Carter County Living

Carter County Living ARTS

SHOPPING

LIVING

FEATURES

FOOD

Winter 2019

Local farrier clocks 20 years in the business

When music changes the steps of life: Deborah Gouge

A voice silenced: William “Sunny” Hunt

2

Home Loans Whether you are looking to prequalify, purchase a new home or save big by refinancing your current loan, the experts at Citizens Bank are here to guide you through the mortgage process from the moment you apply ... until the keys are in your hand.

David Oiler • 423-547-2062

300 Broad Street • Elizabethton • david.oiler@citizensbank24.com NMLS# 493905

citizensbank24.com EQUAL HOUSING LENDER

NMLS# 449222

MEMBER FDIC

Bank your own way.

3

Carter County Living As we started planning the winter edition of Carter County Living, I realized we were starting our second year of the magazine.

I have always heard time flies when you are having fun. Well, to be honest, there is a lot of extra stress putting out a magazine, but the other side is the fun we have in sharing with you some of the stories of the people, organizations and places that help shape our community.

As I look back at the time when the magazine was just a thought, it was a little scary trying to figure out how and when to launch a magazine. Starting a magazine from scratch was not like starting a special section for the paper; it was something that we had never done before. The writing is different and the photography has to be almost perfect. With the help of some great people in our group, we launched Carter County Living in December 2017, and over the following year, we kept making the necessary changes to build on what we started.

We are so proud to be sharing with you some of the stories of the people, organizations and places that help shape our community.

In this issue, you will find when John Holsclaw is not in Nashville representing the 4th district, he spends his time utilizing his skills as a jeweler to repair and create custom jewelry at his business at Jeweler’s Bench.

Staff General Manager DELANEY SCALF delaney.scalf@elizabethton.com Editorial Director Rozella Hardin rozella.hardin@elizabethton.com Human Resources Kristina Cruz kristina.cruz@elizabethton.com Customer Service Kathy Scalf kathy.scalf@elizabethton.com

Making a difference in Carter County is Elizabethton High School’s Deb Gouge, who teaches more than music notes. She teaches life lessons. In our student feature, you will read about a wonderful young lady named Vanessa Cox, who uses her disability to bring light to people’s lives. Our Sports and Recreation feature is about Sonny Hunt, the voice of the Cyclones for 38 years. We have William Shoun on the cover, a local farrier, a person who shoes horses, who has clocked 20 years in the business. Our Food Feature this issue highlights one of Carter County’s favorites: the Mayflower Restaurant.

We hope you enjoy this issue, and if you know of anyone that would make a great story please let me know at delaney.scalf@ elizabethton.com.

Operations Manager Scott SCALF scott.scalf@elizabethton.com Marketing Consultants BRANDY TRIVETT brandy.trivett@elizabethton.com JOYCE BARTLETT joyce.bartlett@elizabethton.com

SHIRLEY NAVE shirley.nave@elizabethton.com

Copy Editor JANIE MCKINNEY janie.mckinney@elizabethton.com

News ANDREW WADOVICK andrew.wadovick@elizabethton.com Sports BRYCE PHILLIPS bryce.phillips@elizabethton.com Composing ROBIN JOHNSON robin.johnson@elizabethton.com

Delaney Scalf General Manager

4

ARTS & CULTURE

FEATURE

30 Local Farrier

William Shoun clocks 20 years in the business

18 Vanessa Cox

Cox uses disabillity to bring light to people’s lives

6 John Holsclaw

Shares details on being a local jeweler

9 Have You Been Spotted

Food

Check out these photos from area events

12 Upcoming events

Plan ahead for these favorite events

LIVING

30 A Voice Silenced Sonny Hunt retires as Cylone PA announcer after 38 years

SHOPPING 22-23 Winter Warmth

Local Retailers offer items to add some warmth to the season.

29 Business 14 When music changes the steps of life

Area Shopping, Dining, Entertainment services

Deb Gouge teaches more than music notes... she teaches life lessons

On the Cover Local farrier William Shoun has been in the business for 20 years, and said that he is still learning. A farrier is someone who works on the hooves of horses, trimming and shoeing them.

Photo: Bryce Phillips

35 Mayflower Restaurant Reopens departure spirits still high among community

39 Delight guests with dessert Blackberry-Ripple Lime Cheesecake

Carter County Living ARTS

SHOPPING

LIVING

FEATURES

FOOD

Winter 2019

Local farrier clocks 20 years in the business

WHEN MUSIC CH ANGES THE STEPS OF LIFE: Deborah Gouge

A VOICE SILENC ED: Wil liam “Sunny”

5

Hunt

Tennessee State Representative John Holsclaw Jr. is pictured at his business, Jeweler’s Bench, in Elizabethton.

6

Holsclaw shares details on being a local jeweler * Story and Photos by Bryce Phillips *

F

or State Representative John Holsclaw Jr., his skills as a jeweler came from a completely unrelated hobby.

Holsclaw, for years, tied his own trout flies to fish with, and the little details that come with tying flies are what helped Holsclaw develop the skills with his hands and eyes as a jeweler, and for the past 20 years, he has been running Jeweler’s Bench in Elizabethton.

Holsclaw, whose original career was that of an engineer, said that he got into the jewelry business when he had to move back home to be with his mother who was having some medical issues.

“There are no engineering jobs here, so I made the decision to move back, run the store, and do the jewelry work,” said Holsclaw.

Becoming a good jeweler doesn’t come overnight, said Holsclaw. He attended jeweler’s school and said that it takes roughly five to ten years to become proficient at the craft.

“You are always fine-tuning your skills, and finding new techniques,” said Holsclaw. “You are never really done. You are always improving.”

Holsclaw said that one of the hardest parts about running a jewelry store is knowing what people are going to want in the future months in advance.

“For Christmas, you buy all that stuff in July and August,” said Holsclaw. “So you are trying to guess what is going to be popular or not. It is a guessing game.”

When it comes to the craftsmanship part of being a jeweler, Holsclaw said that the hardest part can be doing custom work.

“They know what they want, but they can’t picture what it is going to look like when it is com7

John Holsclaw Jr. works at his jeweler’s bench.

pleted,” said Holsclaw. “You have to interpret what they want into what’s functional and durable.

Making them truly happy with an heirloom is a big deal.”

Custom pieces are created through a wax casing process that once completed and the casing is broken, the resulting piece of jewelry is one of a kind. One of the more interesting pieces that Holsclaw has made recently is a gold ring with an elk’s tooth implanted in it. The piece took Holsclaw 20 hours to complete.

Holsclaw said he gets requests for unique pieces once a week, but said the most asked for service is the re-sizing of rings.

As a state representative, Holsclaw said he has made rings for his fellow lawmakers.

Jeweler’s Bench offers many services from repair, mounting stones, to even cutting rings off of people.

“You never know what you are going to be doing,” said Holsclaw.

Jeweler’s Bench is located at 104 Broad Street in Elizabethton.

John Holsclaw Jr. doesn’t just work on jewelry. Here, he is shining a Tennessee Highway Patrol badge.

8

SP

You’ve Been

TTED! Photographer and Sports Writer Matt Laws

Leah Neuman

Photos by Larry N. Souders

Easton Cable

Shyann Hill 8-month-old Mara Humphrey and Mikki Oliver

Happy Valley Coach Frank Lowe (Center), Jacob Surcey (Left) and Timmy Mounts

Voice of the Cyclones Tom Taylor

Randy Cook, Laurie Burleson and Shannon Grinnon

9

Brody Jarrett

SP

You’ve Been

TTED!

Photos by Larry N. Souders

Carter County Mayor Rusty Barnett

Wayne, Debbie and Mary Picard

Josh and Harley Adams with their sons Luke and Logan

Kaitlyn, Tiffany, Nathan and Rachael Hartley

Miss Teen U.S. 2018 Kaylee Hollifield

10

SP

You’ve Been

TTED! Sydney Puckett

Photos by Larry N. Souders

Bobby McKeehan

Chloe and Lily Gray along with their grandfather Richard Gray

Former Elizabethton Lady Cyclones coach Len Dugger

Ella Bailey

Miss U.S. Elegant Woman 2018 Amy Simmons

11

UPCOMING EVENTS Plan ahead with fun happenings across Carter County

Tuesday, January 1 Roan Mountain 2019 First Hike — 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Roan Mountain is celebrating the New Year with a resolution to hike.

Join Park Ranger Phil Hylen for a beautiful 1.5-mile morning trek up to Ravens Rock. Ravens Rock offers a beautiful winter overlook of the park and mountain landscape.

Hikers will start and end their adventure at the Campground Picnic Shelter 3 across from the camper check-in station. There will also be a warm fire to greet participants along with hot chocolate and coffee on the front and tail end of the hike. This is a free event, but we request that you sign up on this page by clicking the green Register button to help us have a count of our participants. Meet at Picnic Shelter 3 in the campground.

“First Footing” at the Historic John & Landon Carter Mansion - 9 a.m.

Join historic interpreter Chad Bogart for a New Year’s Day visit to the oldest frame house in Tennessee. Built circa 1775, the historic Carter Mansion boasts architectural details which are quite elaborate when compared to most homes on the frontier. Enjoy the beauty of this site and learn about 18th century New Year and 12th Night traditions and superstitions. The event is free, however a reservation is required.

Tour is subject to cancellation in the event of significantly inclement winter weather.

Pre-registration required - www. tnstateparks.com/parks/sycamoreshoals Choose “Upcoming Events” in the left hand menu The Carter Mansion is located at 1031 Broad Street, Elizabethton,

TN 37643.

detailed schedule.

Thursday, January 3 Members of the Elizabethton High School Class of 1969 are planning their 50th Reunion for September 13-15. There will be a planning meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the brown building of Ivy Hall Nursing Home. Any class members interested in helping with plans are invited to attend. If more information is needed, please contact Becky Vaught Culver at beckyculver51@ gmail.com.

Carter Mansion Old Christmas Tours - 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. both days Cost: Adults - $7 Ages 7 to 17 years - $3; 6 and under free Max: 15 per tour Registration required - www. tnstateparks.com/parks/sycamoreshoals Enjoy a special visit of the oldest frame house in Tennessee, decorated with the traditional bright greenery of Old Christmas. Discover the secrets of this elegant frontier home and learn the history of the family who built it between 1775 and 1780. Tour will be given in 18th century period clothing. The Historic John and Landon Carter Mansion is located at 1031 Broad Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643

The National Active and Retired Federal Employees will hold their monthly meeting at the Empire Buffet, 2614 N. Roan St., Johnson City, at 11 a.m. The speaker will be Tabitha Ebbert from the Alzheimer Association.

Also, bring your food donations for Second Harvest Food Bank. For more information, contact Wayne Robertson at (423) 741-0612.

Saturday, January 5 Watauga Valley Fife and Drum Corps - 10 a.m.-noon The Watauga Valley Fife & Drum Corps performs at historical events, dedications, and parades.

Musical experience is welcome but not necessary, just come with a willingness to learn.

Old Christmas: Militia Muster at Fort Watauga - 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Christmas isn’t over yet! European migrants brought Old World holiday traditions to America, from the Dutch Sinterklaas to the Twelve Days of Christmas. Discover the English, German, Scottish and Irish roots of our modern holiday celebrations. Contact the park for

Sunday, January 6 An Afternoon of Early 19th Century Dance with the Sabine Hill Social Society 1 p.m.–4 p.m.

Beginners and seasoned dancers alike are all welcome! The afternoon will include English Country Dance and early Appalachian dance techniques. Coffee and hot cocoa provided.

Carter Mansion Old Christmas Tours 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. both days Cost: Adults - $7; Ages 7 to 17 years - $3 6 and under free Max: 15 per tour Registration required - www. tnstateparks.com/parks/sycamoreshoals Enjoy a special visit of the oldest frame house in Tennessee, decorated with the traditional bright greenery of Old Christmas. Discover the secrets of this elegant frontier 12

home and learn the history of the family who built it between 1775 and 1780. Tour will be given in 18th century period clothing. The Historic John and Landon Carter Mansion is located at 1031 Broad Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643 Old Christmas: Militia Muster at Fort Watauga 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Christmas isn’t over yet! European migrants brought Old World holiday traditions to America, from the Dutch Sinterklaas to the Twelve Days of Christmas. Discover the English, German, Scottish and Irish roots of our modern holiday celebrations. Contact the park for detailed schedule.

Tuesday, January 8 The Watauga Post No. 49 American Legion and the Ladies Auxiliary will meet at the Post Home on Watauga Avenue.

Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. with business meetings to follow. All Legionnaires and Auxiliary members are urged to attend. Any veteran interested in becoming a member of the post is invited to attend.

Saturday, January 12 Workshop: Watermedia Class at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park Instructor: Barbara Jernigan 9 a.m.-noon Cost: $12 (you bring supplies) or $20 (supplies provided) Pre-register by calling 423-5435808.

Come and paint with watercolors and acrylics on paper! The possibilities are endless. It may be a snowy landscape, spring flowers, a mountain vista, or maybe even a selfie. Photo references or tracings

UPCOMING EVENTS Plan ahead with fun happenings across Carter County Drum Corps 10 a.m.-noon The Watauga Valley Fife & Drum Corps performs at historical events, dedications, and parades.

Musical experience is welcome but not necessary, just come with a willingness to learn.

Drum Corps 10 a.m.-noon The Watauga Valley Fife & Drum Corps performs at historical events, dedications, and parades.

Musical experience is welcome but not necessary, just come with a willingness to learn.

Sunday, January 20 An Afternoon of Art Winter Landscape Instructor: Elizabeth Greenwell 1-4 p.m.

Cost: $25 includes all supplies/ all skill levels Pre-register by calling 423-5435808 Masterpiece Mixers of Johnson City will be visiting Sycamore Shoals, giving you the opportunity to create a simple, but successful piece of art with a fun theme! No painting skills are necessary as you will be guided step-by-step. Light refreshments will be provided by the Sabine Hill Social Society.

Saturday, February 9 Winter Naturalists’ Rally — Join the Friends of Roan Mountain in celebrating the rich natural landscape at the 12th annual Winter Naturalists’ Rally.

The Event will be held February the 9th at the Roan Mountain State Park Conference Center. There will be guided hikes by experienced trip leaders and scientists from the region, indoor educational lectures, and activities for the kids! A bagged lunch will be provided for those who pre-register by Feb. 5. There is a charge of $10 per adult for nonmembers for the event; members are excluded from the event fee. We look forward to sharing this special event with everyone! Please, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! Hope to see you there!! Visit our website at http://www.friendsofroanmtn.org/ for more information or to register. Meet at RMSP Conference Center.

Friday, March 8 The Overmountain Institute Join us for a unique weekend dedicated to sharing in depth knowledge about life on the colonial frontier. Skilled heritage interpreters, living historians and expert craftsmen will bring life in the 18th century Watauga settlement to new light through a series of demonstrations, workshops, seminars, and hands on activities. Come away with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the lives, hardships and accomplishments of the early settlers and native Cherokee who called this area home over two centuries ago.

Pre-registration and fee required. Please contact the park for details.

Sunday, January 27 Old Time Music Jam – Led

by Art Lang 1:30–4 p.m.

Enjoy the rich musical traditions of our region each month.

Old time musicians of all levels are welcome. Don’t play an instrument? Come on over, kick back, and enjoy the tunes!

Saturday, February 16 Watauga Valley Fife and Drum Corps 10 a.m.-noon The Watauga Valley Fife & Drum Corps performs at historical events, dedications, and parades.

Musical experience is welcome but not necessary, just come with a willingness to learn.

Saturday, February 2 Watauga Valley Fife and

Saturday, March 2 Watauga Valley Fife and

will be provided. Paint your own composition or follow along with the instructor. Students with supplies may use watercolors, acrylics or fluid acrylics on paper.

Saturday, January 19 Watauga Valley Fife and Drum Corps 10 a.m.-noon The Watauga Valley Fife & Drum Corps performs at historical events, dedications, and parades.

Musical experience is welcome but not necessary, just come with a willingness to learn.

Saturday, March 9 The Overmountain Institute Join us for a unique weekend dedicated to sharing in depth knowledge about life on the colonial frontier. Skilled heritage interpreters, living historians and expert craftsmen will bring life in the 18th century Watauga settlement to new light through a series of demonstrations, workshops, seminars, and hands on activities. Come away with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the lives, hardships and accomplishments of the early settlers and native Cherokee

13

who called this area home over two centuries ago.

Pre-registration and fee required. Please contact the park for details.

Sunday, March 10 The Overmountain Institute Join us for a unique weekend dedicated to sharing in depth knowledge about life on the colonial frontier. Skilled heritage interpreters, living historians and expert craftsmen will bring life in the 18th century Watauga settlement to new light through a series of demonstrations, workshops, seminars, and hands on activities. Come away with a deeper understanding and appreciation for the lives, hardships and accomplishments of the early settlers and native Cherokee who called this area home over two centuries ago.

Pre-registration and fee required.

Please contact the park for details.

Saturday, March 16 Overmountain Weavers Guild Fibers Show and Sale 10 a.m.-4: p.m.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to visit with some of the best fiber artists of our region! If you love fibers, this is the place for you!

Demonstrations include weaving, spinning, knitting, natural dyeing, and more. A variety of handmade items will be offered for sale.

Watauga Valley Fife and Drum Corps 10 a.m.-noon The Watauga Valley Fife & Drum Corps performs at historical events, dedications, and parades. Musical experience is welcome but not necessary, just come with a willingness to learn.

When music changes the steps of life

Whether behind a microphone or a keyboard, EHS choral director Deb Gouge is right at home and happy as a lark.

Gouge teaches more than music notes…she teaches life lessons

T

* Story and Photos by Ivan Sanders *

he teaching profession is sometimes under-appreciated by students, parents, the administration, and sometimes even the community as a whole.

However, at Elizabethton High School there is an arts instructor who it doesn’t take long being around students to know exactly how loved that she truly is and how she inspires those around her to not only be better students but better humans as well.

Deborah “Deb” Gouge is entering her 32nd year as the choral director at the school. She has been able to track the years by the age of her oldest son who had just turned one-year-old when she got hired for the position.

When introduced by her students at local sports events she is often honored by such titles as foxy, beautiful, wonderful, magnificent, and many, many titles that express a huge amount of love for not only their instructor but their friend and confidant.

Gouge was quick to point out that teaching could have just been a fleeting thought when she first began her journey.

“I could have made a lot of choices,” Gouge said. “It takes a lot of courage to tell your parents you are going to be a music major because everyone is looking at the dollar.

“I have really had a great opportunity to have family that understood that you have to chase the passion instead of the paycheck.

“I hope that I have communicated that to my children,” Gouge continued. “I actually just had that discussion with one of my kids who was trying to decide what to do about a job. He had a job and it was OK but he had been offered a different job that was really more in line with what his strengths are.

“He was concerned about it and I told him not to follow the paycheck but follow his passion. Everything else in your life will settle around that because you are centered correctly.”

Gouge could have pursued another course for her life because she was equipped to do so, but she had some early plans that unfortunately didn’t follow the script she had penned out for her life.

“I did the math — I thought about med school and I thought about law school and not tooting my horn but I know what my strengths are,” stated Gouge. “I was a good student. I tested well but I thought what could I see myself doing in five years, in 10 years, in 15 years or 20 years not having any idea that I would still be doing this.

“My original plan was when I hit 50 that I would retire from public

14

school and do other things,” Gouge continued. “I thought maybe by that time I would just draw my retirement from the state and go work part time in college and dabble and do some writing and other things, but the Lord had other plans for me because that was the year that I got sick.

“You can’t retire without insurance and right after I got diagnosed my husband got laid off during one of those economy things. I had to thank the Lord that I didn’t quit or we would have been hurting.”

Many students throughout the years are happy that Mrs. Gouge decided to follow the education path and the love that she has for music.

And the love is reciprocated back toward her students as she continues to help be a game changer in the lives of each student that she has been blessed to have sit under her tutelage. Deb Gouge addresses her Women’s Ensemble class before getting into a practice for their Christmas Gouge says her drive is not only to show. see students get good grades, but to find the passion to drive them toward the goals that they have in life.

“I want them to be genuine and I want them to find out who they are and become their real selves,” Gouge said with a twinkle in her eye. “I want them to find their passion and find out that it’s not just a checklist and to see how everything works together.

“The things we learned in here, yes, are about music, but we learn so much more. When you are in a group like this it is cooperative spirit — this is how you become a human and we can learn so much.”

Gouge went on to say that music brings out inner emotions and feelings like nothing else in life. It’s not just about words that rhythm together or the melody of the music that accompanies those words.

“How many truths do we know from the songs that we know?” asked Gouge. “There is so much stuff in your heart and in your head that comes to you in the tough times especially.

“We had a young man that was in our group four years ago that was killed in a car accident and the first thing that the guys that sang with him did was call me and started group chatting with each other and called his family and said they wanted to sing at his service.

“And this is true stuff,” Gouge went on to say. “I have got the right to Gouge works with the members of her senior Women Ensemble the guy that wrote a piece because he had come to our class because he class preparing for their upcoming Christmas performance. was a composer who lived in our area at the time and he came and worked with that group of men on this piece.

“I think music makes you a real person. It’s kind of like the Velveteen “You don’t really think about it, you just think it’s a group of songs to Rabbit — you know you are loved when you become real.” check off, but Psalm 23 was a different arrangement. Someone asked if I Gouge has found that what she has been able to do in her career is not had that piece and I said yes and if they would give me a few minutes, I only share shaped notes and teach harmony, but to share with her students would make a pdf and send to them. life skills that will go with them throughout their lives and hopefully make “That bunch of boys had been out of school for three years and every them better human beings. single one of them came down here to school and they still remembered “Life is hard and I want them to understand that life is still good,” every note,” continued Gouge with the illustration. “We practiced it twice Gouge said with passion coming out of her eyes. “Learn to do the right and they sang it at the service and it meant so much to the family because thing and do the right thing because it’s what you should do. that was their balming theme.

“We have learned a lot of life skills doing this. You learn to be prompt, 15

you learn to get along with people, that showing up for stuff is important and you just can’t blow it off whether it’s because you are getting a bad grade or whatever.

“In the real world, if you come to school without a book it’s like going to work without a toolbox and that doesn’t go,” Gouge continued.

“Be on time, show up, and be with people when they need you.

It’s just not entertainment. We are doing a gig this afternoon for a group of people who have called us several times and they are going through a real tough time right now so we can be a little salt and light right there.

“We understand it’s just not the four walls. I tell them that we can be a ministry to the community — we really can be a game changer.”

With a lot of her students entering her classroom for the first time without any real musical training, one of the toughest assignments for Gouge is to ensure those students that they are exactly where they need to be.

She also wants to emphasize that music creates a family unit where each one supports and encourages one another.

“Growing confidence is another thing. I think music can help you grow confidence,” stated Gouge.

“You have an instant family when you get in a musical group.

“I tell them that if they go sing in college, for instance, it’s like all at once you have a sorority of brothers and sisters and you don’t have to pay them money to do it.

You just show up.

“What other class do you have besides the arts where you have to stand up before everybody at the end of the term and recite everything that you have learned from memory because everything that we do in performance we are not holding books,” added Gouge.

“Some people do and that’s a different situation, but I see these kids every day and we learn

Getting their moves together, the Women’s Ensemble finishes up final preparations for their Christmas show.

responsibility and you internalize the music where you can learn something so that it can become something else than flat — it’s not one dimensional.”

Many around the long-time educator know her background of having to step up and face breast cancer at a point in life that she had longed hope to shift her life in a different direction.

The one thing that Gouge quickly discovered was that it was not only her that was battling the disease but a big family of community and students who stood by her side just like the men who stood

by Moses in the Bible helping to raise his arms during the course of a rigorous battle to earn the victory over the Israelites’ enemy.

“I will tell you two things that I have learned in particular that stick out to me,” Gouge said with tears forming. “It’s like all at once you are in a sorority and you find the people who will be big sisters and brothers to help you walk through it, but also you have a boldness that you didn’t have before.

“It changes your perspective of

what’s important. Maybe you have always had it, but now you are bold enough to share it with someone else. I think that learning how much people invest in you.

“This community — I will never forget how the school came together for me in so many ways,” continued Gouge. “There was one teacher who is not here anymore but she sent me a card every week and it was something that was stupid and silly but it made me laugh and it was exactly what I needed.

“My kids would know because I would try my best to work and come on and show them. I wanted them to look at me and say hey if this happens to them in 10 years that Gouge lived through this and hey it’s OK I can do this — that they can learn that you can be in a hard situation and that you can continue to keep on keeping on.

“If I had a kid that was running a fever or had a cold, they would send a note saying that I am going to so and so’s room and not coming to your class today,” added Gouge. “They were respectful. They learned to respect me. If I had a day

16

that I had to hang a note on my door and tell them not to come in there, they wouldn’t come in.”

Gouge also showed a teacher’s mentality in the midst of her illness when approached by students with questions.

“All of them asked me questions and I wouldn’t care,” said Gouge.

“As long as you aren’t insulting someone, you can ask me any question you want to. You have to live in boldness to answer any question that is asked and I am the type that will tell you what I think.

“If they wanted to ask me a hard question and I could answer that in class where someone else gets something out of that, then they might think well I am glad someone else asked that because I was wondering that myself.

“For some people, chemo is really hard. It did change me as a teacher,” she continued. “It gave me more confidence to speak what’s really in my heart about life and not just music. We can deal with hard things and still go on.

Life is tough and school is hard. It’s harder now than when we were in

school.

“It’s been 10 years for me and that’s a milestone for survivors is getting to that 10-year mark and just shake hands with your doctor and say I will be happy to just see you at Walmart rather than at your office.

“It gives you a different attitude of gratitude when you have gone through hard times. I still go by and say hello to the nurses who took care of me. You have so much respect for the people who said it’s going to be OK and like those who call you up and say hey, how’s that hair going.”

Gouge is not one to shy away from opportunities for her students no matter how big the magnitude of those openings.

One of the more impactful experiences was the trip that her group took to Washington, D.C. in early 2018 around Memorial Day. “This thing we did in Washington this spring was a game changer and a life changer for a lot of people, “Gouge stated. “I had a couple of people ask why were we doing this.

“They were into it and they were thinking the trip thing, but you get into the whole situation where you are performing in a multi-age choir with a world-class conductor and you walk into the Kennedy Center where you have four tiers of balcony and the Air Force Band is sitting right here and the first note of rehearsal you go boy this is the real deal.

“The conductor emeritus of the Air Force Band as a teenager stormed the beaches of Normandy and was a World War II hero,” Gouge added.

“He came out and the kids just zoned in on him.

“One of my big ol’ boys who is always laughing and carrying on — we come off stage and I have girls over here just weeping and he comes up to me and tells me, “You know, before I came on this trip I wasn’t so sure about this whole thing, but that was probably the coolest things that I have done in my entire life,” and I went ‘that’s

why we do this.’

“It’s the whole opportunity that you get in music that you don’t get anywhere else. The people who coordinated the event was so into our kids,” Gouge went on to say about the trip. “We just left the Kennedy Center and someone called me and I didn’t know who it was and they asked if we were still at the Kennedy Center and I told them that we had just left.

“She asked me if I would like to have the sign board from the front of the building and I said yes. She told me it wouldn’t fit in her car and asked if I could come get it. I looked at the bus driver and he made a Uturn and we went right back to get it.

“That trip made it real to the kids and really changed them. It was quite an experience. They let us place a wreath at the Tennessee World War II monument while there with our name on it.”

Gouge was asked what, if any, class rules that she kept near and dear.

“My number one class rule is be where you are while you are there,” said Gouge. “I think being focused on being involved in what we are doing right now is so important. We are such a distractible society you know and it gets worse all the time.

“You have your watch on, your phone is on, your television is on and you have someone always talking to you. I tell them not to miss the moment right now and don’t worry about what’s going to happen in five minutes.

“Find out what your strengths are and use that,” continued Gouge.

“Everybody is gifted and we are not all gifted equally and if we learn that, that’s fine too. It’s not a contest.

“That’s what makes us a choral group and that’s because everybody is not the same. Everybody is not a soloist and it doesn’t take that.

“Everybody has to sing. Basically, I am a coach. I don’t get a coaching supplement, but I’m a coach. I don’t have an assistant coach and I don’t think people understand that either,

Gouge gives her class one last opportunity to go over anything they have questions about in regard to their upcoming concert for Christmas.

how hard we work and get this done,” Gouge went on to add.

“I am the only chorus teacher in the county who teaches high school.

We are the only choir with a certified music teacher in Carter County.

There are none in the other schools and they are missing this connection and I am not downing them either.

“I will tell you what we know — students are smart and they can pick out who is genuine and who is a phony. This is a way to become part of something that is bigger than yourself and to get some selfconfidence and pride in what you are doing.”

Gouge wants her students to realize one thing — music takes uncommon people and things and

17

makes them common.

“You will find out that you can get along with someone that you have absolutely nothing in common with,” said the smiling Gouge. “And you don’t have to be the best singer here to get an ‘A’.

You just have to show up and do your job, and your job and my job may not be equivalent but who cares.

“You use your talents and I will use mine and when we put them together it makes a great big — it’s like piecing a quilt, all the pieces may not look alike but who cares.

“That’s what makes it beautiful is that we all can bring our differences and make that a unified thing.”

Vanessa Cox uses disability to bring light to people’s lives in Elizabethton * Story by Andrew Wadovick and Photos by Andrew Wadovick & Contributed *

A

little girl walks up to a high school cheerleader during a football game and starts staring “Kindness is always the and waving at her, smiling. She mimics every answer to everything. pose, every move the high-schooler performs, enthralled by her performance.

God made you who he “Nessa, can I take a picture with you?” the girl wanted you to be.” asks, and on that day, both of them could say they made a new friend, but the little girl, Shelby Davenport, had found a personal hero.

—Vanessa Cox Hampton High School student Vanessa Cox has lived her entire life without the lower half of her right arm, but apart from having to learn different methods of doing things, she said her life is just as normal as anyone else’s.

Cox said she lost the limb in a pre-natal condition known as Amniotic Banding Syndrome. In layman’s terms, her umbilical cord wrapped around her arm and cut off its circulation before she was born, effectively killing the limb.

Despite the disability right from the moment of her birth, Cox said she rarely let it get in the way of having fun as a child.

“I figured out my own way of doing things,” Cox said. “I taught myself the monkey bars as a kid.”

Cox is also one of the top cheerleaders at her school, but her enthusiasm for the sport now took time to develop. When she started in sixth grade, she said the idea scared her.

“My mother wanted me to get my name out early,” she said. “She had me do soccer, gymnastics and cheer. I was very shy when I started.”

She said she was afraid of people “staring, pointing and judging” her, but eventually, she said enough was enough.

“I decided I did not deserve to hide due to fear. I can be an inspiration to people,” Cox said.

Cheerleading is one of Cox’s passions, but singing is her other passion. She performs at her smaller local church among others, but her talents have also sent her to sing the National Anthem at the Bristol Motor Speedway. She recently released her own Christmas album, “Merry Christmas,” with Matheson Soundtech Recording.

Cox said she has had varying reactions from younger and older people experiencing her disability for the first time.

When she was around two years old, her parents tried to get her to use a prosthetic arm. One day, she was riding in the shopping cart with her parents at Walmart, and for whatever reason, Cox decided she just did not want to wear it anymore, so she took it off and threw it into the cart behind her.

“The clerk who saw me freaked out,” Cox said. “He probably had a heart attack. He thought it was real. My parents just thought it was hilarious.”

Eventually, Cox said she decided the prosthetic really was not necessary.

“I have a routine like everyone else,” she said. “I have learned to do pretty much everything on my own.”

One of the only exceptions to this is her hair.

“I can straighten it by myself, but I cannot curl it,” Cox said. “My arm does not 18

“There is always someone prettier, smarter or tougher than you.You cannot compare yourself with anyone except yourself. Go out and live.

Take chances.”

—Vanessa Cox

High school student Vanessa Cox was born without the lower half of her right arm, yet she said she tries her hardest to show others a light of inspiration and happiness instead of the critical pessimism others deliver.

reach around my head.”

She said it might take her longer to do certain tasks, like cleaning a house, but the length of time does not diminish her ability to perform that task.

She said she works to be an inspiration to others, both in and out of school, saying her disability taught her to be humble.

“Kindness is always the answer to everything,” Cox said. “God

made you who he wanted you to be.”

This message led Cox and Davenport to develop a friendship of several years. When Cox ran for Homecoming court, she brought

19

Cox a rose.

“She showed me the love I try to show others,” Cox said. “If the mind of a child can accept me for who I am, then hope is not lost.”

Of course, not all experiences

Cox said she does everything just like anyone else; some tasks just take longer. She said she taught herself to do monkey bars as a child, and cheerleading is one of her two big passions.

with others have been positive.

During a trip to the beach when she was young, a young girl kept asking what was wrong with her, and even though Cox gave her

usual answer of “This is who I am,” still the girl persisted in her questioning. Eventually, young Cox said she had enough.

“I do not even remember what

I said,” she said. “I think I said something like a shark ate it off or something and my mom was like ‘Vanessa!’”

These kinds of experiences make the concept of college a little daunting, but Cox said she has faith things will work out in her favor.

She is currently committed to East Tennessee State University, and is aiming to pursue a career in speech pathology, the study and treatment of speech and language difficulties.

“There is always someone prettier, smarter or tougher than you,” Cox said. “You cannot compare yourself with 20

anyone except yourself. Go out and live. Take chances.”

As proof of the success of her outlook on life, she pointed to her relationship with Davenport.

Two years after their meeting on the football field, Cox said she received a copy of that same picture they took in a fancy frame. With the present was a note that simply read “Nessa, you are my hero.”

Cox said positivity is both the best gift to give and to embody in one’s life.

“You can be that blessing to someone,” Cox said. “The world has enough critics already.”

Stay informed and receive

ALL EDITIONS at home AND on the go!

Elizabethton Star YOUR STORIES · YOUR COMMUNITY · YOUR STAR

SUBSCRIPTION INCLUDES: 52 weeks of the Elizabethton Star AND 52 weeks of the Elizabethton Star E-Edition

Call 423-542-4151 Today for more information!

Elizabethton Star 300 N. Sycamore Street Elizabethton, TN 37643

21

WINTER

Local Retailers offer items to add some warmth to the season

Pullovers by Simply Southern®!

Assorted Styles, Sizes & Colors Simple Blessings in Historic Downtown Elizabethton

A gift card so awesome you’ll be tempted to buy it for yourself!

Serving Traditional Italian and American Comfort Dino’s Restaurant in Historic Downtown Elizabethton

NORWALK Custom Furniture made in the USA.

We offer design consultation services from a single piece of furniture to an entire house, accessories, rugs, draperies, lighting, bedding sets, gifts, and so much more.

Fringe in Johnson City 22 New Furniture - NORWALK Custom Furniture made in the USA.

SHOPPING Warm and comfortable Boots & Shoes Various Styles & Sizes Double C Western Supply in Elizabethton

Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Nog

Warms you from the inside out with a rich mix of real dairy cream, rum, brandy, blended whiskey and a 14.75-percent kick of alcohol.

Doe River Wine & Spirits, LLC in Elizabethton

RUGER LCR 38 SPL. REVOLVER

And try a day in our NEW Climate Controlled Indoor Range free with purchase of any new gun.

Barnett’s Guns & Indoor Range in Hampton

“Best Burger in the Area”.

It’s obvious why J’s Corner was voted 2018 Reader’s Choice “Best Burger in the Area” J’s Corner in Elizabethton

23

A voice silenced…

William “Sonny” Hunt was a familiar face and voice behind the mic at Elizabethton High School football and basketball games for 38 years.

24

After retiring from his PA duties, Sonny Hunt took advantage of attending Elizabethton football games as one of the Cyclones’ biggest fans.

* Story by Ivan Sanders and Photos by Ivan Sanders & Contributed *

Sonny Hunt retires as Cyclone PA announcer after 38 years

W

hen it comes to sports there isn’t anything that remains consistent on a regular basis as every game is different from the starting roster to the final outcome.

However, for 38 years there was one consistent that every Elizabethton Cyclone football and basketball fan counted on game in and game out and that was a voice that was familiar for

the 38 years William “Sonny” Hunt sat at the PA announcer desk.

Now, Hunt’s voice has gone silent as he stepped away from the mic and turned the reins over to Jason Holly beginning with the 2018 football season.

Hunt’s announcing career didn’t start out with the mic but it didn’t take long for him to find his true calling.

“I started in the press box by keeping football statistics for my good

friend Coach Larry Alderson when he was head football coach,” Hunt said in looking back to the beginning. “I initially started announcing boys’ basketball for Coach Skeeter Swift.

“Coach Rider asked me to start doing football the following year. Over the 38 years, I have announced both boys’ and girls’ basketball and football in various combinations,” continued Hunt. “There were three years from 1999 to 2001 25

when I lived in Harrisonburg, Va., where I only announced football by returning to Tennessee on Friday nights and then returned to Harrisonburg on Sunday.”

Becoming the “Voice of the Cyclones” wasn’t a hard decision for Hunt to make as he really grew up a big Cyclone fan thanks in part to his mother and father and his sibling being a part of the ’Betsy band.

“I have always enjoyed athletics and

“Of course, I miss doing it.You don’t do something for that long without asking yourself ‘Why?’ However, I really enjoyed this year’s football season by just watching the whole spectacle which is ‘Cyclone Friday Night.”

—Sonny Hunt

Sonny Hunt and his wife, Charlotte, were recognized during the Elizabethton and Science Hill game early in the season.

26

started attending Cyclone football when my family moved to Elizabethton in 1945,” Hunt said. “My mom and dad attended all home games as one of my older sisters was in the marching band while she attended EHS. “I continued to attend football during my grade school years and enjoyed attending basketball in my high school years,” Hunt added. “Upon graduating from ETSU, I was in the Army for nine years during the Vietnam war years and returned to teach at EHS in 1971.

“By this time both my mom and dad were diehard Cyclones and attended football games the rest of their lives.”

While many may think that being a PA announcer is as simple as showing up to take a position behind the mic, there was actually a lot more work that Hunt invested in getting ready for his duties.

“I usually spent a few minutes with the music department and the athletic department early each week to see what they had planned for game nights,” Hunt said about his preparation time. “During the week I gathered rosters and starting lineups. The nights prior to home games were reserved for putting everything together for game night.

“I always had copies of rosters and starting lineups available for the press box,” Hunt continued. “I also made copies of all announcements of interest to both the local and visiting radio. I usually spent 2 to 3 hours every pregame night in preparation.”

One could imagine in covering games for 38 years that there had to be a memorable game that stood out to Hunt and indeed there was but it wasn’t just one game that resonated to Hunt.

“I guess the most memorable time for me was girls’ basketball seasons from 2013 thru 2016,” Hunt stated. “The gym had an

electric atmosphere and the fans were on fire.”

Obviously there have been a lot of changes in athletics over the 38 years Hunt spent calling the games, but none more than the game itself.

“I don’t think the players have changed as much as the game has changed,” said Hunt. “High school athletics today has been greatly influenced by television. Players of today are able to view a higher level of competition than those of the past.

“Kids are starting into athletics at a much younger age with better equipment, better facilities and better coaching at a younger age resulting in more sophisticated student athletes.”

Spending as much time in the press box as Hunt did over the years required a lot of sacrifice

on behalf of his family as well as establishing special family relationships with those that worked around Hunt in the press box — relationships that developed deep bonds.

“I was very lucky to be supported by both my first wife Nancy, who was a teacher at West Side Elementary and was part of the press box crew in the early years, and also Charlotte, after our marriage, who was brought into the madness of the ‘Cyclone Nation’ but quickly adapted to traveling to Tennessee on Friday just to attend a high school football game,” stated Hunt.

“I simply enjoyed being a part of both the football and basketball families. We had a great press box crew with John Holsclaw and Dale Fair doing the radio and Willie Holsclaw as my spotter.

Also, the wives, Donna and Leota Holsclaw and Rose Hardin who kept everyone fed at the BrownChildress press box.”

Even though Hunt is retired from the mic, there are two special young grandchildren that live with him and his wife that are keeping them very busy.

That still hasn’t taken away from the fact that after doing something for as long as Hunt did in being the “Voice of the Cyclones” that there isn’t a void left by not doing what he loved to do for so long.

“Of course, I miss doing it.

You don’t do something for that long without asking yourself ‘Why?’ However, I really enjoyed this year’s football season by just watching the whole spectacle which is ‘Cyclone Friday Night’,” Hunt stated.

“The combination of our fan base, the student body, the ’Betsy Band and cheerleaders is unmatched by any school in our area.”

Hunt said that it was special to him to be recognized by the school system and the city as being the “Voice of the Cyclones” during the Science Hill football game this past football season.

He went on to add that one thing that he will take away from his time serving the Cyclones as their announcer will be the dedication of those teachers and coaches who sacrifice their time and energy to helping today’s students and student athletes to prepare them for successful lives.

Hunt has two children — Kate Coast (1976 EHS graduate) and Bill Hunt (1980 EHS graduate).

Sonny Hunt gives one last “First down Cyclones” call for the Elizabethton fans after being recognized during the Elizabethton and Science Hill game.

27

Why I Love Carter County

J

oe Alexander is an Elizabethton native and the son of the late Edwin Alexander, Jr. and Ruth Bowers Alexander, who were also lifelong residents of Carter County. He is married to his high school sweet­heart, the former Debbie Barker, and they have no children.

Joe was educated in the Elizabethton City Schools System and graduated from Elizabethton High School in 1973. He is also a gradu­ate of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, receiving a bachelor of science degree in business administration in 1977.

Joining his father’s insurance business in 1977 and purchasing it in 1984, Joe is the owner of Alexander Insurance Agency. He attends the First United Methodist Church here in Elizabethton, serving on the board of trustees and has held several positions in various business and service organizations. Some of these groups include: the Rotary Club of Elizabethton, the Insurors of Tri-Cities, the City of Elizabethton Personnel Advisory Board, the Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Elizabethton, the Elizabethton Downtown Business Association, the Elizabethton/Carter County Holiday Lighting Committee, the E.H.S. Class of 1973 Reunion Committee, and the Carter County chapter of the University of Tennessee Alumni Association. Also, Joe was the 2003 Citizenship Award recipient presented by the Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce. Since 1991, his business has sponsored and he has presented the 100% Effort Award to a deserving student at T.A. Dugger Jr. High School each 9 weeks grading period. In his spare time, Joe enjoys spending time with family, walking, reading, watching high school and college sports, and collecting early U.S. manned space program memorabilia.

What do think makes Carter County unique by comparison to other places?

Carter County has many wonderful features. Its people are some of the most friendly and caring in the world.

The location of Carter County provides the beauty and rural feel of the Appalachians with the amenities of larger metropolitan areas within short drives. Also, we have boundless educational opportunities for young and old alike in our community or just next door.

What is your favorite place to visit in Carter County?

That’s a difficult question but I never tire of going to Downtown Elizabethton where I spent much of my youth and now work. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of walking hand-in-hand with my Mother from our home on North Main Street across the Broad Street Bridge and up Riverside Drive to town to shop in the stores and visit my father’s insurance office and grandfather’s (Dr. J.C. Bowers) dental office. Downtown Elizabethton has changed and evolved over the years but it is still the most beautiful one in Northeast Tennessee and a great place to call home.

Do you think living in Carter County has changed you in any way?

Of course, but being a lifelong resident of Elizabethton and Carter County, I find that difficult to explain. Living here has shaped my life in hopefully a positive way and I inherited from my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents an indescribable love in my heart for this area and its people.

What is your favorite time of the year?

It’s a toss-up between spring and fall. Experiencing earth’s renewal in the spring and seeing God stroke the trees with His paintbrush in the fall always bring joy to my spirit.

If you were to meet someone planning a visit to the Carter County area for the first time, what places would you tell him or her not to miss?

Depending on the person’s interests, there are so many places to go. For outdoor recreation, we have Roan Mountain State Park, Watauga and Wilbur Lakes, and the Doe and Watauga Rivers.

The history buff must experience Sycamore Shoals State Park including the Carter Mansion and Sabine Hill and visit the Covered Bridge along with our historic Downtown area. There are so many other places to see and I would want to talk further with the person so he or she would receive the full “Carter County Experience.”

Why Do You Love Carter County?

Is it the wonderful natural resources? How about the historic downtown district?

Perhaps it’s the people who make up our community?

Whatever the reason, we want to know why you love it here. Tell us why you love Carter County and you could be featured in an upcoming edition of Carter County Living. Just send us a message telling us why you love Carter County.

You can reach us by email at news@elizabethton.com or you can mail it to 300 N. Sycamore St., Elizabethton, TN 37643.

28

Area Shopping, Dining, Entertainment & Services If you would like to advertise your business or service, call:

Brandy Trivett @ 423-297-9068 Joyce Bartlett @ 417-294-5763

29

Local farrier clocks 20 years in the business

Carter County’s William Shoun has been a farrier for decades.

30

“You know, if you mess something up on their feet, they’re done. No foot, no horse, so to speak.”

—William Shoun

* Story & Photos by Bryce Phillips lina and then around the Newport area in Virginia. I was going pretty ocal farrier William Shoun has been in the business for 20 much wherever I needed to go. I’ve done a lot of big-time horses back years, and said that he is still learning. in the day.

A farrier is someone who works on the hooves of horses, “I used to think that is the direction I wanted to go — the higher trimming and shoeing them. end stuff,” added Shoun. “After dealing with, really the people, I wanted When he first started as a young teenager, Shoun was pretty much self-taught besides some friends who would help him out from time to to back away from that.”

Shoun worked with a lot of show and performance horses including time. He said that starting in the farrier business could be pretty tough. barrel and roping horses. Growing in the farrier business depends on “There was a couple of guys that helped along the way a little bit how well a person can gain the trust of others, said Shoun. with some questions and stuff,” said Shoun. “Now when you first get “When you first get started in this business, it’s tough to get people’s started shoeing horses, you don’t get the good ones. You get slung trust, especially when they’re making money off of these horses,” said around and beat around. And after a few years of that, I went on to Shoun. “You know, if you mess something up on their feet, they’re school and got certified to do it. Now, I’ve been at it forever.”

Shoun’s journey into the world of farriering coincided with his years done. No foot, no horse, so to speak.”

Shoun said it has taken him years to develop the skills necessary to as a bull rider which he started doing at the age of 16. Shoun rode be a good farrier, and that he is still learning new things. bulls for 15 years as he entered professional circuits. All the while he “There are different ways to shoe a horse depending on what they honed his skills as a farrier. are doing,” said Shoun. “Getting them to break over at the right time.

“Shoeing horses was a way for me to make a little extra money so I could rodeo through the weekend, and then right out of high school, Lengthening their strides or shortening their strides depending on how the horse has got to move around.

I was pretty much full time. I was home through the week. I started “There are tell-tale signs in a horse’s legs that I look for,” said shoeing horses, and kind of figured if I was going to do this I needed to Shoun. “I try to keeps things as natural to the horse as I can without go to school and pursue it.” changing a bunch of angles.

These days, Shoun does work for clientele mainly in the Tri-Cities “When a horse is natural and moves the way he was built to move, area, but, however, in the past, he would travel around to do his job. then he does good,” said Shoun. “ I was going a little bit everywhere,” said Shoun. “In North Caro-

L

31

32

Local farrier, William Shoun, works on the hoof of a barrel racing horse.

33

Farrier, William Shoun, lines up a horseshoe before tacking it in place.

Local farrier, William Shoun, files down the hoof of a horse.

For years, Shoun said he shoed roughly 35 to 40 horses a week. Today, he works 24-hour shifts, 10 times a month, at the Elizabethton Fire Department. With his job at the EFD as a firefighter, Shoun still shoes around 10 to 20 horses a week.

While rodeoing when he was younger, Shoun said he met someone who became like a father figure to him and that person was Elizabethton’s Mac Blevins.

“He really took me under his wing and taught me about the horse business,” said Shoun. “And it just turned into something great. I have cowboyed for a living since my junior year of high school.”

34

Bobby Hodges (left) has captained the Mayflower for about a decade, bringing with him his father’s experience as a seafood expert. He said none of this would be possible without his mother, Voula Hodges (right).

* Story & Photos by Andrew Wadovick

Mayflower reopens departure, spirits still high among community

T

he Mayflower first docked in Elizabethton in 1986, a ship that has ports in many different locations in the area, including North Carolina and Virginia. After years of discord and storms coming from landlords and financial strife, the ship set sail to calmer seas about a decade ago. Several years after leaving Elizabethton, however, the seafood restaurant has returned to its port on Highway 19E once again, under more favorable winds.

The owner, Bobby Hodges, said the restaurant left in February in 2013 due to conflicts with the landlord in charge of the shopping center.

“We did not want to leave,” Hodges said. “The original landlord sold out to a company in New York.”

He said the rent doubled but the upkeep suffered, causing many businesses to leave the center. Little Caesar’s and one other store were

the only survivors of the exodus.

Hodges said he had been considering returning to Elizabethton for the past two years, and after hearing their original location was now run by Food City, he decided it was time to return to their original port.

Hodges’ father, George Hodges, was the original owner of the store when it opened, and he and his cousin ran the business until he died from cancer in 2007.

“We actually sold the store at the end of 2007,” Hodges said. “The new owner went bankrupt in eight months, and the landlord contacted me and said I could keep the lease for five years.”

The above sounds like a rocky history for a family-owned restaurant, but a look into the restaurant on a slow day tells a different story.

The Mayflower is often packed even during the afternoon.

Hodges said their popularity is due to their longevity as a part of

35

Hodges said seafood is not hard to do, but it is hard to do well. The Mayflower once had to take blooming onions off their menu for two weeks because their high demand was taking up time from other food items.

36

“Seafood is not hard to do, but it is hard to do well.”

— Bobby Hodges

37

Elizabethton’s history.

“This restaurant has a lot of history here,” he said. “No one does not have a story about this place, including the sales people.”

Hodges said his family comes from Greece, and his dad used to take the employees on trips on occasion to see where he came from.

He said the first Mayflower opened in 1980. “[The Mayflower] was his baby,” Hodges said. “It was his second home. He was here every weekend working.”

Hodges has kept up that tradition of hard work under his own leadership, spending time in the cooking line and assisting with orders instead of residing in an office.

He said the staff he has recruited make the whole process work.

“Our employees are like family,” Hodges said. “I had a lot of new people when we reopened, as well as experienced chefs. We have all picked it up and gotten better.

We have come a long way in just a month.”

He said their hard work has not gone unnoticed by the community.

The kitchen line is often filled to the brim with orders of fish and other seafood as the waiters and waitresses rush to satisfy the hundreds of customers a day.

“Everything I learned came from my dad,” Hodges said. “I was his right-hand man.”

These skills he learned included

fixing various machines and cookers to the methodology of deciding how to resolve two competing issues.

One example is during their first few weeks of reopening. At one point, so many people were ordering blooming onions, they were taking up too much time for the actual seafood to be cooked, thus backing up the entire production line.

“We actually had to stop selling blooming onions for two weeks,” Hodges said. “We have never had to do that before.”

In the end, though, Hodges said it is all part of the trade.

“Seafood is not hard to do, but it is hard to do well,” he said.

Despite setbacks like these, Hodges said managing this store after all it has gone through is his way of keeping the family legacy alive and well.

“It is a blessing to come back here,” Hodges said. “It is exciting to be able to come back with a blank slate.”

The restaurant has undergone several redesigns since they were last open, including redoing all of the floor and doing some serious redecorating.

“I was able to keep things simple,” he said. “I did not want

38

anything too fancy. My dad created this place because he wanted to give good food and good service.”

In addition to the host of family members who have helped him keep the ship afloat over the years, including his immediate family and cousins, Hodges had one person in particular he wanted to thank for his business’s success.

“Without my mom, Voula Hodges, none of this would be possible,” Hodges said.

Those wanting to check out the local seafood icon can find the vessel at 1733 US-19E in Elizabethton.

Delight guests with dessert

B

aked goods are staples at many family gatherings. Whether hosting family for the holidays, reunions or weekly Sunday night dinners, hosts can make dessert that much better by serving this “Blackberry-Ripple Lime Cheesecake” courtesy of Lori Longbotham’s “Luscious Creamy Desserts” (Chronicle Books).

Blackberry-Ripple Lime Cheesecake Serves 10 Crust 11⁄2 cups pecans 2 tablespoons sugar 1⁄4 cup (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter, melted Filling 2 6-ounce packages ripe blackberries 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon cornstarch 11⁄2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest 1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3 large eggs, at room temperature 1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

2. To make the crust: Pulse the pecans, flour and sugar in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse just until combined. Press the crust evenly over the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until light brown. Transfer to a wire rack

Blackberry-Ripple Lime Cheesecake

and cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F. 3. To make the filling: Mash the blackberries and sugar together in a medium saucepan with a pastry blender or a fork. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to release their juices. Stir in the cornstarch, bring to a boil over mediumhigh heat, stirring constantly, and boil for 1 minute. Pour the purée through a coarse strainer set over a small bowl, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Re-

frigerate, tightly covered, until thoroughly chilled.

4. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the condensed milk, zest, lime juice, and vanilla, scraping down the side of the bowl as necessary.

Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour the batter into the pan.

5. Transfer the blackberry purée to a small glass measure.

Drizzle it in a spiral pattern over

39

the batter, then swirl a table knife through the batter to marbleize it.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the cheesecake is puffed on the sides and still slightly jiggly in the center. Let cool on a wire rack.

6. Refrigerate the cheesecake, tightly covered, for at least 8 hours, until thoroughly chilled and set, or for up to 2 days.

7. To serve, run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake and remove the side of the pan. Cut the cheesecake into thin wedges with a sharp knife dipped into hot water and wiped dry after each cut.

D

ecadent treats have become a staple of Valentine’s Day. But not all Valentine’s celebrants want to indulge in high-calorie treats with their significant others. For those who want the decadence without all those extra calories, try the following low-calorie recipe for “Rockin’ Red Velvet Trifle” from Lisa Lillien’s “Hungry Girl 200 Under 200: Just Desserts” (St. Martin’s Press).

Rockin’ Red Velvet Trifle Makes 8 servings 1 packet hot cocoa mix with 20 to 25 calories 2 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1⁄2 cup moist-style devil’s food cake mix 1⁄2 cup moist-style yellow cake mix 1⁄4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute 1⁄2 tablespoon red food coloring Dash of salt 4 ounces fat-free cream cheese 2 tablespoons Jell-O Sugar-Free Fat-Free Vanilla Instant pudding mix 2 tablespoons Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 8-ounce container Cool Whip (thawed) 4 cups chopped strawberries Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an

Enjoy a low calorie Valentine’s treat

8-inch by 8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.

Place the cocoa mix and 1 tablespoon chocolate chips in a glass. Add 1⁄4 cup very hot water, and stir until mostly dissolved. Add 1⁄3 cup cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mixes, egg substitute, food coloring, and salt. Add cocoa mixture, and whisk until smooth.

Pour batter into the baking pan, and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chocolate chips.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, 26 to 28 minutes.

Let cool completely, about 30 minutes in the pan and 30 minutes out of the pan on a cooling

40

rack.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir cream cheese until smooth. In another medium bowl, combine pudding mix with Splenda. Add vanilla extract and 1⁄4 cup cold water, and vigorously stir until mostly smooth and slightly thickened. Add cream cheese and 1 cup Cool Whip, and stir until uniform.

Cover and refrigerate.

Cut cake into 1-inch cubes.

In a large glass bowl or trifle dish, evenly layer half of the cubed cake. Spread all of the pudding mixture over the cake layer. Evenly top with half of the strawberries.

Continue layering with remaining cubed cake, Cool Whip and strawberries.

Marketplace Carter County Living • 423.342.4189

A Clear Choice •Window Cleaning •Pressure Washing •Gutter Cleaning www.clearchoicewc. com 423-943-7575 AFFORDABLE TREE CARE •Tree Trimming •Limb & Complete Removal •Chain Saw Carvings •Excellent References •Fully Insured •Free Estimates •20yrs Experience 423-2022192 A-Z HANDYMAN SERVICE & REMODELING Licensed & Insured •15yrs Experience •Senior Discounts All you interior & exterior needs!! Call Wayne for a $FREE$ ESTIMATE!!!

423-948-8348 ALLEN PLUMBING 24-HR SERVICE No job too big or small We offer all types of plumbing repair services and also bathroom remodeling Free-Estimates SeniorDiscounts 423-5784283 Americourt, Now Offering Weekly & Monthly Specials!

1515 Hwy 19 E, Elizabethton, TN 37643. Call for Rates!

(423)542-4466 2BR/1BA Apartment CH&A No Smoking, No Pets. 516 Broad Street, $495 per month. 423612-3447 BG PAVING Driveways • Parking Lots & Much More Free Estimates!

HS diploma/GED •Training program provided in working with individuals with developmental BG PAVING FALL disabilities Apply SPECIAL Up to 20% off! Driveways, Parking at:Dawn of Hope 500 E. Oakland Ave Lots, & Much More.

Johnson City, TN 37601 We also provide tar & chip. FREE ESTIMATES! Dawn of Hope,Inc. is an Affirmative Action 423-741-5435 and Equal Employment Birkner’s Auto Sales Opportunity Employer • 241 Smalling Road Davis Landscaping.

• Call anytime day or Immaculate Mowing. night: 35+ years experience.

423-542-2798 or Hardscaping, 423-957-0600 manicured mowing, birknersautosalestn. pressure washing, com unique designs, maintenance, Comcare, Inc FT/PT renovation. Residential Direct Support Staff •18+years•Clean MVR/ & Commercial. FREE ESTIMATES. 423Drug •TB Test •FBI542-6911 www.

TBI background check •Drug-Free Workplace keithdavislandscaping. com •Excellent benefit plan Requirements: Medical Office, Front •S.S Card•Tennessee Desk. Basic computer DL •Vehicle Liability skills required. Job is Insurance •HS Diploma/GED No Calls, Monday-Friday. Mail or bring resume to: Dr. Apply-online: www.

Davenport, 306 Pine comcareinc.com EOE Hill Road, Elizabethton NEWLY REMODELED TN 37643 APARTMENT. 2BR/1BA. Refrigerator E. Luke Greene Now hiring CDL Drivers & Stove. Water with experience and Included. In Stoney medical certificate.

Creek. $450/Month Located at 619 East w/$450 Deposit 423Maple St., Johnson 895-2668 City, TN. No phone calls please.

LPN’S •Starting $15/ hr-$19/hr depending 3BR/2BA Home in a on field exp •12/ great neighborhood hr shifts in private in Elizabethton built home •Nurse/patient in 2012. Eligible for ratio never greater 100%, $0 down USDA than 1:3 •Very low stress •Medical/Dental financing to qualified buyers Call:Rick benefits available Chantry 423-794-7440 for 30+/hr weekly Dreamhomesrealty.net schedule •Positions require a minimum Military, Church & Senior Discounts Call Anytime: 423-967-1202

41

Enhanced Support Services is Now Hiring Full and Part-Time Positions in Elizabethton & Johnson City. Please apply in person: 2882 Boones Creek Rd Johnson City.

“HOME SERVICES” •Remodeling•Decks •Roofs•Trim work •Flooring•Framing •Concrete work •Garage doors, $$Free Estimates$$ Call for more information: 423-470-6623

FOR RENT: 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom Apartments. Central Heat & Air, Appliances, Water Furnished.

No pets. References required. $325 rent, $250 Deposit. Call 423543-8939

H&H Express NEEDS TRUCK DRIVERS. Guaranteed 5000 miles per week. Stops and pickups paid, mileage split between teams.

To inquire please call H&H Express in Elk Park N.C. 800-367-1239

RN/LPN. Full Time. 12 hour shifts. Every other weekend. Apply in person at 211 Milton Brown Heirs Road Boone, NC 28607.

Or email resume to acarver@glenbridge. org

Top Soil, Fill Dirt & Shale for Sale. FREE Local Delivery. 423773-7766. Text or call, leave message.

MR & MRS CLEANING Residential & Business, 5 years experience. If it’s not dirty, we don’t do it!

Contact Chris: 423213-9671 Satisfaction Guaranteed!

Quick Stop Markets NOW HIRING Convenience Store Cashiers. Benefits package includes 1-week paid vacation and 401k after oneyear employment.

Flexible hours–fulltime and part-time positions available.

Drug screening required. Apply_At: QuickStop #20 2404 W.Elk Ave Elizabethton,TN

WANTED!! Looking for Arborvitae Cedar and White Pine Will pay by the pound Call For Pricing 828-4572978 Joyful Care, Inc in Blountville Hiring for Weekend DSP (Caregiver) for mentally and physically challenged adult lady Please Call: 423323-5367 For More Information Century 21 legacy.

Jamie Skeen, Owner.

423-282-1885. Call us today for a free market analysis and staging of your home. Two realtors for the price of one! Enhancing Elizabethton one house at a time. Kathy White, 423-773-9045 Rick Hardin, 423-7471233

Kelly Services NOW HIRING •MACHINE OPERATORS •MANUAL PRESS OPERATORS •WAREHOUSE & MAINTENANCE •ALL SHIFTS & OVERTIME 423.282.5550 www. kellyservices.com KELLY SERVICES NOW HIRING TN & VA •CUSTOMER SERVICE •MACHINE OPERATORS •ASSEMBLY. 1969 LEE HWY ST L1. BRISTOL, VA 276.466.0428

1-2BR APARTMENTS Historic Elk Park School If you/your parents’ age and income qualify, we have apartments available IMMEDIATELY! Call for Appointment: 828-7331546 Northwestern Regional Housing Authority - Equal Housing Opportunity Agency The solution to freeing up your schedule is one call away! Offering residential & commercial services •Customizable times •Reasonable prices •Friendly •Honest •Reliable Give us a call!! 423-588-6019

Looking to Sell?

Let us list it today!

The difference with our company is that we truly love what we do. You can see our enthusiasm as well as professional knowledge. Our brother & sister team would like to help assist you in your property buying or selling needs. Call Judy at 423-895-0359 or Dale at 423-957-0069.

NOW HIRING! Randstad, Johnson City. We are recruiting Lynnwood for: •General Apartments Now Warehouse •Picker/ Leasing 2 & 3 Packer •Forklift Driver Bedrooms Utilities •Material Handler Included New flooring, •Machine Operator newly renovated •Assembler •Inspector. bathrooms Certain Onin Staffing is Now Apply online income restrictions Hiring 50+ Positions randstadusa.com Or apply Apply Today at: call 423-854-9265.

Lynnwood Apartments in Elizabethton for 2 great companies! Call 1235 Bluefield Ave now to get started Richard Diehl Truck Elizabethton,TN or tomorrow! 423-723Lines Jonesborough, Call:423-543-2031 8755 No Experience TN. Family business Required!! needs good drivers, LYON METAL 2yrs minimum OTR. ROOFING Your OUTLAND ESTATE Mileage, per diem, Trusted Local Supplier LIQUIDATORS. stop pay, safety bonus, For Over 30 Years.

PROFESSIONAL HOME year-end bonus, fuel METAL ROOFING, ESTATE SALE • Home bonus, insurance METAL BUILDINGS, Estate Liquidations • available. Home VINYL SIDING, VINYL Moving Liquidations weekends. 50% dropREPLACEMENT and-hook. Good place WINDOWS Installation • Senior Downsizing • Probate Estimates • to work; just ask our Contractors Available Business Liquidations. drivers. 800-343-1920 Call 423-391-7788 www.lyonroofing.com For More Information and Upcoming Sales...

Need to hire: •CDL Drivers- Class A or MOUNTAIN HOLLOW OutlandEstate B with air brakes & APARTMENTS Now Liquidators.com 423regular driver’s license Accepting Applications 342-5911 with good driving for 2BR and 3BR record Experienced Units Apply At: 100 Papa Johns Pizza tree trimmers Mountain Hollow Ct. NOW HIRING!!! All •Laborers with or Tuesday & Friday 9am- Positions available without experience 3pm For Information •General Manager Call (615)388-1432 Call: 423-542-2111 •Assistant Manager •Shift Leader Apply Schwartz Monthly Storage in in person at any Construction Hampton •Inside & loctaion or on-line at: Solutions Outside •Located on www.hralliance.net/ Hwy •Cheap rates!

Apply/?PJO-Applicants Decks•Garages• •Camera security •Boat Roofing and camper storage Remodeling•Much available Call 423More Licensed & 895-0351 for more Insured Call: 423information 278-2265 For more

42

information go to: schwartzconstruction solutions.com Needed: Direct Support Professionals and Home Managers to work with individuals with intellectual disabilities in the Kingsport/TriCity areas. Competitive pay and benefit package. All needed training provided.

Interested applicants apply at: Support Solutions Of Tennessee 1007 W. Main Street Greeneville, TN 423636-8900 or online at supportsolutionsms. com.

Taco John’s. $1 OFF ANY BREAKFAST COMBO *1 coupon per order. TacoJohns. com. 601 Broad St, Elizabethton (423)5434999 TRI-CITIES HANDYMAN SERVICES “Best Prices in Town” Services offered: •Pressure Washing •Painting •Deck Construction •Interior Remodeling •Interior Repairs $$FREE ESTIMATE$$ Call Now!! 423-4266982 The Courtyard. 710 E. Second Street.

Elizabethton, TN 37643. 423-543-2274.

Section 8. Elderly. 1 bedroom apartment.

Stove, refrigerator, water & electricity provided, discounted cable TV. TDD #1-800848-0298. TN Relay Center. Equal Housing Opportunity.

TRUCK DRIVERS WANTED Underwood & Weld Co. Inc. based in Spruce Pine, NC, is seeking OTR drivers to pull dry bulk pneumatic trailers.

We offer an excellent pay package of $0.40 per mile to pull dry bulk trailers, and $0.41 per mile to pull vacuum pneumatic trailers. We offer load and unload pay, paid vacation after one year, company paid life insurance, health insurance, home time, and excellent equipment. Earn $65,000 annually.

Requirements: 2 years’ experience, No DWI’s, and clean MVR. For more information, call 1-800-999-7615 or 828765-2424 Waters of Roan Highlands. Accepting CNA’s ALL SHIFTS Apply in person or Send a resume to: Waters of Roan Highlands 146 Buck Creek Road Roan Mountain, TN 37687 Joint Commission Certified E.O.E IMMEDIATE OPENING! WCP Transportation, LLC, Local Trucking Company NOW HIRING! OTR/Flatbed.

New equipment!

Home Every Weekend.

Excellent Pay! 4 Years Experience Required.

Call Warren Pritchard at 423-612-8051

Northeast Community Credit Union Auto Loan Rates!

Home Loan Rates!

Northeast Community Credit Union 980 Jason Witten Way 8301 Highway 19E Roan Mountain, TN Elizabethton, TN (423) 772-3115 (423) 547-1200

Serving Northeast Tennessee since 1952

www.BeMyCu.org

1321 Highway 19E 313 W Oakland Ave Johnson City, TN Elizabethton, TN (423) 722-6228 (423) 543-7777

This credit union is federally insured by NCUA *Risk based lending applies. Few qualifications apply

43

44