Friday, December 30, 2016

January - February 2017

Every night through December the new Christmas tree (gift from Gloria Anders, with help in the setting up from Lori Erskine) shined into the night sky greeting passersby on 74A.

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 send to editor Margaret Whitt at mwhitt@du.edu. Photographers this issue: Sylvia Sane, Margaret Whitt, Gloria Anders, and Becca Hathaway. 

Officers for 2016-2017: President Margaret Whitt; Vice President Lynn Morehead; Summer Secretary Lana Roberts; Winter Secretary Susie Bancer; Treasurer Sylvia Sane. Board members: Jean Bradley, Patty Tanner, Mac McAdams, Jim Earnhardt. Immediate Past President Jim Sane.

Calendar of Events

January 1, Sunday : Lake Lure New Year's Day Polar Plunge
Join us in all your New Year's Day Splendor in Lake Lure at the Lake Lure Inn & Spa Pool for a rambunctious time with a bunch of crazy dressed fun folks!

Registration: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.; Cost: $20.00; Plunge Time: 12 Noon
Costume Contest - $100 1st place
January 17, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. Covered Dish Dinner. Program: Making Plans for 2017
January 21, Saturday 
Through a continuing sense of unity, several public and private organizations are coming together at Rumbling Bald Resort on Jan. 21st to honor local fire departments for their role in battling the recent Party Rock Fire. 

The event, called the  Party Rock Fire Thank you Celebration & Fundraiser will also recognize several businesses, volunteers and others who went above and beyond in responding to the challenges of the 25+ day wildfire.

Following a Chili Cook-off by Lake Lure Classical Academy earlier in the day, the thank you celebration & fundraiser will begin at 5 p.m. Although space is limited, all are welcome to attend this free event, which will include a cocktail reception, heavy hors d'oeuvres, a time for special recognition, and some entertainment.

Donations are tax-deductible and should be made to the Hickory Nut Gorge Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. There are three ways to give:

1. Directly at the Party Rock Fire Recovery Celebration at Rumbling Bald Resort on January 21.
2. Online, anytime the Hickory Nut Gorge Foundation's website at http://www.hngfoundation.org/lake-lure-firefighter-celebration.html
3. By mail to The Hickory Nut Gorge Foundation, PO Box 783, Lake Lure, NC 28746


February 21, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Community Covered Dish Dinner. Program: TBA.


President's Note

A big thank you to the firefighters who gave so much of themselves in November at the fire that ravaged our vicinity. Thanks, too, for the community support in bringing in water and other needed supplies to support their efforts. (See below for a full report of the fire details from our Gerton VFD Chief, Jay Alley.) 

Another good year for UHNGCC as we received both county and regional cash awards. As we move forward in the new year, we will be looking to make more plans become reality. Join us at our January dinner and meeting as we establish priorities. We have a job for everyone interested in helping out. Though we do not yet know the date of the Sale on the Trail, come Spring we will once again be participating in that event. 

This is my second year as your president,and I take the job seriously and do so knowing that I have the support of a great board and others in the community that help out. We function as a team, which is what it takes, to get things done. The longest study of human happiness (conducted by Harvard researchers for the past 75 years) indicates that what matters most to people is relationships. People with good relationships with others live longer, happier, more satisfied lives. I think Gerton is the place to see that in action.

May it be a good 2017 for all of us. 
Margaret Whitt


Henderson County Development Council Awards


On November 3, UHNGCC hosted the annual awards ceremony for the county. Above, Marvin Owensby from the County Office gave a certificate and a check for $250  to officers Jim Sane, Sylvia Sane, Margaret Whitt, Jean Bradley, and Lynn Morehead.  We served bar-b-cue and beans while our two dozen guests from Crab Creek and Edneyville brought sides and desserts. 


WNCCommunities Holds 67th Annual Awards Luncheon


UHNGCC scores another Community of Promise designation and $1,000. Pictured above: Margaret Whitt, Sylvia Sane, Gloria Anders, Jean Bradley, and a representative from Harrah's Casino at Cherokee. 


Community centers and clubs across the NC mountain region voluntarily participate in the annual WNC Honors Awards by submitting application. The 64 communities involved in this year’s program represented a total of 5,375 volunteers with an impressive 158,000 hours in outreach programs dedicated to beautification, conservation, education, health and wellness, as well as collaborative efforts with government, extension, community colleges, nonprofits and businesses, all in service to rural communities.  In addition, the collective fundraising efforts of these communities brought in over $635,000 for everything from neighbor helping neighbor to after school programs, senior meal sites, farmland preservation, a tele-medicine clinic, and events highlighting our region’s great art, craft, and music traditions.

In the past six years, UHNGCC has won the top honor, Community of Distinction, four times: 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015. We have taken second place, Community of Promise, two times: 2013 and this year, 2016. So, that means (in cash) a total of $10,000.  



Gerton Fire and Rescue: Updates for 2016   


From Jay Alley                                                  

                                                         
2016 has been a very busy year for us, but we were on track to respond to approximately 100 fires for the year. That all changed in November.  On November 8, we responded mutual aid to Chimney Rock and Lake Lure Fire Departments for a brush fire that would be called the Party Rock Fire. The fire started on November 5 and was an average brush fire until weather conditions and the fire morphed into something that would be later known as a west coast fire in the east. We responded to help with structural protection in the Rumbling Rock community as the fire was burning unchecked. We started on that Tuesday morning and kept an engine and crew there 24 hours a day until Thursday morning. We were able to bring our crews home for 24 hours. This was in preparation that the fire was headed into Henderson County and we needed to be home to help.

On Friday morning, November 11, we sent crews to the Bat Cave Fire Department to provide structural protection for Henderson County. Our crews spent the next 3 days cleaning out around structures in the Bat Cave area. We started what was a 24-hour a day tour until the next Friday. We sent 2 engines and crews of 4 down for the weekend to prepare the homes for the approaching fire.  These crews worked 12-hour shifts and at night we replaced them with 2-man crews. The fire began to approach Bat Cave on Monday night. This fire created its own winds and continuously jumped the established fire lines placed by the forest service. There were reports of 50-foot flames that were burning at times up to 25 feet per minute. Our crews were stationed at different homes throughout Bat Cave to protect those structures. The plan was to defend the homes as the fire approached with back fires and we would keep the fire off the houses. 

At the onset we had been warned that this fire could burn up to 10,000 acres and 50 structures. We were determined that we would save every structure if we could. I worked in the Bat Cave Branch command post. On the Wednesday night when the fire was supposed to overrun Chimney Rock Village, and us, we had crews ready and waited on the fire to come. All crews were able to stop the fire progress at each of the structures and the Village of Chimney Rock. The winds at this fire were very bad. There were times when we were in 40 MPH winds with gusts much higher. This made the job of protecting these homes even more difficult. The other objective was to stop this fire at Highway 9. If it had crossed, with the weather conditions as they were, we were not sure where we would stop it. Thankfully, the weather conditions improved, the wind slowed down for a few days, and we were able to stop its progression toward Gerton. On Friday morning, November 18, we were finally able to bring our entire crew home for some rest.  The next morning, we had to return as a strong front approached with 40 to 60 MPH winds with no rain. We again monitored the fire lines and structures through the next 48 hours to make sure that the fire did not jump any lines. On Sunday night we were able to bring our crews home for good from the Party Rock Fire.  We were thankful for no injuries and a little sleep. 

On that very night, we were dispatched to assist Fairview Fire Department with a heavily involved structure fire on Sharon Road. We provided manpower and tankers for them for most of that Sunday night. We spent the next week cleaning equipment and repairing and replacing equipment and supplies we had used during these fires.

Over the next two weeks we responded to four medical calls in our district.
On December 4 at 12:15, we were dispatched to the Grand Highlands clubhouse for a structure fire. Upon our arrival we found the structure to be fully involved from end to end and top to bottom. We called for and received mutual aid from Henderson and Buncombe Counties to control and eventually extinguish this fire. We released all of our mutual aid the next morning at 9 a.m. We continued to monitor and extinguish spot fires there until Wednesday of that week.  We had 20 fire departments including two ladder trucks and over 100 firefighters on scene at the peak of this fire. This fire was an example of how well departments from across our region can and do work together efficiently.

Finally, we received word on December 8, that we had received our rating as a fire department. Many of you know that back in September, we spent several days working with the Department of Insurance on evaluating our department for its ability to operate as a fire department. The rating system is a scale of 1 to 10. A Class 1 department is the best and a Class 10 is no fire protection available. Twelve years ago we were rated a Class 6. We were very proud of that. I am very excited to announce we are rated a Class 4 fire department. There are only 5000 Class 4 departments in the United States. The rating will not officially go into effect until April 1, 2017. After that insurance companies will be notified. If there are any additional savings to you on your homeowners insurance, it will be applied. Obtaining a Class 4 is rare for a fire department our size. I am proud of all of our firefighters for their hard work.

Lastly, I want to say Thank you to all of our residents for your response during the Party Rock Fire and support during this year. The donations, kind comments, food and prayers were appreciated more than any of you will ever know. It helped us to continue on when it seemed like none of this would ever end. Our firefighters are grateful for all of your support and we thank you. Please be safe and we look forward to an exciting 2017.  By the way, this was written on December 9 and we have responded to 122 calls. This has been our busiest year ever.

Thanksgiving Community Meal

Over 30 neighbors gathered on November 15 to eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal with turkey and dressing and all the extras. When it was time to share with those at our tables what we were most thankful for...people responded with many tributes to our firefighters, our community, our monthly meal together.
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The one item of business for the evening was to install the new officers for UHNGCC. Russell Anders performed the ritual ceremony as the officers passed the bell. 

From left: Mac McAdams, Lynn Morehead (behind Russell), Jean Bradley, Jim Earnhardt, Sylvia Sane, Margaret Whitt, and Jim Sane.



Christmas Greenery Work Day

The first Monday in December is our traditional day to gather at the center to celebrate the season with greens and red bows, hanging on each street sign that goes off 74 A through Gerton. This year we prepared over 40 hangings. Lori Erskine and Gloria Anders collected, sorted, and delivered to the clubhouse five different kinds of greens. They were all laid out and ready for assembly when workers arrived on December 5 at 10 a.m. Sylvia Sane, Margaret Whitt, Lori Erskine, Mary Kay McAdams, and Susie Bancer gathered, secured, and attached the red bows, which earlier Sylvia had spray painted those who looked a bit faded. Just when we thought we would run out of greens, Sarah Gayle arrived with a carload that was just what we needed. Mac McAdams made presentable the indoor tree that had some wear based on how we stored it a year ago! Anastasia Walsh along with Eva and Diego arrived in time to put up the garland and red bows on the outside poles. Jim Sane made three fresh wreaths for the center doors, while Mac McAdams worked on the timer for the new tree in the serving area. 
All enjoyed refreshments prepared by Gayle Morris and Sylvia Sane, while Jim Sane went to hang the greens. This year the post office got three (above)! Thanks to everyone who participated. Somehow our road just doesn't feel right until the greens go up!



Annual Christmas Party

On December 21, 34 of us gathered to celebrate the holiday with finger foods and presents for each other. Everyone brought a small gag or not-so-gag gift for the exchange. John Solomon once again became Santa Claus and handed everyone a gift. Once all the presents were opened, everyone had the opportunity to switch gifts with someone else. 

Here, Diego eyes the present he wants across the room, while his family looks on with amusement. (He got it!)

After singing some Christmas songs, we closed the evening with a lights-off singing of "Silent Night." And then we all made our way into the starry night to await the big day.

Neighborhood News


Billy Gaines had successful surgery on his knee in November.

J.D. Nappi sends thanks to the whole Gerton community for his Hot Dixie Dog business. He will be back come spring time and ready to fill your hot dog orders. 


Local kids prepare the blessing bags for use in the Christmas Eve service at Bearwallow Baptist Church.