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Carpe Diem Farms
Merry Christmas From Carpe Diem
All creatures great and small are sending you warm Christmas Wishes.
Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones from all of us here at Carpe Diem Farms! That “all of us” naturally includes our extraordinary horses, who shower us (and our guests) with blessings both great and small. And I can’t ignore our Ranch Dog Jethro, who’s proved to be such a happy presence for humans and beasts alike.
But I also wanted to include the little lives on the fringes of Carpe Diem Farms, the travelers who’ve somehow made it here and have inevitably sweetened our days and nights. So, Merry Christmas from our Little Bear, our Brave Raccoon, and our sweet Feral Cat. They all have a role to play in the drama of life here at Carpe Diem Farms and they each have a reason to be grateful for the support you’ve given us over the years.
by Sue Blair, Carpe-Diem Farms
A Celebration of 40 Years
Cashiers Chamber of Commerce Board Members and Staff: Robin Pickle, Thomas Taulbee, Oscar Alcantar, Sarah Jennings, Lec Hobbs, Glenn Ubertino, Garrett Taylor, Johannes Klapdohr, Brandy Letson, Stephanie Edwards, and Daniel Fletcher. Not pictured: Ben Harris, Ashton Harris and Susan Gregory.
The Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce celebrates its 40th Anniversary with a new slate of directors, a robust membership, and a dynamic energy to face the promises and pitfalls of the upcoming years.
New directors and officers of the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce were recently elected in a membership-wide vote of support. The Chamber is celebrating its 40th anniversary and recently surpassed more than 500 business, nonprofit and associate members from Cashiers, Glenville, Lake Toxaway, Sapphire and other Plateau communities. Outgoing President Glenn Ubertino, of Zoller Hardware, will continue his board service as Past President while Ben Harris, of Harris Custom Builders and Silver Run Reserve, assumes the President title. Ashton Harris, of The County Club of Sapphire Valley, will move from Treasurer to President-Elect and Sarah Jennings, of Cashiers Valley Real Estate and Lonesome Valley, will take his former position. Chamber executive director Stephanie
Edwards continues to serve as Board Secretary. Daniel Fletcher, of Hotel Cashiers, was reappointed Vice President/Jackson County Tourism Development Authority liaison. Returning directors include Oscar Alcantar of Alcantar Painting; Lec Hobbs of Highland Hiker and chair of the organization’s Retail Roundtable; The Nominations Committee and current Johannes Klapdohr of The Library Board of Directors made special efforts to Kitchen & Bar; Brandy Letson of ensure commitment and diversity among Cashiers Valley Pharmacy; Robin future leadership. Pickel of Historic Toxaway Market and Mountain Cafe; Garrett Taylor of Taylor’d Designs, and Dr. Don Tomas of Southwestern Community College. Glenville resident Susan Gregory, of Landmark Realty Group, will join the board as a Vice President/Leadership Cashiers liaison. The 2023 officers and directors slate were previously recommended to the full membership after consideration
of candidates’ business industry, location, length of residence, availability, and other civic involvement. The Nominations Committee and current Board of Directors made special efforts to ensure commitment and diversity among future leadership. Directors help set priorities in support of the Chamber’s Core Purpose: To supply extraordinary Leadership in the Cashiers Area as an Advocate for business, Information Source for the community and Conduit for building destination awareness and responsible growth. They provide valuable strategic leadership for the organization’s programming, member services and benefits, and community and economic development initiatives. In 2022, the Chamber contracted with the Urban Land
Institute to conduct a fact-based growth management analysis of the Cashiers Area. It’s currently leading the newly-formed “Cashiers Community Collaborative,” a group of organizational stakeholders who will coordinate economic and community development as identified in the ULI Report (see CashiersAreaChamber.com) to leverage funding and other resources. “Our Board members are dedicated and talented business owners who generously volunteer their time and energy to ensure the success of the Chamber and community,” said Edwards. “My associate Thomas Taulbee, who serves as Manager/Jackson County Cashiers Visitor Center and Director of Member/Community Relations, and I look forward to supporting their efforts in the coming year.” For more information on the Chamber, visit CashiersAreaChamber.com or email office@ CashiersAreaChamber.com.
by Stephanie Edwards, Executive Director, Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce
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