First snow of 2016 turned out to be a BIG one!
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: Margaret Whitt, Sylvia Sane, Shirley Boone, Karen Hudson-Brown, and Sam Earnhardt.
Officers for 2015-1016: President Margaret Whitt; Vice President Lynn Morehead; Summer Secretary Lana Roberts; Winter Secretary Sarah Gayle; Treasurer Sylvia Sane. Board members: Jean Bradley, Patty Tanner, Mac McAdams, Jim Earnhardt. Immediate Past President Jim Sane.
Calendar of Events
Tuesday, March 15, 6:30 p.m. - Community Covered Dish Dinner. Program: Vince Griffey, Henderson County Sheriff's Department
Tuesday, March 15 - Primary Election Date. Vote at Bat Cave Volunteer Fire Department
Sunday, March 27 - Easter Sunday
Tuesday, April 19, 6:30 p.m. - Community Covered Dish Dinner. Program: TBA
Thursday, April 21, noon - 5th Annual South of Asheville Luncheon at Lake Lure Inn and Spa in support of the Ministry of Hope. Tickets available from Margaret Whitt.
Tuesday, March 15 - Primary Election Date. Vote at Bat Cave Volunteer Fire Department
Sunday, March 27 - Easter Sunday
Tuesday, April 19, 6:30 p.m. - Community Covered Dish Dinner. Program: TBA
Thursday, April 21, noon - 5th Annual South of Asheville Luncheon at Lake Lure Inn and Spa in support of the Ministry of Hope. Tickets available from Margaret Whitt.
President's Note
I just had two pleasant exchanges with neighbors at the post office. I know this happens every day or so for most folks who live in Gerton (and have a PO Box). For Gerton is a place where, if you choose to, then it is totally possible to know your neighbors. And knowing usually means caring about. At our covered dish meals together in the cold months of the year--sitting with those who share our environment, catching up on family news, learning more about the greater whole that makes us a community of distinction on any day of the week--adds warmth to this season.
Listening to the radio in the car as I drove toward Marion on Saturday, a Harvard professor was talking about the connection between money and happiness. He did an experiment where he put some money into envelopes and gave them out to a number of people. He asked each person to either give it away or keep it for personal use. Then he asked the person to rate their happiness quotient on a scale of 1-10. Most people rated their happiness at 7 or 8. At the end of the day, he contacted each person and asked them to rate their happiness. For those who kept the money, they simply added the amount to their wallet or pocket and went about their daily business. Their happiness quotient did not change. BUT, those who used the money to do something for someone else, all experienced a rise in their happiness quotient. So, having more money may not be able to buy happiness, but giving it away certainly does! All this to say, in January we gave 50 pounds of food to Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach; in February we gave 80 pounds. When March comes around, let's try for 100 pounds -- and see if we aren't happier for doing so!
See you at dinner in March -- if not before.
Margaret Whitt
CMLC Offers Speaker on Climate Change and Conservation
The presentation, Climate Change and Conservation, will cover everything from the basic science of climate change to future scenarios and what effects we will see in the natural and human systems on the planet. Dr. Pearsall will speak about what we as conservationists can expect from climate change as well as address what we may be able to do about climate change.
Dr. Sam Pearsall retired to the Raleigh area in 2013 following four years as a senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund and 30 years with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Natural Hertiage Programs in North Carolina, Tennessee, Hawaii, Western Samoa, and other regions in the South Pacific. During his time at The Nature Conservancy, Dr. Pearsall established TNC's first climate change adaptation program at Alligator River Refuge in eastern NC. In his retirement, Dr. Pearsall is focusing on maintenance of ecological flows in rivers and streams and meeting the challenges of climate change.
Controlled Burn Notice on Florence Nature Preserve
Sometime between now and the end of March the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy partnering with the North Carolina Forest Service will conduct a controlled burn in Florence Nature Preserve.The date will be determined based on weather conditions and will be announced 1-3 days in advance. During the BURN, all trails and Little Pisgah Road will be closed.
January Program
On the particularly cold, but clear, night of January 19, we had 17 gather for our first meeting of the new year. Seven among us were first-time attenders to our monthly meals together--Danya Salos and her two sons, Clay and River, who live in the Silwedels' former home; Susie and Jack Bancer and their daughter and son-in-law, Jamie and Steve Ringenberg, who live toward Bat Cave, but still in Gerton. Our program was an overview of our year ahead. We approved the 2016 budget, which is included below. The board brought forward the suggestion of purchasing a new 55" flat screen television that can also be used when we have programs that require a projector and screen. Also, the television will be big enough to permit Movie Nights as we move into spring and summer--maybe even Movie Marathons. A motion was made, seconded, and passed unanimously. Jim and Sylvia Sane will be on the lookout for such a unit on sale and will make the purchase.
Our plan is also to purchase 25-50 more chairs when they go on sale, or before our summer play at the end of July. The new round tables continue to work well, encouraging full tables and easy conversation. Also, signs naming the picnic pavilion (a tribute to Grayson and Jean Bradley) and the walking track (a tribute to Marjorie and Roy Owenby) will be in place by June.
We also were successful in signing up hosts for our dinners. We still have the following months available. Please let Margaret Whitt or Jean Bradley know if you would like to assume responsibility for one of the following months: May, June, July, August.
UHNGCC Budget 2016
2016 Operating Budget
Expenses
Maintenance of Club
and Property 2015 actual 2015 2016
Lawn Care $1920 $1840 $2000
Utilities 780 843 900
Heating
oil 0 269 300
Propane
Tank Rental and Propane 79 79 79
Sub-Total $3418 3670 $3418
Heating inspection 210 210
Fire inspection 100 100
Heating repairs 901 300 Total $4881 $4028
Insurance $1960 1572 1700
Taxes on rental
space 135 85 100
Supplies
Paper plates, napkins, utensils, dining cloths, decorations,
Calendar, etc. $350
282 300
Printing of Echo, Postage,
Sub-Total $700 536 600
Tables and Chairs 1953 600
Total $2489 $1200
Building Projects $2200 $1000
Kitchen Renovation $14,509
Programs
GertonFest food/expenses 800 351 500
Easter egg hunt 30 0 50
July 4 Cookout (and fireworks) 100 76 300
Play
200 130 300
Thanksgiving turkey 100 0 100
High Tea
327 0 300
Others
200 0 200
Sub-Total $1807 603 $1800
Outreach
$300 259 300
Rental Space 100 0 500
Repairs/Maintenance 500 675 500
TOTAL
$11,120 $25,073 $11,128
Without
Kitchen - actual total spent $10,564
REVENUE
2016
anticipated
2015 actual 2015 anticipated 2016
Dues $570 860 600
Donations
Exercise $350 330 300
Meetings $500 391 400
unrestricted $600 580 500
Fundraisers
GertonFest $1800 2243 2100
Summer Play $1500 2150 1928
July 4 $100 119 100
Cookbooks $400 610 0
High Tea $1000 $956 1000
Rent
Building $200 200 200
Store $3,000 3,000 3,000
TOTAL
$11,040 $13,187 $11,128
Henderson County Community Development Council
The County meeting was held on February 4 at the Extension Center in Hendersonville. This organization invites all community clubs in the county to participate: Edneyville, Crab Creek, Upward, and Upper Hickory Nut Gorge. At this meeting, Renay Knapp, coordinator, announced that Upward had decided to withdraw from the County Council. So, we now have three remaining viable clubs in the county. An important component of our quarterly meetings is the support of each other's activities and service projects. UHNGCC's service project will remain the Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach. Edneyville supports school supplies and Crab Creek supports Mainstay.
At this meeting, Jim Sane was elected Vice President and Sylvia Sane will serve as secretary for the County Council for 2016. UHNGCC will host the other community clubs on the first Thursday in November. At this time, annual awards will be given out. Everyone is invited to these quarterly covered dish dinners.
February Program
Gloria Anders presented the program to 21 people at our February dinner. She is a certified clinical herbalist. She spoke on holistic medicine--which includes treating the whole person -- body, mind, and spirit. Particular items she addressed were the positive results from breathing in certain essential oils, eucalyptus, for example, to clear the lungs; raw, pure honey (especially if it is local) to replace sugar. She gave us a short history of her training and had available recipes that could help with winter viruses.
4-H Plant Sale: Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Asparagus
Henderson County is selling small fruit plants to raise funds for awards and programs for youth. All plants are bare root. Order forms and payments are due to the Extension office by March 11. Plants will be picked up at Henderson's Farms, 705 Tracy Grove Road, on Saturday, April 9, from noon - 4 p.m.. Extra plants will be available at 2 p.m.
Order forms are available at the following web site: henderson.ces.ncsu.edu/4-H or by calling 697-4891.
Miles Inside the UNHGCC.... 2,304 Miles Total
As we move onward into 2016, the time has come to take a look at our totals from 2015. As weather permits, above 35 degrees (yes, we are fair-weather walkers), we walk to/with tapes, and we talk, too, usually about 3 miles every weekday from 9 to 10 a.m. In its latest incarnation, we have been walking since May 2010. Once again, the champion this year is: SYLVIA SANE. Here are the totals:
Jean Bradley 489
Joan Erskine 42
Toni Eastman 18
Syble Freeman 6
Sarah Gayle 12
Becca Hathaway 3
Karen Hudson-Brown 199
Meg Mumpower 325
Lana Roberts 133
Sylvia Sane 518
Lois Simpson 73
Dari Tritt 103
Margaret Whitt 341
Assorted Guests 42
TOTAL 2,304 MILES
Lake Lure Grill: Restaurant Review
Located in the Lake Lure Arcade near the Lake Lure Inn and Spa, The Lake Lure Grill has been opened since last May. Owners and Operations Managers are Richard Owens and Coleen Jenkins, who offer lunch Monday-Saturday from 11:30 to 3 p.m. Dinners on Friday and Saturday evenings until 7:30. These are winter hours.
This reviewer tried the lunch special: chicken salad on a warm buttery toasted white bread with my choice of chips, pretzels, or French fries. Price of $9 included drink and dessert. The chicken salad was creamy with a special mix that held the bite-sized succulent chicken pieces together, completed by tomato and lettuce. I had to use a fork to get every last bite, especially when the salad slid out of the delectable toast. Now, for the dessert: a caramel, apple, oatmeal cookie, hot from the oven. I had to eat mine with a fork and kept wishing I had some vanilla ice cream for the top. It might have been among the best cookies I have eaten in my life.
When the bill came, I noticed a 10 percent "local" discount. When I told Coleen I would put her in the ECHO, and asked if others could get the discount, she said: "Of Course!" So if you go, ask for the discount or tell them the ECHO sent you or that you are from Gerton. Get yourself there quickly; this is a "local" establishment not to be missed!
Lake Lure Flowering Bridge Gardens
By Jim Walters
While the floral beauty and structure of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge confirm its contemporary nickname, The Gateway to Somewhere Beautiful, this historic 1925 bridge has lived up to that description since the day it was first traversed. Throughout nearly nine decades, the bridge, which has carried five numbered highways across the Broad River, has seen the evolution of traffic from animal-drawn to sophisticated, powered vehicles. It has carried the Charlotte-Asheville Highway, connecting those gateway North Carolina cities past Lake Lure, through Hickory Nut Gorge, over the Eastern Continental Divide and into the mountains to the West. It lives on as a pedestrian walkway and garden created and maintained by volunteers. It now connects the Village of Chimney Rock, Chimney Rock State Park and the Town of Lake Lure.
The bridge structure, designated as "Historic Bridge Seven," was nominated for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. It is a three-arch span which originally included eight light posts topped by decorative lamps. Although the historic lamps were removed, they are being replaced by similar fixtures to recreate the ambiance of 1925. The bridge is twenty feet wide and 155 feet long with a serpentine pathway which meanders through twelve stone-faced planters. These themed garden beds hold flowers, bushes, succulents, ground cover, decorative artifacts and scientifically accurate signage denoting the contents of each planter. From the bridge, pedestrians can view the natural beauty of the Chimney Rock monolith upstream and the entrance to Lake Lure as the river flows downstream. At each end of the historic span additional plantings draw the attention of visitors. These include significant trees and landscaping, as well as relaxing seats and benches, poignant memorials, and acknowledgment of contributing donors. A 1920s period iron gate formally welcomes people to the "Lake Lure Flowering Bridge."
Long before Lake Lure was formed and highways and bridges were constructed, native Cherokee and Catawba Indians lived in the Hickory Nut Gorge. It is believed that the gorge was considered sacred ground to these ancient people, a place where rivalries were set aside because of its spiritual significance. In that sense, the fundamental notion that this entire environment was "somewhere beautiful" has been a part of the human psyche for hundreds of years. The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge places a 21st century stamp of endorsement and emphasis on these long-held ideals.
ED. Note: Visit the bridge in late spring, summer, or early fall to see the 12 gardens in their fullest array. Your visiting guests and grandchildren will also love the experience.
New Moon Marketplace in Fairview
Nita Owenby is the new co-owner of the New Moon Marketplace in Fairview. She is looking for vendors to sell their items at the Fairview shop. If you have antiques, oddities, art, handmade crafts, or collectibles, you can find out more information by emailing newmoonmarketplace@gmail.com or calling Nita at 606-5364.
RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S * Ask the individual to SMILE.
T * Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A
SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. Chicken Soup)
R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue!
NOTE: Another sign of a stroke is this: Ask the person to stick out his tongue. If the tongue is "crooked," if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.
Neighborhood News
Rose Villa in Oregon, where Karen Hudson-Brown now lives. Snow greeted her on Christmas day.
In a tough spot and unable to help myself by myself, I was the recipient of good thinking, strong backs, and a willingness to interrupt their own activities from good neighbors. I returned from a weekend at the beach during the late January snow only to get seriously stuck turning into Pond Lane. Anastasia Walsh and her children Eva and Diego were sledding; Danya Salos and her sons, Clay and River, were walking their dogs. All came to my aid. They found boards from behind the center and used them to shovel out my car, together we all pushed my car out of the snowbank. Then River strapped my baggage to his sled, tying it down with dog leashes, and pulled it to my door. An hour later, my car was parked at the center, and I was home with everything I needed. Another moment of Gerton grace. Thank you, neighbors. Margaret Whitt
From Left: Gene, Barbara, Tom, Rachel, Dana, David, Silas, Angie, Keith, and Jim--three brothers and their spouses, three cousins, one daughter-in-law -- all Earnhardts
The Earnhardt family gather at Christmas time to remember good times from the last half century in Gerton. Gene, Jim, and Tom's dad bought property in Gerton in the mid-1940s.In a tough spot and unable to help myself by myself, I was the recipient of good thinking, strong backs, and a willingness to interrupt their own activities from good neighbors. I returned from a weekend at the beach during the late January snow only to get seriously stuck turning into Pond Lane. Anastasia Walsh and her children Eva and Diego were sledding; Danya Salos and her sons, Clay and River, were walking their dogs. All came to my aid. They found boards from behind the center and used them to shovel out my car, together we all pushed my car out of the snowbank. Then River strapped my baggage to his sled, tying it down with dog leashes, and pulled it to my door. An hour later, my car was parked at the center, and I was home with everything I needed. Another moment of Gerton grace. Thank you, neighbors. Margaret Whitt
Sylvia and Jim Sane's newest great granddaughter! Tristan Ilene Schimmel, born to grandson Dillon Schimmel and Taylor Fender just after midnight on February 4. Tristan weighed in at 7 pounds and 1 ounce.
Little Library
Notes from visitors:
- Thank you, Gerton community. I am so blessed to be able to call this place home!
- Love the Library! We are starting one in Fairview.
