Around Town: Johnson Farm gets grants; Wild Wonder begins; Kotlowski named interim curator

Staff reports
·3 min read
The windows of the house at Historic Johnson Farm are the original windows of the building that was built in 1880.
The windows of the house at Historic Johnson Farm are the original windows of the building that was built in 1880.

For this week's edition of Around Town, we are looking at news from local non-profits as well as the beginning of a free summer children's camp in Flat Rock.

Johnson Farm awarded grants

According to a press release, Historic Johnson Farm has been awarded a grant of $25,000 by the Community Foundation of Henderson County and a grant of $10,000 by the Marion Stedman Covington Foundation in order to begin restoration of the windows on the historic farmhouse.

The brick house at the farm is 142 years old, and work is necessary on the windows, the release said. The glass itself is original, and over time, panes have cracked. The window frames have peeling paint and will need to be scraped, primed, and painted. Low E glass storm windows will be installed to provide the UV protection to protect the artifacts inside the house.

“We are so grateful to these two organizations for seeing the value in this historic property and granting us the ability to restore and maintain it,” said executive director Mandy Gibson in the release.

Logan Restoration out of Asheville will be completing the restorative work.

While these grants will cover a large portion of the cost of the window restoration project, if anyone is interested in contributing to the remaining cost, checks may be mailed to the farm at 3346 Haywood Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28791. Online donations can also be given at https://www.hendersoncountypublicschoolsnc.org/johnson-farm/sponsors/ by clicking “Give to the farm” and choosing “Window Restoration Project” from the drop-down list.

Wild Wonder camp begins in Flat Rock

Children pose with camp counselors at a past Wild Wonder camp at St. John in the Wilderness.
Children pose with camp counselors at a past Wild Wonder camp at St. John in the Wilderness.

Wild Wonder: Creation Care Camp in Flat Rock started June 20, a day before the first day of summer, according to a press release.

An alternative to traditional Vacation Bible School, Wild Wonder: Creation Care Camp is free of charge to all children ages 4-10. Offered June 20-24 from 9 a.m.–noon, the weekday program was held on the campus of St. John in the Wilderness, located at 1895 Greenville Highway in Flat Rock.

Campers will study nature through science experiments, crafts, games and conservation activities, the release said. Guided by Mary Anne Inglis, who leads St. John’s young family ministry, the hands-on experience includes activities like soil painting, strawberry DNA extraction, owl pellet dissection and more.

“Through this program, we hope to foster and support a sense of curiosity in science while also inviting children to build connections between the world around them and our God who created it,” Inglis said. “With daily activities such as songs, devotions, and nature study, this program points to the wildly wonderful world God made and helps children see that they too are beloved creations.”

Based on Psalm 104, Wild Wonder is derived from a curriculum developed by the global Christian conservation organization, A Rocha.

“Through this celebration of creation and childhood experiences, we can create a generation dedicated to caring for the world around us,” Inglis said.

Kotlowski named interim curator of Veterans Museum

Bobby Kotlowski is the new interim curator at the Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas in Brevard.
Bobby Kotlowski is the new interim curator at the Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas in Brevard.

According to a press release, Sgt. Maj. C.R. (Bobby) Kotlowski, USMC (Ret.), has been named interim curator of the Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas in Brevard. Emmett Casciato, museum founder and curator, is stepping away from his museum duties until after the November election, as he runs for the office of Transylvania Board of Commissioners.

Bobby Kotlowski spent 30 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, retired as a Sergeant Major, and worked for 17 years at the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Charleston, S.C. He worked in museum services (maintaining the ship, restoring artifacts and exhibits, inventory), operations and was events manager for the past 11 years.

The museum is open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday. Visit www.theveteransmuseum.org or call 884-2141 to arrange a group tour, purchase an Honor Wall Plaque, or for any questions.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Around Town: Johnson Farm gets grants; Wild Wonder begins; Kotlowski named interim curator