Briefs: Merrill honored; Saluda Studios opening set; Appalachian Button Jamboree to b held
NC Commission of Volunteerism and Community Service recognizes county's volunteers
The North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service recently presented the 2023 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award to seven recipients from Henderson County, and the state’s highest volunteer recognition, the Governor's Medallion Award for Volunteer Service, to the late Rick Merrill of Flat Rock.
According to a news release, the Governor's Volunteer Service Award honors the "true spirit of volunteerism byrecognizing individuals and groups that make a significant contribution to their community through volunteer service." The awards program was created by the Office of the Governor in 1979. Any person, group, or entity from the public, nonprofit and private sector may be nominated.
The Governor’s Volunteer Service Award recipients are people who have shown concern and compassion for neighbors by making a significant contribution to their community through volunteer service, the release said.
The Henderson County recipients of this award for 2023 are:
Chip Gould, nominated by Blue Ridge Community College and UNC Health Pardee
Skip Grasser, nominated by nominated by Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County
Terry Ketcham, nominated by UNC Health Pardee
Eleanor Sloane, nominated by Safelight
Jim Steinbaugh, nominated by YMCA of Western North Carolina
Janice Witte (deceased), nominated by Children & Family Resource Center and United Way of Henderson County
Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, nominated by Carl Sandburg National Historical Site
The Governor's Medallion Award for Volunteer Service was implemented in 2006 to recognize the top 20-25 volunteers in the state. Medallion recipients are nominated at the county level and the Henderson County nomination process is led by Community Foundation of Henderson County, with Program Officer Brandon Baird acting as County Award Coordinator for the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award Program. Only one Medallion nomination is permitted per county. Nominations are elevated to a statewide panel that reviews and evaluates all nominations to determine the award recipients.
The 2023 Henderson County recipient of the Governor's Medallion Award for Volunteer Service is the late Rick Merrill, nominated by Interfaith Assistance Ministry (IAM). Merrill's servant leadership mentality began at a young age when he volunteered for VISTA - Volunteers in Service to America (now AmeriCorps) while in college. That service led him to Henderson County where he and his wife, JoAnne, put down roots. He built a career in the realestate field and used his talents and knowledge to promote land conservation and lend a hand with many community organizations over his decades in Henderson County.
Merrill served as the first volunteer chairman of the Village of Flat Rock’s Planning Board, served on the Apple Country Greenway Commission and volunteered as a member of Historic Flat Rock, Inc., including a three-year stint as its president.
After he and JoAnne his wife placed a portion of their own land into a conservation easement, Merrill served on the board of Conserving Carolina for 13 years, including time as board president from 2009-2010. His most recent volunteer service was with Interfaith Assistance Ministry (IAM), a Henderson County nonprofit crisis services provider. He served in a variety of volunteer roles with IAM from 2016 until his passing in February 2023.
“Rick’s work on the IAM Thrift Store has provided the crisis services nonprofit with its first steady revenue stream since it was founded in 1984,” said IAM Executive Director Elizabeth Wilson Moss. “Rick made his most recent contributions in 2022 while battling for his life with a brain cancer diagnosis. He has richly blessed his community and IAM.”
More information about the NC Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service and these awards is available at www.volunteernc.org and on the Community Foundation’s website at www.cfhcforever.org/about/volunteer.
Preserving a Picturesque America's Saluda Studios grand opening set for May 19
The grand opening reception for Preserving a Picturesque America’s (PAPA’s) Saluda Studios will be held from 6-9 p.m. May 19. Saluda Studios is located at 144 US 176 in Saluda.
The grand opening reception is held in conjunction with the Saluda Arts Festival, which is on May 20.
Once a historic service station across from Green River BBQ, this Saluda landmark has been recently renovated into an art gallery and special events venue, with gardens, by owners Doc and “Sam” Varn and Tim and Kim Werts. The Varns now make their home in Saluda and the Werts have gathered there for years with their families, according to a news release.
Saluda Studios’ mission, according to the release, is “building community through art and fellowship.” Its goal is to serve as a vibrant place for the people of Saluda to connect and engage. The Studios will serve as the main office for Varn’s nonprofit organization, Preserving a Picturesque America (PAPA), an art gallery for PAPA and also a special events venue and gardens for small gatherings. The rear of the building also has a vacation rental apartment.
Artist and PAPA founder Doc Varn said that the PAPA Art Gallery at Saluda Studios is dedicated to the display and sale of artwork created and contributed by artists who believe in PAPA’s mission.
"These artists are using their creative voices to raise awareness about the area’s special landmarks and the importance of protecting them for all to enjoy. The gallery will host art classes, special art events and artist receptions throughout the year," Varn said in the release.
The Studios’ Gallery Room also may be rented for small gatherings and events, such as business luncheons, anniversary or birthday celebrations, acoustic music performances, weddings and more. Additional information regarding rates and scheduling will be available soon.
Saluda Studio’s garden space will host activities throughout the summer, including games and outdoor movie nights. There will also be a space for a food truck on weekends.
Appalachian Button Jamboree to be held on May 20
The one-day only Appalachian Button Jamboree will be held from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the National Guard Armory at 2025 Spartanburg Highway in Hendersonville.
According to a news release, the Western North Carolina Button Club is presenting an antique, vintage and collectible clothing button display and sale at the Jamboree, and all are welcome to participate in viewing, purchasing or talking with knowledgeable experts about historical garments, lush linens, beautiful buttons and fabulous finds.
Buttons can range from the whimsical and inexpensive to pricey, rare and historical. Buttons include military, moonglow, glass, bling, to bunnies and horses.
The Western NC Button Club meets every second Thursday of the month where members learn about historical items such as veil hooks, vintage garments, sewing items, and buttons. The club's informal learning portion has an in-depth presentation where members learn to identify the styles, origins and history of these unique treasures. Buttons can be made of a variety of natural or synthetic materials including shell, glass, horn, nut, pearl, leather and even gold.
Anyone interested can contact Mary Mason at 828-890-2693 for more information.
Walk Hendo online survey now available to rank projects
The City of Hendersonville is asking area residents and visitors to take part in improving Hendersonville’s pedestrian experience by completing the Walk Hendo Pedestrian Plan online survey which is at the following link: www.hvlnc.gov/walkhendo.
The survey will be available through May 31 and will be used to finalize a new pedestrian plan for the city, according to a news release. Pedestrian plans determine sidewalk and greenway priorities and are important tools in securing the funding needed to complete the identified projects.
The Walk Hendo Steering Committee developed the set of pedestrian infrastructure projects out of last summer’s community input sessions in collaboration with the transportation consulting firm Traffic Planning & Design. Walk Hendo is Hendersonville’s pedestrian planning process to identify the community’s vision, strategies, goals and recommended actions for creating safe places to walk. The project began in the spring of 2022 and is expected to be completed in the late summer or early fall of 2023.
Friends of Oklawaha Greenway to host May 18 hike EverWalk's Support Our Local Trail
May is the National Month of Walking, and to help support the initiative by EverWalk called Support Our Local Trail, the Friends of the Oklawaha Greenway Trail will host a three-mile walk at 6 p.m. May 18.
Walkers are to meet at Patton Park at the table by the basketball courts. They will complete one lap around Patton Park and then go on to the Oklawaha Greenway for a total of three miles. Walkers may walk all or part of this distance.
Those who can't attend the walk are encouraged to create their own Support Our Local Trail Walk and post photos of their walk on the WalkWithGMA Facebook page at this link: facebook.com/groups/walkwithgma and use the hashtag #everwalksupportyourtrail.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Briefs: Merrill honored; Saluda Studios opening set; Appalachian Button Jamboree to b held
