May - June

When azaleas bloom, spring has returned to Gerton. And all those April showers have certainly brought all kinds of May flowers.

President's Note

 First things first, thank you to all  our Gerton neighbors who participated in the Sale on Trail.  The event was the most successful in our history.  Kudos to our donors, set up crew, chefs, clean up team, diners and shoppers from near and far. This is another example of the true community spirit alive in Upper Hickory Nut Gorge.

     Easter Sunday Egg Hunt was a fun event for the youngsters of our community.  Thank you for sharing your time, talent, and baked goods enjoyed by young and old .

     Construction continues at our scenic highway landslide.  The day long Good Friday rain storm has altered the completion date.  Originally scheduled for finish work May 1, final grading may not occur until mid-May.  Of course, this will all be contingent on the weather.  Please be careful and patient travelling this area.
  
     Repair work, caulking, and  painting the east end of our Community Center is complete.  Thank you, Jim Earnhardt and Stan Mobley, for your time and talent on this project.

     The four remaining Planter Boxes are assembled and ready for installation in front of the building.  Once the plants mature, the area will take on a whole new colorful appearance.

     Thank you to Susie Bancer for cleaning out the flower bed near the flag pole.  She replaced the aging plants with new Knock-out Roses and fresh mulch.  Another colorful addition to the front of our Community Center.

     Just a reminder to those who may have overlooked it, we are still accepting Membership Dues for 2019.  Thank you for your consideration.  Your $10 per person check payable to UHNGCC  can be mailed to PO Box 222, Gerton,NC, 28735 or hand-delivered to any Board Member.

     Look forward to seeing you at our next Covered Dish gathering, Tuesday, May 21, 6:30 p.m.  Don't forget to bring a little something for our Outreach Program.  Thank you.

Jack Bancer

 Calendar of Events

May 10, Saturday- Boat Parade at Lake Lure

May 11, Sunday- Classic Boat and Auto Show at Lake Lure

May 11, Sunday- SpringGo Festival and Outdoor Symphony Concert at Chimney Rock

May 12, Sunday - Mother's Day

May 21, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. Covered Dish Dinner. Program: What's New at Chimney Rock Park?

May 25-27, Friday-Sunday - Lake Lure Arts and Craft Festival

May 27, Monday - MEMORIAL DAY

June 16, Sunday - Father's Day

June 18, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. Covered Dish Dinner. Program: Tour of the Flowering Bridge in Lake Lure

July 4, Thursday, COMMUNITY COOK OUT, BINGO, and FIREWORKS

The ECHO OF THE GORGE is published bi-monthly, a newsletter of the UHNGCC.

Copies are available in the Gerton Post Office or the issue may be found online: www.gertonecho.blogspot.com

News and pictures may be sent to Margaret Whitt at margaret.whitt@du.edu

Photographers for this issue: Margaret Whitt, Sylvia Sane, and Danya Salos.

Officers of the 2019 UHNGCC: President - Jack Bancer;

Vice-President - Jim Earnhardt; Secretary - Susie Bancer; Treasurer - Sylvia Sane;

Board - Stan Mobley, Syble Freeman, Jean Bradley, Margaret Whitt, Karen Owensby

Application Deadline May 15 for College Scholarship:

Check March-April Echo for form

March Program

 On one of the more pleasant evenings, March 19, 33 neighbors gathered to share good food and conversation with each other. We have a goal this year to collect 500 pounds of food for the Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach food bank. A chart has been placed in the clubhouse so that everyone can see how well we are doing in reaching this goal. Please remember to bring canned goods with you when you come to our monthly gatherings. In March, we brought 93 pounds! We are on our way to reaching goal!

 Jack Bancer gives the 50-50 raffle win of $51 to Sarah Gayle. So far, no one person has won the prize twice---we like to spread the good around here in Gerton. And the raffle continues to be so successful that we no longer have any need to pass the basket around to collect money for our supplies.

Joan Rhodes, Human Resource Coordinator of Barry Callebaut, one of 53 chocolate manufacturing facilities in 31 countries of the $7 billion company, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, gave an overview of the company. At the Edneyville plant, which has been expanded to cover 68,000 square feet--including warehouse, manufacturing area, and shipping department--has 66 employees. And no one has been laid off in the past 12 years! In Edneyville, varying sizes of chocolate blocks are delivered to the plant, which then turns them into mostly decorations for cakes.

Started by Peter Thom as Mona Lisa in 1985 in his garage in California, the company grew quickly and sold to Barry Callebaut six years ago. Largest chocolate company in the world, the organization also supports one of the world's leading charitable foundations.

And some fun facts we learned along the way:

• largest chocolate-eating people in the world: Switzerland
• smallest chocolate-eating people in the world: China
• best chocolate-producing crops come from the Ivory Coast of Africa

The several boxes of chocolate that Joan brought with her to the meeting were given to Danya Salos for her upcoming April wedding to Jim Doucette.

Retail End of Building Gets New Look

Jack Bancer, Stan Mobley, and Jim Earnhardt all helped to put a new look on the end of our UHNGCC building. Current long-term tenant Sheila Padgett painted the door to her studio the attractive light teal color. The grey end separates the retail part from the community activities part of our long low building. During the painting, a number of weak spots in the siding were discovered and repaired. After the Sale on the Trail, work will continue on painting the window trim and completing and installing the new flower boxes in front of the building.

Call *47 ----- Call *47 --------Call *47 ----------Call *47

to report a too-large vehicle on 74A. The appropriate authorities will take action. There IS something you can do to keep 74A, our scenic byway, safe for all drivers.

How to Recognize a Stroke--or What to Do First:

1. Ask the person to speak a simple sentence

2. Ask the person to raise both hands over his/her head

3. Ask the person to smile

4. Ask the person to stick out his/her tongue

If the person cannot do all of these things, call 911 immediately. You could make a difference.

Opportunity to Participate in Window Replacement at Bearwallow Baptist Church

Bearwallow Baptist Church is replacing original windows from the 98-year-old building. If you would like a pane, notify Karen Owensby at karenowensby@gmail.com or at 828-674-0365.

April Program

We had 48 people gather on April 16 for our usual spread of inviting food and good talk among neighbors, many of whom have returned for their summer stay here in the gorge. Steve Jones (below) won the 50/50 Raffle, our largest yet: $65. We noted that no person has won the raffle twice, but hope does spring eternal! Meanwhile, it is good to share the bounty.

Justin McVey, shown above using some of our food bank food to prop up his slide show, is a Distirct Wildlife Biologist with the state of North Carolina. He presented an informative program on bears with the end goal being to keep the bears wild and the people safe. Most bears have a life expectancy of about ten years, weigh between 200 and 550 pounds. Since bear sanctuaries (no hunting allowed) began in the early 1970s, our bear population has grown to around 20,000 -- about 8,000 here in the mountains and another 12,000 on the coast.

Some important reminders in sharing our worlds with the bears:

• Never feed or approach a bear
• Secure food, garbage, and recycling
• Remove bird feeders when bears are active
• Never leave pet food out
• Clean and store grills
• Let neighbors know of bear sightings or visits

Should you encounter a bear, do the following:

• STOP (Make yourself look BIGGER)
• Do not run away (a bear will run faster)
• Do not climb a tree (a bear will climb higher)
• Do not play dead
• MAKE NOISE
• Proceed slowly -- to back away

Sale on the Trail

The 10th annual Sale on the Trail, sponsored by the Hickory Nut Chamber of Commerce, was held on Saturday, April 20 (it is always the third weekend in April) and the event begins our year of fundraising to support the UHNGCC. This year, we held our community breakfast, headed by Russell Anders, with help from Gloria Anders, Jack Bancer,  Mac McAdams, Steve Jones, and Don Ferrell. The breakfast buffet was an all-you-can-eat affair with biscuits, sausage, pancakes, fruit, orange juice, and coffee. The cost was a donation, and we made $452. 

Russell Anders not only cooks but greets the morning first-meal eaters, along with Gloria Anders.

The bake sale, headed by Jean Bradley, with help from Mary Kay McAdams, sought homemade cakes, pies, breads, quiches, cookies, brownies, and candy from the following outstanding cooks and bakers of Gerton: 

Jean Bradley, Mary Kay McAdams, Anne Bourne, Sheila Padgett, Karen Owensby, Bonnie Moore, Becca Hathaway, Eileen Ferrell, Anastasia Walsh, Stacie James, Pat Davis, Margaret Colwell, Ruth Hudson, Helen Brown, Sarah Gayle, Susie Bancer, Margaret Whitt, Patty O'Kelly, Mike Hamlin, Joan Erskine, Joann Damra, Syble Freeman, Sylvia Sane, Gloria Anders, Jane Lawson, Dawn Loftus, Roberta Pope. Thanks to each who helped us set a record for our baked goods: $426.75.

Finally, the yard sale. We began collecting items from neighbors several weeks ago and after our community meal on Tuesday, April 16, we set up the room, and starting filling up the tables. The workers for this event were Sylvia Sane, Syble Freeman, Stacie James, Margaret Whitt, Jean Bradley, Jim Earnhardt, Stan Mobley, Mary Kay McAdams, and Mac McAdams, When the dust settled (a figure of speech, of course, because we have no dust on our yard sale), we had made $751.26. (That odd penny came right off the floor!) Traffic, light but steady, and even a line at the check out at times.

When all was over, we boxed the remaining items and delivered them to Carpenter's Hands yard sale, which will be held in a few weeks. Therefore, our stuff will go to another group that helps others. Here are the folks who came in to box and carry and load and deliver: Don Freeman, Norris Lyda, Riley Lyda, Stan Mobley, Jim Earnhardt, Jim Sane, Sylvia Sane, Jean Bradley.  The total for our first fundraising event of the year was $1,630.26. A new record!

Easter Egg Hunt

On this picture-perfect Easter day, April 21, we had eight seekers of eggs. A special prize was given to the one who found the hidden golf ball. Congratulations to Eva. And...we had SIX golden dollars hidden in six eggs. We are happy to report that all were found PLUS one more that was just lying in the grass from past years! The hunters also found at least a half dozen eggs from last year---but empty of candy. And of the 150 eggs we hid this year, the hunters, obviously a special group, found a total of 220 eggs. Clearly, we have some math problems to sort out before next year! Thanks to those who came, and to those who brought refreshments: Susie Bancer, Sylvia Sane, Jean Bradley, Stacie James.

The table awaits--before the kids arrive!

Spring Litter Sweep 

First litter sweep of 2019 was held on Saturday, April 26. Traffic was light; weather, enjoyable. We picked up six bags of recyclables and five bags of trash in 1.5 hours. From left--doing the work--Patrick Harrison, Sylvia Sane, Jami Linn, Jack Bancer, Mike Hamlin, Jim Earnhardt, Jim Sane (kneeling). Gloria Anders taking the picture and Jean Bradley holding the litter pickup sign.

Neighborhood News

George Reynold Shirar, 88, of St. George, South Carolina, husband of Lorene Johnston Shirar, entered into eternal rest on Sunday, March 17, 2019, at his residence.

Funeral services were held 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 19, at Bryant Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Kevin Hinton officiating. Visitation was held an hour before the service.

George was born on October 7, 1930, in Tower City, Pennsylvania, a son of the later George Snow and Ruth Dorothy Rhenoild Shirar. He was a retired US Air Force Flight Engineer, with a rank of Master Sergeant and a Korean and Vietnam War veteran. He was volunteer fireman, a Mason, and a member of Bearwallow Baptist Church in Gerton, N. C. He was predeceased by his son, James "Jim" Michael Shirar.

Surviving is his wife, Lorene J. Shirar; daughters Sharon S. Rodgers, Summerville, S.C., and Tammy S. Kline, Summerville, S.C.; daughter-in-law, Vicki L. Shirar, Moncks Corner, S.C.; sons George Randall Shirar, Ladson, S. C., Nick Bongiorno (Sue), Prince George, Va., and Jay Bongiorno (Laurie), Summerville, S.C.; sisters Dottie S. Guzenski, Lewisburg, Pa., and Jean Brezack, Bethlehem, Pa., and 13 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, Condolences may be sent to Lorene Shirar, 1923 Highway 15 South, St. George, SC 29477.

George and Lorene lived part-time in Gerton for over 25 years. Neighbor Mac McAdams offers the following memory:

George and Lorene were our next door neighbors for more than 25 years. George and I worked on many projects together in that time, and we enjoyed some good fun.

We had piled up leaves from raking down by the barn. Early next day, George was down by that pile and noticed some movement in the pile, which on closer inspection, turned out to be a skunk. George got away real quick, and we joked about that skunk, the leaf pile, and George's Quick get-away later that day.

A few days later, George was down in his barn, and out of the corner of his eye he spotted the skunk in the back of his barn. As George was telling me this story, I asked him what he did after spotting the skunk. He said that he had no time to run, so he stood perfectly still, and the skunk went right by him, so close that he could touch it, and out the door.

We laughed about this and figured that the skunk was giving back to George in the barn the same thing that George had given the skunk at the leaf pile, and that was leave each other alone. Both of them, breathing a sigh of relief, went on about their business.

Lorene Shirar would like to express her thanks to the community of Gerton for all the prayers and sympathy cards at the time of George's passing.

Karl Bradley named Teacher of Year at R-S Central High School, 2019-20

R-S Central High School is pleased to announce that Karl Bradley was selected R-S Central's 2019-2020 Teacher of the Year.  Bradley graduated from Edneyville High School in Henderson County.  He earned his undergraduate degree in Biology/Education from Appalachian State University and his Masters in Biology from Western Carolina University.   This is his thirty-first year in education.  His first four years in Rutherford County Schools were spent at R-S Middle where he taught eighth grade science and coached middle school football.  Bradley transferred to R-S Central High School for the school year 2010-2011 where he taught Biology.    Bradley also teaches AP Environmental Science. Bradley said he enjoys writing recommendations for his students who hope to continue their education after high school. "Working with the students and watching them be successful is one of the highlights of  being a teacher."  Bradley has worked with football at R-S Central, serving as one of the Athletic Trainers and an Assistant Coach.  He has been the Environmental Club sponsor for many years.  Bradley enjoys working with the McNair Foundation through their Baylor College of Medicine cooperative.  "We are blessed as a county to have the McNair Foundation's support, enrichment  and scholarship opportunities for our students".   Bradley's closing quote was, "I enjoy teaching and look forward to coming to work."

Danya Salos and Jim Doucette Celebrate Nuptials on Chestnut Hills and the UHNGCC

The wedding took place on Saturday, April 12, in the Pavilion, which was decorated with netting and lights. The rain came---but it also stopped--and the day's activities went on in the most celebratory way possible.

Danya and Jim share a dance at the UHNGCC during their dinner and reception.

The wedding party gathers!

The netting turned the Chestnut Hills pavilion into a chapel on the greens.

Table centerpiece picked up the wedding colors and were a reminder of nature's bounty and beauty.

Flowers were planted in front of the pavilion by the wedding party, which both enhances the pavilion and will serve as a lasting reminder to Danya and Jim of their special day.

Local Business 

Jacob, Riley, Tucker, and Norris Lyda have started picking up recyclable scrap metal from our neighbors in Gerton and surrounding areas. We make appointments and usually work on the weekends when Norris is off work and the boys are off school. We take all kinds of metal, aluminum cans, copper, and steel. We also will pick up any appliances and even vehicles!

Norris Lyda 828-447-0804

Jacob Lyda 828-808-5335

Country Boys' Scrap and Salvage