Calendar of Events
President's Note
We are fortunate to live in an area that has such natural beauty and where each season brings an opportunity to enjoy a different aspect of nature. While we have not been able to have our regular monthly dinners and normal activities, there is still work taking place to maintain our community center building and the grounds.
Look for the pictures in this issue that highlight the work done to spruce up for spring. Mike Hamlin has been working to weed and clean out the front planters and the area under our sign at the community center. After our April board meeting, Jim Earnhardt and I joined Mike to remove some unwelcomed locust trees and vines in the azalea bushes outside the library end of our building. In the coming weeks we will be mulching the beds and adding more flowers at the center and working on the flower beds at “Welcome to Gerton” signs along 74-A. There are plans to do more work to maintain the center later this spring and summer – there are always gutters that need to be cleaned and the building needs a good outside cleaning and pressure washing. We also have some repair work to do on the “Welcome to Gerton” signs and add a fresh coat of paint – if you are interested in helping with any of these projects reach out to us at groundedingerton@gmail.com and we can plan some work days. Meeting and working with my neighbors on work days and at our quarterly highway litter pickups have provided me with a sense of normalcy in these trying times.
Our community has also done a GREAT job of supporting our partners at Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach – through our donations we are feeding and supporting local families in our area. Please continue to support our efforts as we move through spring and into the summer season. Donations can be left at the Gerton Post Office; we deliver the goods twice a month to the outreach staff. With schools being out it is important to remember that the feeding initiatives of our local schools may not be able to support all of our younger community, so your donations are vital!
The Community Center Board of Directors continues to meet on a monthly basis to discuss when we will resume activities and how to implement any necessary changes. We have not made plans for our regular summer activities but hopefully with an uptick in vaccination rates and a slowdown in the virus spread we can proceed with our GertonFest activities around Labor Day weekend. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to send an e-mail that will be shared with the Board to groundedingerton@gmail.com .
In closing, I want to send out a special “WELCOME and Thank You!” to our newest Post Master in Gerton, she brings new energy to our community hub and greets you with a smile. She probably needs no introduction as most of us know longtime resident Gloria Black Anders. If you have not met her, stop by the post office and say “Hi!” We are fortunate to have a Post Master that is local and cares so deeply about our community.
Stan Mobley,
UHNGCC President
Cheaper Way to Treat Ailing Hemlock
UHNGCC Offers Help to Hickory Nut Outreach
- Vienna sausages
- Spam/canned ham
- Canned stew/chili
- Cooking oil
- Olive oil
- Bar soap
- Shampoo
- Razors
Hickory Nut Gorge OutreachPO Box 634Lake Lure, NC 28746
Bring to the Gerton Post Office. Deliveries will be made on Monday, May 3, and Monday, May 17.
In March and April we donated a total of 749 pounds; the need remains high for our neighbors in the gorge. Thanks for the good effort in this project from all of Gerton.
First Litter Sweep of Spring 2021
Friday, March 19 was Gerton’s first Highway Pickup for 2021. Many thanks is given to the 15 people who showed up at 10 a.m. at the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Community Center. Everyone had such an eagerness about them to get out and clear up our portion of Hwy 74-A. It was a beautiful day to be outside. The overall pickup didn’t last more than an hour and a half. We collected a total 15 full bags of trash and nine full bags of recycleables along the sides of the road plus a tire and other debris too large to place into the bags.
We’ve
scheduled three more Highway Pickups for 2021: Friday, June 4; Friday,
August 6; and Friday, November 5. All scheduled from 10 am to 12
noon at the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Community Center.
Local Volunteers Keep UHNGCC Center Looking Good!
Signs of Spring in and around Gerton
In particular abundance this year, especially alongside the roadways are Yellow Ragwort (Stinking Willie), a tall plant that grows to 90cm high and bears large, flat-topped
clusters of yellow daisy-like flowers.
Bright red azaleas are always a welcome delight in the midst of the more common pink colors.
New (yet Familiar) Face in the Gerton Post Office
Please note we will host this year's 4th of July Fireworks on the 4th
of July, not the 3rd. Rumbling Bald will be hosting theirs on the
3rd. Starfire Pyrotechnics is telling me the 4th fireworks will be two
times better than last Labor Day and New Year's Eve. WOW! Also, we are
looking for businesses interested in being a sponsor of the fireworks.
A great opportunity to market your business. We are looking for
$2,500, $1,000 & $500 levels. We will include your business name
and logo on banners, social media, and website posting, to name a few.
If interested, please email me at director@hickorynutchamber.org.
Secondly,
we have an opening for an executive assistant in our Chamber offices. We are looking for the following key skills:
- energetic, professional, can work independently
- extremely comfortable & experienced using computers & CRM platforms
- Understands social media (FB, Instagram, Twitter)
- website savvy (editing, posting, updating, graphics)
- great customer service skills
- strong organization
- comfortable with Outlook calendar and scheduling
- Answering phones
- Part Time Hours - Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday 10am - 2 pm
- Pay range - depending on level of skill $10-$15/hour
If
you know someone, or you have an interest, please reach out to us at
the office (828) 625-2725, or send an email to my email address
director@hickorynutchamber.org.
Laura P Doster, Executive Director, (828) 625-2725
Back in Time: Almost 90 Years Ago
Serenity
by Bonnie Moore
As I sit here, cross-legged on the floor, I ponder what has led me here. I have just plugged in a dvd on yoga showing people half my age and a third of my weight, speaking of serenity and holding positions I am fairly sure our good Maker never intended when he made the human body.
It is grey outside and, oh look! It is raining again. The serenity lure is strong. I heard the word coming from the television ad, but I think that “serenity” was actually hawking frilly absorbent panties, or some such thing. I had been looking out the window thinking of the imminent return of the never ending, long enduring, boot sucking mud that the year 2021 has brought into my life.
Yep, MUD. We all had such hope when 2020 finally left, and we were still standing, though socially distanced, hug-less, and masked, that we would see the light of day. But nope! 2021 brought grey clouds, rainy days and bottomless ruts that used to be our road.
To be fair, when pushed to the edge, we got an occasional blue sky, sun shine day, and like solar powered energizer bunnies, we powered on a while longer.
I had thought about going online posting ad, something to the effect: “Man needed! If you are a real man, and have big equipment - send picture of equipment” but I figured that could go wrong somehow, and then we would be in worse shape. I mean, I am healthy, and happy (except for this mud thing) have food in the fridge, and the power is on, so all is not lost. And what am I saying?! It is not about me!! My neighbors, lovely people I haven’t seen in person in over a year, all watch and wait as our road lures in unsuspecting cars and catches them like flies on fly paper hanging down from the porch ceiling on a Mississippi bayou house. This mud pit of a road has a mind of its own, betting to see if it can catch more vehicles this rainy day than last. It’s up to 4 at one time, I think. Wait, it might have been three; but surely that box delivery truck could easily count as two.
We surely live in one of the most gorgeous places on earth, houses are being bought and turned into Air Bed & Breakfasts because people desire and long to come to this beautiful place. Excited to get out of their grey, socially distanced world and come here! Poor souls, our road lures them in and catches them!! Then they walk to their new place, and call a tow truck, and wait for the rain to subside. The wise know, if they wait, the trip out is downhill, and gravity is their friend.
That’s how I got here. The Yoga instructor is now sitting in a chair. I can do that. Oommmmmmmmmm.
Neighborhood News
Hop Into Spring Saturday, May 1!
Good news from the Sane Family
A trip to Wakulla Springs
Gerton Artists among hundreds selected to showcase their work at Artfields 2021!
The Lake City ArtFields Collective is a community arts non-profit located in Lake City, South Carolina. They were founded in 2013 with a mission to celebrate Southern art and revitalize their small town through the arts. The flagship event, ArtFields, turns the town into a gallery as local businesses display hundreds of artworks and artists compete for $100,000 in prizes.
Local Artists Dave MacDonald (Artist Blacksmith) and Mike Hamlin (Potter) were both accepted to participate in the event which showcases artists and their work. See their work and learn more about the event at www.artfieldssc.org
· Dave MacDonald’s entry: Keeping the Family Secrets
· DIMENSIONS: 8 x 13 x 5 in.
· SALE PRICE: $475.00
· VENUE The R.O.B
· VOTING ID: 217505
ARTIST STATEMENT
"The truth will set you free but first it will make you miserable." - President James A. Garfield.
I'm an artist and psychotherapist whose life has been indelibly marked by my experience of growing up in a family deeply touched by multi-generational trauma. My art attempts to reflect the integration of my personal experience with all I have learned from decades of studying trauma & sitting with others who have borne unbearable burdens. This piece reflects one dilemma of living with untreated trauma: Family Secrets. Shame, fear & ignorance often drive families to bury, ignore & hide the Truth about some traumatic condition, an addiction, an affair or betrayal, the loss of a child & countless other situations. Such attempts to avoid facing a painful reality tend only to result in more serious symptoms, dysfunction and pressures within the family. Family secrets demand to be known, seek to be healed & will push their way, either explicitly or implicitly, into our awareness.
See more of Dave’s art at http://www.macdonaldforge.com
Mike Hamlin’s entry: Sporophyte
· MEDIUM: Ceramic, Clay, Glaze
· DIMENSIONS: 22 x 5 x 5 in.
· SALE PRICE: $375.00
· VENUE LC Chamber of Commerce
· VOTING ID: 217534
ARTIST STATEMENT
Sporophyte is inspired by the sporophytes that are the reproduction "organs" of moss. It is made of red earthenware clay. It is hand built using coils of clay. After careful drying of the piece, it is bisque fired. Once bisque fired, it is glazed with up to ten coats of a thick crater glaze. It is then fired in an electric kiln to 1195 Celsius.
Neighbor Passes Away
The memorial service was held at Shuler Funeral Home at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, 2021. Reverend Donald Freeman of Bearwallow Baptist Church officiated.
J.W. was born in Georgetown, S.C., to the late James Goldie Davis and the late Edith H. Ethridge Davis. The family later moved to Andrews, S.C., in 1950 where he grew up.
After high school graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and completed a tour in Vietnam. He earned his College Degree while serving and retired after 20 years in the military. He then retired from a second career as engineer and VP of radio and television stations.
J.W. became active in Oasis Shrine Club after moving to Hendersonville, was recognized as an Outstanding Shriner and served as President in 2015. He also served as Deacon of Bearwallow Baptist Church in Gerton, N.C.
J.W. is preceded in death by his older brother, James G. Davis. He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Patricia A. (Perley) Davis, and his three daughters – Bonnie L. Davis Dennis, Teresa G. Davis Glass, and Susan F. Davis Oliver.
He is also survived by six grandchildren, family and friends.
In life he tried, succeeded, and was loved and respected by all who knew him.
In death he is joining family, friends and others who believe in GOD.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Fuzzy Faces Refuge, PO Box 601, Clayton, NC 27528 or donate online at fuzzyfacesrefuge.org. The family of J.W. Davis wishes to thank his Shrine brothers, Bearwallow Baptist Church, and Shuler Funeral Home for their support at this time.
Bearwallow Baptist Church served dinner under the covered porch of Mud Creek Baptist Church’s Mission Impact Center in Hendersonville after the memorial service for family and close friends.
__________________________________________________________
ECHO of the Gorge is published bi-monthly by the UHNGCC. News and photos may be sent to Margaret Whitt at margaret.whitt@du.edu. Photos for this issue provided by Margaret Whitt, Mike Hamlin, Sylvia Sane, Bonnie Moore, Stan Mobley.
Officers of UHNGCC for 2021: President - Stan Mobley; Vice-President - Jim Earnhardt; Secretary - Karen Owensby; Treasurer - Sylvia Sane; Board Members - Jean Bradley, Chuck Mallory, Margaret Whitt
