Henderson County Tourism Development Authority awards grant to Four Seasons Rotary

Tiffany Ervin
·3 min read
From left are Dick Miley (Four Seasons Rotary/Tour Co-Director), Debi Smith (TDA Board Chair 2021), Michelle Owens (TDA Executive Director) and Danielle McCall (TDA Grants Committee Chair).
From left are Dick Miley (Four Seasons Rotary/Tour Co-Director), Debi Smith (TDA Board Chair 2021), Michelle Owens (TDA Executive Director) and Danielle McCall (TDA Grants Committee Chair).

Four Seasons Rotary Club has been selected as the recipient of a $1,000 grant from the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) to support marketing of the 2022 Tour d’Apple bike ride.

The event, held annually on Labor Day, attracts more than 500 bicyclists each year to the mountains of Henderson County. The grant was awarded under the “destination events” category, and will allow organizers to promote this year’s ride to areas outside of Western North Carolina.

Dick Miley, co-director of the Tour and a member of Four Seasons Rotary, accepted the check from Michelle Owens, executive director of Henderson County TDA.

“We’re pleased to provide support to Four Seasons Rotary for this important charitable event, because not only does it showcase our community and enhance visitors’ experiences, but it is also supporting local non-profits doing important work in Henderson County,” said Owens.

Four Seasons Rotary will use funds from the grant to attract riders for the 10th annual event from areas like Atlanta, Florida and the Carolinas.

“We believe our event is unique because it allows visitors to enjoy the annual NC Apple Festival all weekend and remain in town to ride through our beautiful area on their bicycles on Labor Day,” said Miley. “It’s more than a fundraiser... it is also an important example of the beauty our area has to offer as a destination for tourists and visitors.”

Registration and more information for the Tour d'Apple is available at www.tourdapple.com.

The Four Seasons Rotary Club has 22 members and is part of Rotary District 7670 and Rotary International. The group represents a cross-section of businesses and professions in Henderson County and encourages members to participate in service to others as part of the club activities.

Funds raised by the club each year support various civic and educational programs throughout the community and the world, including scholarships, youth exchange programs, special needs sports and a local downtown park. The club meets Mondays at 5:30 p.m. at Janitzio’s Mexican Restaurant, 1053 Spartanburg Highway, and guests who would like to learn more about Rotary are always welcome. More information on the club is available at www.fourseasonsrotary.org, and on Facebook,  Twitter and Instagram.

Rotary International is a global network of more than 32,000 clubs in 200 countries. The organization initiates humanitarian programs that address today's challenging issues, such as hunger, poverty, clean water, peace and conflict resolution and illiteracy. Rotary and Rotaract club members include 1.4 million men and women who donate their expertise, time and funds to support local and international projects that help people in need and promote understanding among cultures.

Rotarians are people of action who have used their passion, energy and intelligence to improve lives through service for more than 115 years, creating lasting change in communities across the globe.  Rotary's flagship program is PolioPlus, the effort to protect children against polio, with the goal of ending the disease throughout the world. For more information about the effort to eradicate polio visit www.endpolio.org.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Henderson County Tourism Development Authority awards grant to Four Seasons Rotary