November - December 2016

Astors in fall bloom on the edge of Chestnut Hills Pond. 

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, Shirley Boone, Margaret Whitt, Dave MacDonald.

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.

Signs of fall adorn the clubhouse--colorful mums, corn stalks, pumpkins, gourds, hay bales, and some old short people we found inside in a bin! Thanks to Jean Bradley, Sylvia Sane, and Karl Bradley, who dropped off the hay bales. 

Calendar of Events

November 3, Thursday, 6:30 p.m. - Henderson County Development Council Annual Awards Dinner at UHNGCC. Bar-b-cue provided. Bring sides. 

November 8, Tuesday - Remember to vote (if you haven't already) Gerton's precinct is at Bat Cave Volunteer Fire Department. You do not need a photo ID to vote.

November 12, Saturday, noon. 67th WNC Honors Awards Program and lunch at the DoubleTree by Hilton in the Biltmore Village. UHNGCC will once again try to retain its title of Community of Distinction. 

November 15, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. Thanksgiving Community Dinner. Turkey and dressing provided. Bring Sides. 

November 24, Thursday - THANKSGIVING

December 5, Monday, 10 a.m. - Christmas Greenery Workshop. We will put together the wreaths for every road sign in Gerton and decorate the clubhouse with wreaths and put up the Christmas tree.

December 20, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. Christmas Holiday Party. Bring finger foods and an inexpensive present to swap. 

December 25, Sunday - CHRISTMAS

December 31, Saturday - NEW YEAR'S EVE

President's Note

We have had a beautiful fall here in the gorge. The middle week of October was especially colorful and the weather was near perfect. Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach hosted its fall arts and craft fair with over 50 artisans displaying their wares. While Gerton was its usual quiet self, tourists aplenty were populating Chimney Rock and Lake Lure. Maybe next year on that middle week of October we should consider hosting a Saturday night spaghetti and bingo event to show even more mountain hospitality to those who travel our scenic by-way. By then, our new neighbors, Glen and Anne, will have their 3 B's Inn up and running, which will bring tourists with their dogs to our area!

It has been a good year for UHNGCC, so at the October Board meeting, we voted to give our basket offering, which we have for years and years used to buy supplies for our dinners, to Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach for either food or their fuel fund to help our neighbors pay their bills to stay warm in the approaching cold days ahead. We collected $55 and wrote a check to the Outreach. In their recent newsletter, they thank UHNGCC for the over 400 pounds of food we have donated this year. We appear to be among their top givers, but the need doesn't ever become sated. People remain hungry and our work remains unfinished. Remember to bring canned goods for Outreach when you come for our monthly dinners.

The happiest of holiday seasons to all of you. I look forward to seeing you at our annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Turkey and dressing supplied; bring sides! In these times, we still have much for which to be thankful.

Margaret Whitt

GertonFest VIII

We held our annual event on Labor Day Saturday, September 3. Mel and Claudia Freeman began this celebration of small town life eight years ago--another summer when we had to skip our play. Since the first GertonFest, we have seen some events come and go--our Gerton 5K, our dog parade, our inflatables for kids, but other events have remained -- our community pancake and sausage breakfast, our silent auction, our home baked goods sale, music, and our Bar-B-Que. We still hold the team spelling bee, but it has never found a growing fan base; on the other hand, our trivia bowl seems to grow each year. This year, we even tried a jig saw puzzle "race," an event in which several people on one 750-piece puzzle could not complete in three hours. Live and learn! Maybe next year...

Community Breakfast 
Thanks to Syble Freeman, Mac McAdams, Ted Roberts, Joan Erskine, and Sylvia Sane, who shopped, cooked, and served our breakfast. We served 61 people and earned $245.

Baked Goods

Thanks to Jean Bradley and Patty Tanner for coordinating the event. Thirty-five people stepped forward and said yes to making cakes, candy, brownies, pralines, cookies, pies, and breads. Here are those wonderful bakers: Shirley Boone, Lana Roberts, Jane Lawson, Sarah Gayle, Becca Hathaway, Susie Bancer, Jami Linn, Meg Mumpower, Jack Mumpower, Pat Davis, Helen Brown, Ruth Hudson, Ruth Ann Nappi, Margaret Whitt, Jean Bradley, Patty Tanner, Virginia McGuffey, Joan Erskine, Sylvia Sane, Anastasia Walsh, Anne Bourne, Susan McMurray, Toni Eastman, Lois Simpson, Francis Scoggins, Mary Kay McAdams, Bonnie Moore, Gayle Morris, Marianne Adoryan, Roberta Pope, Melissa Grindle, Karen Bradley, Syble Freeman, Toni Barkett, and Donna Watkins. The bake sale made $426. Every single item sold--down to the last crumb of cookie! Another $31 came from cokes and candy (store bought!).

Silent Auction

With thanks to our collectors Lana Roberts (Hendersonville), Jim Earnhardt (Chimney Rock and Lake Lure), Sylvia Sane and Margaret Whitt (Fairview and Asheville). The following 29 merchants supported us; we hope you will frequent their businesses:

Lake Lure Tours, La Strada, Sonic, Mast General Store, Angelo's, Silas's Produce, A Day in the Country, Burntshirt Vineyards, Esmeralda Inn and Restaurant, Appalachian Tropicals, Mojo's, Local Joint, Lyda Farms, Village Greeen Antique Emporium, Ace Hardware, Hot Dog King, Fireside Restaurant, Flat Rock Playhouse, Food Lion, Hamlin Ceramics, Medina's Village Bistro, Lake Lure Inn and Spa, J and S Cafeteria, Ruth and Ranshaw Homemade Desserts, Lowe's, Fresh Market, Nachos and Beer, Hilltop Ice Cream. 

We made $939 on the bid items. 

Spelling Bee

We were down to two teams this year: Lana Roberts and Jim Earnhardt were able to move to victory. They returned their cash prize to the club, so our take from the bee was $60.

Jig Saw Puzzle Race and Trivia Bowl

In our initial race, we discovered that even with multiple people trying to put together a 750-piece puzzle of comic chickens, we were able to get no more than 200 pieces into their correct places within 3 hours. Danya Salos took the puzzle home to complete in her leisure time!
Jim Sane led the Trivia Bowl and we had at least three teams: Ted and Lana Roberts were this year's winners.

Music and Bar-B-Cue

Bob Stepp and friends once again provided music from 5 - 6 p.m. It is always wonderful to hear them pick and sing! 

As is our tradition, Billy Gaines was the top chef for our BBQ -- Chicken and Pork -- with beans, slaw, rolls, and banana pudding dinner. He had good help from Ted Roberts, Syble Freeman, Sylvia Sane, Jim Sane, Lynn Morehead, Jean Bradley, Joan Erskine, and David Scoggins. And thanks to Shirley Boone for providing the centerpieces for the tables. We made $639 on the dinner.

Jim Sane went to the Creekside Camp Ground in Bat Cave and invited campers to join us for dinner. Above, we had ten Marines on pass from the N. C. coast. When they came in the door, a decision was made to let them be our guests. Quietly, several members of our community slipped us money to cover the cost of their meals. What a great community who watches out for the young who are choosing to serve their country through the military. By the smiles on their faces (above), it is clear they are enjoying the meal.

Our total take from GertonFest VIII was $2,340. Another wonderful success. Thanks to all who participated. Until next year....

Some masterful engineering at the new bridge in Gerton. The next picture will be of the completed bridge!

Fair Booth, First Place

Henderson County Development Council took first place in our category at this year's state fair held in Asheville in the last days of August. The Blue Ribbon has been placed on the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Community sign. As the only Community of Distinction in the county, we are also honored with the biggest picture of our clubhouse and a number of local dwellers who turned out for the picture. Thanks to the the hard workers from Edneyville who took responsibility for putting the booth together this year. 

September Program

Kehren Barbour, Gerton artist of the Post Piano Project, was the speaker at the monthly gathering of 42 on September 20. Kehren gave a brief history of her work with 38 "decomissioned" pianos, which she is re-purposing from their parts for a second life. The Gerton studio is also called the Aeolian Harp Research Station. When the wind blows, the sounds that come from this studio send nature's melodies into the air. Kehren has welcomed us for a tour of her studio in April, perhaps, so that we might enjoy the sound of nature at a time of year when the wind blows so freely. Further details will be announced in the spring. (See the ECHO, September-October 2016, for a fuller description of Kehren's art.)

Blue Ridge Community College 

Henderson County History Class

Once again, Jenny Giles Jones's Henderson County history class paid a visit to UHNGCC on Saturday, October 8. About 20 students, who are interested in learning more about the county they call home, had lunch in our building, where they were served hot coffee by Sylvia Sane. Sylvia answered their questions about this part of the county and the gorge before they left for a tour of Sherrill's Inn. They also took a tour of our clubhouse and checked out our new kitchen. Jenny reports that her classes always love coming to UHNGCC---and we enjoy their interest in us!

October Program 

Jami Linn, neighbor and oncology nurse, gave an important program at our October 18 meeting and dinner. She spoke on five important questions to ask the doctor if we or someone we love gets a cancer diagnosis:

1. I know that cancer is generally treated by using surgery, systemic therapy, and radiation (local) therapy. What are the treatment options for me? 

2. Would you recommend a second opinion consultation? Is there a multidisciplinary clinic for my type of cancer and can you help me facilitate this?

3. Is there a Nurse Navigator available for me to help with the next step?

4. Is there a clinical trial available?

5. What can I do right now to help myself while waiting for next steps?

a) Do I need to make dietary changes?

b) How active can I be?

c) What can or should I do at home to improve my safety while I remain active? (Exercise, planning to have bed/bathroom facilities on one floor?)

d) Medication changes or additions?

Questions from the floor concerned the Nurse Navigator, a term many had not heard of before. This is the person on staff that is assigned to the cancer patient and walks through the process with the patient, acting as an advocate. Jami has served in this role many times in her past. 

Her handout included information on local and regional cancer resources. We have some handouts at the clubhouse. If you would like one, just ask. Or have Jami send you one by email: jami.a.linn@gmail.com

The October turnout was 40 with delicious and plentiful food for all. The new owners of The 3 B's Inn, Glen Gilmore and Anne Mitchell, were present. Look for a program about their new business in the future.

New Gerton Post Office Clerk

Russell Anders, our man at the Gerton Post Office

Russell Anders was born and reared in Michigan. He has two associate degrees in Business Administration. He joined the army in January 1974 and retired in February of 1994. He has lived in North Carolina for the past 22 years, and in Gerton for the last four years. Married for 17 years to Gloria Black Anders, he and Gloria together have six children and nine grandchildren, with another on the way in April of the coming year.

He attends the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Bat Cave where he sings in the choir. Russell enjoys his family and playing golf. But his new interest: the intricacies of his days in the Gerton Post Office!

Places to Visit (if you haven't already!)

Ben Long's Fresco Trail includes nine frescoes at six locations. Names and locations are listed below. Each stop has different hours and each has a website. Best to check the website on google to find out hours for visiting. 

1. St. Mary's Episcopal Church

West Jefferson, NC  28694

       Mary Great with Child (completed in 1974)

       John the Baptist (completed in 1976)

       The Mystery of Faith (completed in 1977)

2. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

Glendale Springs, NC  28629

       Last Supper (completed in 1980)

3. Chapel of the Prodigal, Montreat College

Montreat, NC  28757

      Return of the Prodigal

4. City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium

Morganton, NC  28655

      Sacred Dance and the Muses

5. Crossnore School

E.H. Sloop Chapel

Crossnore, NC  28616

     Suffer the Little Children

6 .St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Wilkesboro, NC

     St. Paul's Conversion

     St. Paul Writing His Epistles

From an article by Julie Farthing in Carolina Mountain Life (Autumn 2016): "The ancient art of fresco painting is the combination of sand, water, and pigment to form the images the artist sees through his hands. Because the mixed pigments are absorbed by the plaster, the paintings actually become part of the wall. Long speaks of the wall as the true interpreter of what the painting will reveal, and he has learned to read the wall."

Neighborhood News

Gene Earnhardt had successful hip replacement surgery on October 4.

Jim Earnhardt had successful knee replacement surgery on October 24.

David Earnhardt had successful triple by-pass heart operation and is doing well.

Jim and Sylvia Sane have returned from a two-week trip to the American West--visiting friends in Arizona and traveling into Colorado for some special sights of nature's wonders.

Among their stops, the Sanes visited the Canyonlands in Utah.