents also contributed and gave their support to the Friday night suppers and other activities, thereby enabling successful completion of the purchase. The first officers of the club in 1953 were President, Rae Newton; Vice President, Carrie Cannon; Treasurer, Louetta Connor; Secretary, Modeen Bradley. The following years' club Presidents were Beatrice Meyers, Hattie Oates, Marion Pryor, and for 1966-67, the presiding President was Marjorie Owenby.

Of the original membership fifteen charter members voted in 1956 to accept the challenge and buy the property from Chestnut Hills, Inc. These charter members were Mrs. S .J. Asbury, Mrs. Annie Bailey, Mrs. Carrie Cannon, Mrs. T. E. Connor, Mrs. L. E. Meyers, Mrs. Guy Newton, Mrs. Hal Oates, Mrs. Roy Owenby, Mrs. Kelly Owensby, Mrs. Harry T. Peoples, Mrs. Willie Poole, Miss Marion Pryor, Mrs. Ed. Stevens, Mrs. J. K. Sumner, and Mrs. Frank Winterling.

In April 1967 the majority of the active members of the newly named Extension Homemakers Club of Gerton, N.C. (as of 1967, according to the planned organizational program of the Agricultural Extension Service of N.C. State University at Raleigh, the first of the year), voted to unite with the other activities of the gorge and community changed the name on the property deed to the UPPER HICKORY NUT GORGE COMMUNITY CENTER.

We, the residents of the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge, wish to express our appreciation and our thanks to all these ladies whose foresight and hard work made the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Community Center a reality.
(Compiled from the records and minutes of the Club since organization.)


Thanks to the following merchants for supporting GertonFest V

Fairview
Subway in Fairview and in Reynolds
Nachos and Beer
Sonic in Fairview
Local Joint
Angelo's
Food Lion
Mojo's
Elizabeth's Shear Heaven Hair Salon

Flat Rock Playhouse

Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock State Park
Manual Woodworkers
Hickory Nut Antiques
Medina's Bistro
Esmeralda Inn


Lake Lure
Lake Lure Smoke House
Lake Lure Inn and Spa

Hendersonville
Fireside Inn and Pancake House
Day in the Country
Mast General Store
Village Green Antiques
Fresh Market

Asheville
O'Charley's Restaurant




July and August Programs

JULY:  Dr. Grey Tilden, the new doctor at the new office to be opening soon in Lake Lure, by Ingles off Highway 9, and Tina Owens, Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC), Director of Development, gave an informative program on MAHEC's purpose. They answered questions and also got to hear about some of the history of the Bat Cave Clinic that local Gertonites remembered. Dr. Tilden is a family practitioner and welcomes new patients.

AUGUST: John Hathaway presented an informative talk on "responsible hunting." John has been hunting since he was 4 years old and has developed a love and respect for the activity. What he kills becomes food on his table. He spoke of his use of the whole animal, when he knew it was time to shoot, and when it was time to wait.

Deer in the wood. Hesitating before moving on...

Neighborhood News

Thanks to Jonathan Jenkins, who saw that our club's fire extinguishers did not pass inspection from the fire department, and took the extinguishers to be re-charged. We now have certified working extinguishers in case of a fire. This is something that we must have and something that we also hope we never have to use!

Monarch Butterfly Parade: From Blue Ridge Parkway, drive past Pisgah Inn to Mile Marker #415, or #417.  Call Visitors’ Center—298-5330, Ext. #304 to verify flights. “There haven’t been as many in recent years,” said one observer.  “But it’s still fun to wave goodbye and good luck to those Monarchs headed for Mexico for the winter.”

The September issue of Consumer Reports  shows Margaret Pardee Hospital of Hendersonville as one of two N.C. hospitals with surgery rating an “excellent.” N.C. Specialty Hospital in Durham is the other sharing that rating. “How hospitals…compare in avoiding adverse events in Medicare patients during their hospital stay for surgery”—was the measure applied. See Consumer Reports.org/hospital ratings for more details.   

Two (!) sets of great-grandparents signed in with the ECHO:
Larry and Gayle Murdock reported the birth of great-grandson Blake, 8 pounds 13 ounces, whose operation for removing a heart tumor when he was 26 hours old went very well.  Tough little kid that he must be, his pediatric surgeon said, “He did great!”   Everybody is relieved, grateful for prayers during the pregnancy and birth.

Diane Field phoned from Florida, grinning about her new great-granddaughter Bella, 8 lb. l3 oz.  The fresh girl matched ‘exactly’ her sister 2-year-old Anastasia, Diane crowed.  “They could have been twins!”
Diane’s address is 201 Russell Drive, Palm Springs, FL 33461.       

Will Triol’s good momma Sara died recently, one day shy of 93.  Mrs. Triol loved attending Bearwallow Baptist Church services when she visited here, and felt grateful to church members who drove her there. Several memorial services are planned—one here and one in Newport News, Va., where she made her permanent home.

Mary Rhodes Ritchie shared her girlhood in Gerton-Middlefork along with Marjorie Owenby.  She died July 17 in Concord, NC, where her daughter lives.  Mary’s funeral occurred at Groce Memorial Funeral Home, with the Revs. Bobby Dees and Jonathan Jenkins attending.  She was buried at Bearwallow Cemetery, with many friends and family members honoring her life and passing.  Mary loved living here in Gerton, her sunny disposition a joy to all who knew her.  And she was a good story teller. Five children, ll grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren survive her.

David Douglas has been entertaining fellow patients at Universal Health Care, Old Airport Road, for the past month, receiving excellent physical therapy, says daily visitor-tender Rose Ann. David’s cell is 712-6879. 

A new sign has been erected in the gorge by the Weed Action Coalition of the Hickory Nut Gorge, an organization concerned with the growth of invasive exotic plant species. Check out their website for details. 

Sheng Gao, beloved of Mary and Ed Robinson-Hunting, died instantly Monday, May 27, 2013, after being hit accidentally by a truck.
Here is his song, which was sung to him many many times. (tune: "Old Dog Tray" by Stephen Foster)
Sweet Sheng Gao's ever faithful,
Grief cannot drive him away.
He's gentle, he is kind,
I'll never never find
A better friend than dear Sheng Gao.
My sweet boy Sheng Gao, your Frankie, Ernie, Eddy and I miss you so very very much.
Love,
your Mary
Neighbors gather for August meal. Always plenty for all!