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Community almanac

$6.9 million distributed to nonprofits for regional hurricane relief

The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) continues to raise funds and distribute grants to nonprofit organizations providing relief and recovery services in Western North Carolina. As of Oct. 31, $6.9 million has been awarded from the Emergency and Disaster Response Fund (EDRF).

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Initial grants supported frontline nonprofits meeting immediate needs, and those grants continue to be awarded. Donated photo

Initial grants supported frontline nonprofits meeting immediate needs, and those grants continue to be awarded. Since recovery is uneven across the region, EDRF began supporting repair and remediation. Nonprofits interested in applying can learn more at cfwnc.org.

Anyone wishing to support aid to those affected by the storm can donate to the Emergency and Disaster Response Fund at cfwnc.org. Administrative fees are waived so that every dollar goes directly to assistance.

Learn why historic districts matter

At 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18, the speaker series “Where We Live: History, Nature and Culture” will present the program “More Than Memories — Why Historic Districts Matter” by Stacy Guffey.

By taking an in-depth look at the Cowee-West’s Mill Historic District in northern Macon County, people can discover why historic structures and historic districts improve an area’s social and economic health.

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The district, designated by the National Register of Historic Places in 1999, includes the archaeological site and mound of the Cherokee town of Cowee, a major settlement until the time of the Revolutionary War. In the first half of the 19th century, the area became a thriving agricultural community, during which time many of the historic structures were built , including Rickman’s General Store, the predominately African American Pleasant Hill Methodist Church, and Cowee School. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, it became the largest African American community west of the Balsam mountains.

The program will take place at Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center at 51 Cowee School Drive in Franklin.

Haywood County hosts 33rd annual motorcycle toy run

The 33rd Annual Haywood County Motorcycle Toy Event will be held Saturday, Nov. 9, at Smoky Mountain Steel Horses in Waynesville.

Due to Hurricane Helene and the ongoing issues with recovery, there will not be an escorted parade this year. Registration will open at noon at Steel Horses with entertainment provided by Julie Messer, Walt Wood and Blended Hemp.

A registration fee of $10 per person or a new unwrapped toy per person is required.

Dicky King & His Kookin’ Krewe will begin serving up delicious BBQ and fixin’s at 1 p.m. The prized event T-shirts will be on sale at Steel Horses beginning at noon.

Proceeds from this year’s event will be focused on Hurricane Helene recovery through area nonprofit organizations.

WCU baseball double-header to support WNC little leagues

Western Carolina University baseball will take on Appalachian State starting at 1 p.m. Nov. 9 at Hennon Stadium on WCU’s campus in Cullowhee to raise funds for little leagues affected by Hurricane Helene.

The double-header promises an exciting day of baseball, bringing fans together from across the region to cheer on these college teams while also giving back to the community.

Proceeds from donations, concessions and special fundraising activities during the games will support Mountaineer (Waynesville), North Asheville and Avery County Little Leagues as they work to repair damaged fields, replace lost equipment and prepare for the upcoming spring 2025 season.

Benefit to raise funds for Bryson City woman’s cancer treatment

There will be a benefit from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 9 at Riverfront Park (101 Mitchell St.) in Bryson City for June Wiggins (Lowe) Cochran.

She was diagnosed recently with non small cell non squamous cell lung cancer. Proceeds will go toward medical and travel expenses.

A variety of vendors will be there, including a food truck. There will be gospel singing all afternoon, so guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs.

Lake Junaluska offers Thanksgiving buffet

Find comfort, joy and a great meal this Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 28, at Lake Junaluska’s historic Lambuth Inn.

This year’s Thanksgiving buffet will feature prime rib and whole turkey carving stations plus a host of favorite side dishes, rolls, cornbread, a salad bar and desserts, including a sugar-free option.

news Thanksgiving at Lake Junaluska

The buffet will feature prime rib and whole turkey carving stations, as well as a host of sides and desserts. Donated photo

The mid-day meal will be served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and requires reservations at lakejunaluska.com/thanksgiving. There are a limited number of reservations available.

Lake Junaluska offers a peaceful waterfront setting with a lakeside trail to walk off the extra calories, rocking chairs for relaxation and plenty of festive holiday decorations.

Check out accommodations at Lake Junaluska and make lodging reservations online at lakejunaluska.com/specials.

For more information, visit lakejunaluska.com/thanksgiving.

Southwestern Commission announces new round of grants

The Southwestern Commission announced a new Revitalization Microgrant Program, funded through the Duke Foundation, that will provide $1,000 to $5,000 grants to small businesses that need assistance with expansions, upgrades to technology or storefront improvements.

These funds will focus on small businesses in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and Clay counties.

Please note that businesses in communities that have been previously awarded these funds through the Duke Foundation will not be eligible for funding through this grant cycle.

Learn more by visiting regiona.org/microgrants.

Enjoy ‘Games & Things’ at the Bryson Library

The Marianna Black Library in Bryson City will host Games & Things at 1 p.m. on the third and fourth Thursdays of the month. Board games, puzzles and other things like arts and crafts.

The library will have BINGO Sept. 19 and 26.

In addition, the library will collect new and gently used blankes and clothing throughout the fall and winter months to donate to local places of interest.

There is a drop box in front of the circulation desk.

For more information call the Marianna Black Library at 828.488.3030.

The Marianna Black Library, a member of the Fontana Regional Library, is located in downtown Bryson City at the corner of Academy and Rector.

Haywood Pathways Center faces financial challenges

Over the past decade, Haywood Pathways Center has been a beacon of hope for individuals and families in need, providing shelter, meals, and a pathway to stability. Since its inception, Pathways has helped countless people transition from homelessness to stable housing, find employment, and rebuild their lives — largely without taxpayer money.

In 2023 alone, thanks to the contributions from donors, Haywood Pathways Center was able to plate 106,494 meals, provide 23,389 nights of shelter, 321 nights of emergency cold-weather shelter and serve 295 unique individuals, including 206 men and women, 33 parents and 56 children. Additionally, 62% of individuals and 73% of families who resided at Pathways successfully exited to housing or moved back in with family, while 72% of residents now have a stable monthly income, with 51% employed — 79% full-time.

Despite these successes, Haywood Pathways Center is currently facing serious financial challenges. In response, the Pathways Board has implemented a contingency plan. If cash resources dip below $100,000, steps will be taken to cut costs — including suspension of the operation of the Holy Cow Food Truck, which currently serves 500 free meals weekly, by Sept. 1, and possibly closing the family shelter, which currently houses seven families, including nine children and three newborn babies.

Please consider making a donation to Pathways today to ensure that shelter, meals and hope remain part of the Haywood County community.

For more information or to make a donation, please visit haywoodpathwayscenter.org or contact Executive Director Mandy Haithcox at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.246.0332.

Vaya Health announces NCQA accreditation

Vaya Health is officially Interim Accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), as of Aug. 1. NCQA Health Plan Accreditation improves operational efficiencies and satisfies state requirements for health plans that earn the credentials.

NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization with a central mission to improve health care quality. The organization works to highlight top performers using measurements, transparency, and accountability to drive improvement.

Its Health Plan Accreditation program is an industry-leading certification that carefully assesses the structure, process, clinical quality, and patient satisfaction of health plans. More than 192 million people are enrolled in an NCQA-accredited health plan.

The NCQA Interim Health Plan Accreditation program focuses on basic structure and processing to meeting expectations for consumer protection and quality improvement. Moving forward, Vaya Health will participate in the Health Care Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS), one of health care’s most widely used performance tools. HEDIS includes over 90 measures across six domains of care, with focused results on clinical performance and patient experience.

Primary care practice opens in Macon County

Davis Medical PLLC is proud to announce the opening of its new Direct Primary Care (DPC) practice, revolutionizing healthcare delivery in Macon County. Located at 55 Medical Park Drive Suite 118, opening Nov. 18, 2024, the new practice has started accepting patients, offering a membership-based model that provides extensive services at a significantly reduced cost compared to traditional practices.

Members of Davis Medical PLLC can expect same-day or next-day appointments, management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, urgent care, sports medicine and more. The practice also offers specialized services including emergency preparedness medications, travel medications, testosterone replacement therapy and peptide therapies for weight loss.

An open house event will be held on Nov. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., where community members can tour the facility, meet Dr. Davis, and learn more about the benefits of Direct Primary Care.

For more information or to become a member, visit davismedicalpllc.com or call 828.371.6317.

Great Smokies Health Foundation announces new director

The Board of Directors of the Great Smoky Mountain Health Foundation announced the selection of Shelley Carraway as the new Executive Director of the Foundation. Carraway began her new role on Aug. 1.

Before assuming this new role as Executive Director of the Foundation, Carraway served in various public health and healthcare administration positions in county and state government over a span of nearly 30 years. Most recently, she served as Health Director at the Jackson County Department of Public Health until her retirement in September 2023.

Carraway has broad and specific knowledge of public service and healthcare service delivery issues. She has experience in grant management with both private and federal programs. She has spent her career in public management, priding herself as a collaborative team player in the efforts to address the continuing, dynamic challenges facing our community’s health.

Cultural resources grants awarded

The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) approved $40,000 in Cultural Resources focus area grants in July for general operations to eight craft organizations across WNC. CFWNC awards discretionary funding in Education, Cultural Resources, Human Services, and Natural Resources.

Cultural Resources grants are made through competitive and proactive awards. Competitive general operating grants are distributed according to a rotating schedule and through an expedited application. Proactive applications may be invited for unique projects or programs that address the Cultural Resources focus area goals.

Unrestricted gifts of $5,000 were awarded to:

• Asheville Glass Art School dba North Carolina Glass Center, serving Buncombe, Madison, Henderson, Jackson, Haywood, Yancey, McDowell and Mitchell Counties

• Center for Craft, serving the WNC region

• Clay County Historical & Arts Council, serving Clay County

• Local Cloth, serving the WNC region

• Open Hearts Art Center, serving Buncombe County

• Rutherford County Visual Artists Guild, serving Rutherford County

• The Bascom, serving Jackson and Macon counties

• Tryon Arts and Crafts, serving Polk County

Franklin welcomes tech service company

The Franklin Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed Wired to the Franklin Chamber Membership with a ribbon cutting celebration. Wired is located at 121 Highlands Road and is owned and operated by Nathan LiBasci.

“At Wired, we specialize in providing top-notch tech services across three main areas, ensuring that technology works seamlessly for you, not against you,” LiBasci said. Those areas are business IT services, home tech services and in-shop computer services.

Learn more about Wired’s services at wiredinc.com or call at 828.349.0101.

Community hospitals celebrate awards

Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital were pleased to hold another celebratory luncheon last week in honor of staff members who recently reached significant milestones in their tenure as employees of the hospitals.

Service awards for staff and providers are typically given on a monthly or bi-monthly basis, depending upon the timeframe for staff anniversaries. Individuals are honored for their service in five-year increments.

Those honored at this month’s celebration included:

• 5 Years of Service: Aleisha Evans, Imaging; Sheila Haigler, Harris Pulmonary & Sleep Associates; Steve Zimmerman, Harris Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

• 10 Years of Service: Mariana Da Costa, Nursing; Stephanie McCall, Harris Regional Cancer Center; Kezia Waldroup, Ambulatory Infusion

• 15 Years of Service: Kristyn Holland, Laboratory

• 20 Years of Service: Kevin Ray, Respiratory Therapy

• 25 Years of Service: Matthew Cammisa, Surgical Services; Stephanie Conner, Intensive Care Unit

• 30 Years of Service: Ronnie Kelly, Clinical Informatics; Tina Fisher, Laboratory; Tony Belcher, Harris EMS

Leaders from the recognized individuals’ departments took time to share remarks highlighting their team members’ dedication to their role and the organization, after which CEO Ashley Hindman presented each honoree with a plaque signifying their years of service.

“Many exceptional professionals have committed their careers to delivering compassionate, high-quality care at our hospitals,” said Hindman. “It's a privilege to recognize and thank them for their dedication at every milestone.”

Lake Junaluska welcomes John Wells

John Wells, who served as president of Methodist Church-affiliated Emory & Henry College in Virginia, has joined Lake Junaluska as director of advancement.

“We are excited to welcome John to the Lake Junaluska community to lead our advancement opportunities. He has extensive fundraising experience, has served in leadership roles in The United Methodist Church, and has a historic connection to this special place,” said Ken Howle, executive director of Lake Junaluska.

As president of Emory & Henry College for the past five years, Wells has overseen dramatic growth in student enrollment, the addition of campus facilities, improvement of reputational measures, fundraising increases, development of new academic offerings and upgrades to the college’s intercollegiate athletics program.

In addition to his career in academia, Wells has held several positions with the United Methodist Church, including associate general secretary for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the worldwide UMC and executive secretary of the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the UMC. Throughout his career, he has pastored small Methodist churches, including serving as interim pastor of two UMC churches in the Western North Carolina Conference.

Throughout much of his career in higher education, Wells has had responsibility for leading fundraising activities.

Wells said that he is excited to join the existing team at Lake Junaluska and is looking forward to playing a role in fulfilling its mission.

“In my capacity as a fundraiser for Lake Junaluska, I want to lean into the strategic priorities already identified through careful reflection on the part of the Lake Junaluska leadership. By improving and preserving this good place, it is my hope that Lake Junaluska can continue to be an oasis of hope where donors are assured that their philanthropy is genuinely making a difference,” he said.

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