St. John’s Summer Sunday Concerts

This summer beginning May 29 St. John’s Episcopal Church will host a Summer Concert Series. Each concert will be followed by a picnic on the grounds. Below are a schedule of this years concerts:

May 29, 5:00 p.m.
Singin’ in the Valle
Holy Cross Choir
No Charge

July 3, 5:00 p.m.
Todd Wright Ensemble
Jazz

August 7, 5:00 p.m.
Whitetop Mountain Band
Typical Mountain Music

September 4, 5:00 p.m.
Cathedral Choir from Trinity Cathedral in Columbia, SC
A capella

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Be a Sweetheart…Feed the Hungry

Someone special is usually on our minds as Valentine’s Day approaches. In celebration of a relationship, gifts and cards are usually exchanged and oftentimes a wonderful meal is enjoyed. However, there are others to whom even a hot, nutritious meal is a luxury. To help everyone have a meal, Mast General Store is partnering with the Hunger and Health Coalition to raise awareness of hunger in the High Country with its eighth annual Be a Sweetheart…Feed the Hungry event on February 12th and 13th.

Hunger is a major force in the High Country. Since 2008, food distribution by the Hunger and Health Coalition has increased 61%. According to a release from the Food Research and Action Center, 47 states and the District of Columbia had food hardship, meaning that survey respondents could not afford to purchase the food that they or their families needed, 14% of the time during the first half of 2010. There were sixteen states that had 20% or higher food hardship rates. “Over the last couple of years, the need has increased dramatically,” said Compton Fortuna, executive director for the Hunger and Health Coalition.

Fred Martin, vice president of the Mast General Store, commented, “Our Be a Sweetheart…Feed the Hungry event has helped provide food to the food banks serving our local communities at a time when donations are at a lower level. After the holidays, donations tend to wane, and in these challenging economic times, we need to help our neighbors whenever we can.” This year Mast Store will contribute $1 for each pound of candy purchased on February 12th and 13th.

“It is just amazing what these organizations can do with a dollar,” said Martin. “With the help of donations and contributions by restaurants and vendors, spare change can feed a person three hot, healthy meals. Any amount can help.”

Over 2,600 families were served during the last quarter of 2010, totaling 8,000 people. Each family received a food package containing canned items, fresh meat, dairy, frozen items, personal hygiene items, and other non-food items. Those being served can pick up boxes like this twice each month.

Like many non-profit organizations, the Hunger and Health Coalition relies on volunteers and donations for much of its success. There are many opportunities to get involved on a personal or group level as well as learning how you can fight hunger in your community. You can find out more at the organization’s website – www.hungerandhealthcoalition.com.

“We are excited about this partnership,” said Fortuna. “It is a creative way to raise awareness of the Hunger and Health Coalition and the work it does in the community, and it’s always good when you can give a gift to someone you love and have it pay dividends in other ways, too.”

For more information on how you can “Be a Sweetheart,” call the Hunger and Health Coalition at 828-262-1628 or the Mast Store at 828-963-6511 in Valle Crucis or at 828-262-0000 in Boone.

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Valle Crucis highlighted in Our State Magazine

We have some exciting news! Valle Crucis is featured in the October issue of Our State Magazine. We are so excited to appear in the section “Places with a Past”.

This feature journeys through five distinct regions of North Carolina: God’s Country in Valle Crucis, Pirate Country in Bath, Indian Country in Cherokee and Patriot Country in Kings Mountain. Written by Amber Nimocks and photography by Lissa Gotwals, you get a great look at the community of Valle Crucis and what makes visitors flock to our small mountain town.

Pick up your copy anywhere Our State Magazine is sold or if you would like to read the full article online click here.

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Valle Crucis News

Have you noticed? The light is changing outside. The sunlight is definitely beginning to take on that Fall look. And the temperatures are very pleasant during the day and at night. Ethel and I have been canning like mad. We’re just finishing some salsa and some tomato soup. We do so enjoy putting up the harvest, and we’re thankful for LC and Weezy’s help. One of the pleasures of the summer is sitting on the porch breaking beans and sharing the happenings in the community.

Did you stop by Rivercross Market this weekend? We had dropped by the Mast Store to get a couple of those fantastic fried apple pies from the Farmers’ Market and noticed that Rivercross had people going in and out of its doors. Being the nosy people that we are, we dropped in. Wow! It looks so different inside. We found lots of ideas for gifts – it’s a great place to stop for wedding gifts in particular.

One of the most fascinating things we saw as a “sculpture” that hangs on your porch or in a window with a motor called “Levitating Marbles.” They are made of large glass marbles in a spiral with another smaller marble below it. As it rotates, it looks like the marble moves up and down in the spiral. Pretty creative stuff!

Here’s a good quote about light: We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own. – Ben Sweetland

I got some good news from my friend Tom at the Valle Crucis Conference Center. He told me that one of the little piggies from the sustainable farm is still with us. She was just moved to another place to have the pleasure of rooting up! Now, her compatriots, well, they are in piggie heaven.

I also heard some good news about Jillian Buchanan. She is recovering, but it is going to be a slow process. John says that she recognizes some things that are familiar to her, but she is not connecting totally with her environment. So, please remember to think of both of them – John and Jillian – they are in for an uphill battle as her brain continues to heal and she begins rehabilitation.

This week at the Park the concert will feature local favorites The Forget-Me-Nots. Once you hear them, you won’t soon forget them. These young ladies are very talented and have even written their own music in addition to playing traditional Celtic and classical pieces. Oh, and this week, the music begins at 6 p.m. Hope to see you there and remember to bring a jacket; it can get a little chilly.

Happy Birthday to Mike Taylor and Travis Donovan on September 1 and to Dede Workman on September 3. My best wishes to all of you for fine celebrations and lots of fun!

Ethel will be back with pen in hand next month. I’m sure there are lots of things that she will unearth to share with you. She’s always so good at getting the scoop. Please let us know about things that you know are happening. Just send us an e-mail at callieandethel@hotmail.com. If you need to send it by the postal service, mail it to:
Valle Crucis News
c/o Sandy Shook
Watauga Democrat
474 Industrial Park Drive
Boone, NC 28607

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