6 minute read
Land Protection: Paddy Mountain
Blue Ridge Conservancy is fortunate to have a long history of support within the communities we serve.
We appreciate those relationships, and work with local businesses and organizations to keep those connections strong.
Advertisement
In 2021, despite the pressures and obstacles of a global pandemic, BRC worked hard to keep community engagement a priority as safely as possible, restructuring events to be outdoors, pivoting to virtual meetings and webinars, and providing support as needed.
Tarpestry and BRC
BRC and local textiles manufacturer Tarpestry teamed up twice in 2021, first for “Tarpestry for a Cause,” a fundraiser where Tarpestry produced tarps with the Conservancy’s logo.
Then over the summer, BRC joined Tarpestry and the nonprofit “Let’s Choose Love” for the inaugural Great Watauga River Cleanup. On a picture-perfect mountain summer day, volunteers waded/ kayaked/floated, and pulled 16 bags of trash and 6 tires out of the Watauga River upstream from the Guy Ford bridge before enjoying music, food, beer, and raffle prizes. BRC received the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce’s “everGREEN Award for Sustainability” at the 72nd Annual Membership Meeting in fall 2021. The everGREEN Award for Sustainability is presented to a business, organization, project, or person who has furthered the inclusion and integration of sustainable development principles.
Wendy and Charlie were highlighted in the video presentation at the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting.
Community Fundraisers for BRC
We are fortunate that so many individuals and businesses in our area care as deeply about protecting land as we do. Throughout the year, many of these hosted fundraisers and donation drives to benefit BRC.
Scott Warren stopped by to present BRC with a check from Boone Realty .
In June, Local Lion and the Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center hosted the Hope for the Future 5k for BRC .
For Earth Month, the Blue Ridge Conservancy Club at Appalachian State and studentmadestore.com sold handmade Earth Monththemed art and donated a portion back to the Conservancy.
Rhododendron Ramble, sponsored by Footsloggers
Congratulations to Tristan Thomas, Gayle and Roger Rulifson, and Nancy Little for successfully completing the 2021 Rhododendron Ramble hiking challenge! They received a BRC Hiking Club patch, a certificate of completion and a trail journal and store coupon from Footsloggers.
From January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, they completed each of the following hikes:
Elk Knob State Park Backcountry Trail Glen Burney Trail Stone Mountain State Park J. Douglass Williams Park
BRC played a role in the protection of these important recreational areas.
Valle Crucis Park - Music in the Valle
BRC joined Gary Moss and Ameriprise Financial Services at one of VC Park’s popular “Music in the Valle” Friday night concerts. It was an opportunity to talk about the work BRC does in Valle Crucis and the High Country.
Ray’s Weather Blue Ridge Calendar
BRC was the beneficiary of proceeds from the 2022 Blue Ridge Calendar, presented by Ray’s Weather. Accepting the check was Leila, BRC’s Director of Communications, who is a photographer and served as a judge for the calendar photos. For the 2022 version, 641 photos were submitted.
Appalachian Mountain Brewery
BRC and AMB have a long history of partnership, and 2021 continued that tradition. In August, BRC was chosen as one of the first nonprofits to be part of AMB’s “Crowler for a Cause” program, where a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each specially designed 1-quart can are donated to BRC .
In the fall, we donned our lederhosen and dirndls to participate in the brewery’s Oktoberfest celebration with food, music, stein hoisting, keg rolling and charity game booths. Each nonprofit represented at the event had a chance to talk about their mission and receive donations based on the popularity of their games. Crowler bowling was a hit!
BRC staff are active members of the community. Shown above is Wendy with her monthly Simple Gesture donation for the Health & Hunger Coalition. Staff members also give back to the community by holding volunteer positions and sitting on various nonprofit boards in the High Country and in the state, such as the Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge, Rotary, Watauga Arts Council, and Blue Ridge RC & D.
The Squatch Guard
2021 was the inaugural season of Boone’s professional soccer team, Appalachian FC. The official fan club, the Squatch Guard, donated a portion of their group dues to BRC, and presented the check in a raucous on-field ceremony during the final home match.
“Our motto is Protect These Woods, which goes for Squatchy but also for us and our community here in the High Country, and we were inspired by the great work BRC does!” - Brent James, Squatch Guard founder
In June, BRC hosted a virtual webinar titled Black on the Blue Ridge Parkway: The history of segregation along “America’s Favorite Road.” This presentation on the history of African Americans and the Blue Ridge Parkway was hosted by filmmaker Rebecca Branson Jones, a documentary filmmaker who studied the history of African Americans on the Blue Ridge Parkway while receiving her master’s degree from Appalachian State University. Jones was joined by Dr. Carmen Foster, a public historian with expertise in organization leadership and facilitation, and Supervisory Park Ranger Ajena Cason Rogers. The panel was moderated by BRC trustee Dale Caveny. A recording of the webinar is available on BRC’s Youtube channel.
Ajena Cason Jones shared a poem and painting by Rita Bradley during the webinar.
The Blue Ridge Conservancy 5K, sponsored by Stick Boy
After a year off, the ever-popular BRC 5K and Kids Fun Run returned to the Mayview Neighborhood of Blowing Rock, NC. Sponsored as always by Stick Boy Bread Company, the event welcomed 150 runners to tackle the challenging course for prizes, glory, and of course, beer and sticky buns!
Thanks to Lynn Willis for the photos, and to all of our sponsors, including M-Prints, Blue Ridge Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Hemlock Inn, The Rosemyr Corporation, Bistro Roca, ZAP Endurance, Booneshine Brewing, Appalachian Ski Mountain, CAMP Coffee Roasters, Snake Mountain Iron Works, Mananalu Water, and Be Natural Market.
