Stay Awake and Adapt

Nature gives us clues to healing and through practicing yoga I have learned to investigate.

Watching the sunrise while writing this piece, I am inspired by the frozen winter landscape.

The sun cresting the ridge, I know that the warmth will soon touch the landscape melting the hard surface.

Likewise, emotions such as fear can cause us to “freeze,” creating shock responses in the body’s muscles, connective tissues, endocrine and nervous systems. Heightened emotional states of the pandemic, with its undulations of closures, openings, and surprising mandates has been a thrill.

As we cross the threshold into the new year, how can we practice adaptability?

“If you have to live in a stable world, then you better quit Rolfing.” Dr. Ida Rolf helped a generation of people who were beginning to understand in the 60’s and 70’s that the body holds clues to patterns of thinking and feeling. By freeing the breathing space with her hands, she could greatly improve the overall adaptability of the person.

Therapeutic touch is scientifically proven to melt tensions and pain in the body that cause chronic stress and restore ease and health. Improving oxygen flow into the body is one of the best chemical ways to reduce stress. When Dr. Rolf looked at the body, she looked for “tensegrity,” or balanced architecture. She looked at this physically, how the body would distribute the stress of an injury around the whole body. She also knew the emotional, mental, spiritual and physical were connected. If a person moves with a fluid body that shares stress easily, this helps the mind and emotions perform in the same way.

With good cuing, everyone can experience their own resilience. People who have received bodywork are benefiting during this pandemic.

And, it’s exciting to see these body-mind teachings go to work!

From a better resourced place, we can posture a perspective that’s aware and flexible. People are taking better care of themselves.

Please tell your children that they are well and strong, and not sick.

The adaptable person will emerge restored and free.

by Ashby Underwood-Garner

ACCOMMODATIONS ACCOMMODATIONS ART LESSONS

BEAUTY

CLEANING BEAUTY

CLEANING CABINETRY

CONSTRUCTION

PRINTING REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE

ROOFING TOOL SHARPENING

The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation embraces an ambitious expansion, while preserving the welcoming spirit that’s maintained it for over a century.

For 125 years, the historic Episcopal Church of the Incarnation has been watching over Main Street, delighting passerbyes with its Carpenter Gothic architecture and lovely garden spaces. But over the years as the beloved structure was enlarged and buildings added, the presentation of the building to Main Street had become confusing – multiple staircases distracted from an “open and welcoming space” and the Church lacked a central front door to welcome visitors and friends.”

And as the Church and the community grew and attendance swelled, the need to expand the capacity of the Sanctuary became more pressing.

Three years ago, Reverend Bentley Manning and the Vestry at Incarnation identified the need to enhance the facility and expand the seating in the sanctuary. Then, in 2018 a parish family offered a generous donation for the development of a master plan resulting in a capital campaign, entitled “Glorious Vision” with a $6,000,000 goal. An Architectural Committee appointed by the Vestry, began work on a unified plan.

The scope of the project is three-fold:

To illuminate “the vision of God given in Christ through the beauty of worship where our hearts are lifted heavenward” with the configuration of architectural elements to create a more sacred atmosphere, “literally opening our doors to the community” with the creation of a formal entry into the Sanctuary, adding windows to the new entry and the rear of the Sanctuary, allowing the worship space to be washed in light. At the same time, painters, blacksmiths and wood carvers are working to fill the Sanctuary with beauty.

To Invite: “By modifying the interior of our Sanctuary so that we may accommodate more persons in worship,” adding 70 to 80 seats to avoid the need for overflow spaces, making the entire campus ADA compliant, and updating lamps and windows for more energy efficiency because “caring for creation is important to us.” A new spire holding four cast iron bells will be erected as a “beacon of God’s Sanctuary and welcome” and a call to worship.

To inspire: “We will share this vision of God in our ministries, our outreach, our educational offerings, and through lives transformed by Christ.”

Reverend Manning recognizes that, “Now more than ever, there’s a need to be together in community and in worship and fellowship; something we perhaps once took for granted.”

He is grateful for the timing that has allowed this project to be undertaken and expressed his thank you to Highlanders and visitors “for their grace and fortitude during the construction.”

While work is under way the original chapel remains open. For more information or to contribute, visit gloriousvision.org.

by Marlene Osteen

The sweet story of Bill Wolff and his faithful Lucky is played out in endless variations among the residents of Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society and their adopters. To write your own tale, visit chhumanesociety.org or call (828) 743-5752.

They say that a stray, sick or injured dog somehow instinctively knows which neighborhood, or which home, to go to in order to find safe refuge. They say that canines have this inner sense to detect where compassionate animal lovers may reside.

Well, whoever “they” are, I happen to believe they’re right. And so does Bill Wolff.

Bill is a beloved charter inductee of the CashiersHighlands Humane Society Hall of Fame and a past Vice President of our Board of Directors. He and his wife Patsy have been part-time residents of Highlands for decades. But although I could write a magazine full of stories about Bill’s kindness, compassion and philanthropy, Bill had only one request of me about writing this story — “Please make it about Lucky.”

A three-years-old (or so) Shih Tzu showed up on the walk outside the Wolff’s front door on Lake Lanier in April 2016. The dog was in rough shape. Burns all along the underside of the pup’s body indicated a life of confinement in a crate or other small enclosure with no outlet for even a daily potty break. It’s a classic sign of cruelty and neglect that we often see in puppy mill survivors saved by the CHHS

Animal Rescue Team.

The dog had no collar, no ID tag, and was not microchipped. Bill went to great lengths to find whoever might be missing the dog, even visiting the local county animal shelter. But this pup needed medical attention and needed it promptly. Bill knew the canine was suffering and he rushed him to his local veterinarian. The cost to treat the dog for his injuries was in the thousands of dollars. Bill paid the entire invoice. No one ever came forward to claim the dog.

When the folks at the vet’s office asked Bill what was the name of the dog, Bill replied: “I don’t know his name, but I would say he’s Lucky.”

Fast forward to today, and Mr. Lucky is Bill’s constant companion. And more than one person, including Bill and yours truly, feel there was divine intervention involved with Lucky’s first appearance on that walk outside the Wolff’s front door. You see, Bill has been caring for his wife Patsy for a few years now as she has been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

In Bill’s words: “I tell people frequently that God sent Lucky knowing what was going to happen in our lives with Patsy having Alzheimer’s. Since Patsy is now living in a memory care center, Lucky is my constant companion and I cannot tell you how important he is in my life.”

Bill and Mr. Lucky recently paid a visit to our shelter campus. The entire staff hosted a lunch for these two beloved VIP’s, and it will be an afternoon we will never forget. Bill emailed me the next day and said, “David, I woke up with a smile on my face thinking about what a wonderful time Lucky and I had visiting the Cashiers Highlands Humane Society yesterday.”

I woke up that morning with the same smile, too.

Some days are hard in animal rescue. We experience unimaginable loss and heartache. We see the worst that mankind can do to our four-legged companions who ask us for so little yet give us so much.

Thank you, Bill, and thank you Lucky, for reminding us... this is why we do what we do.

Established in 1987, Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization located at 200 Gable Drive in Sapphire, one-and-a-half miles east of the Cashiers Ingles in between Cedar Creek Club and Lonesome Valley on Highway 64 East. Our no-kill shelter is open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. by appointment. For more information, visit us online at chhumanesociety.org or call (828) 743-5752.

by David Stroud, Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society

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A mentoring relationship has turned into a deep and abiding friendship, thanks to the programs offered by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cashiers and Highlands. To participate or for more information, contact program coordinator Danielle Hernandez-Juarez, at cashiers@bbbswnc.org or call (828) 399-9133.

(L to R) Former Little Sister Lupe, current Little Sister Claudia and Big Sister Rachel Kinback

Being a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cashiers and Highlands has truly been an incredibly rewarding experience for me over the last eight years. My involvement initially started as being a BIG for a young girl at Blue Ridge School. I went to the school for weekly visits where we would play basketball or play computer games or just simply hang out. Our relationship grew steadily and I knew that I wanted to spend more time with her. My mentoring then went into a Community Based program. This meant I could take her on excursions outside of just school. One week I would choose an activity and the next week she would. Hiking, horseback riding, paddle boarding, kayaking and art galleries were some of our favorite activities to do together. It was the one on one that I really cherished and I knew she looked forward to it too.

Seeing how rewarding this mentoring was, I then asked to join the BBBS council. I knew I wanted to help make the program bigger and even a better program for our local community. I have been on the Council for six years and now, I am Chairwoman for the council. Since joining we have established a scholarship program for our graduating Littles, have various fund raising events such as our annual croquet tournament held at Country Club of Sapphire Valley and increased our monthly activities for the Littles and the Bigs to attend. Last week, we had nine families participate in the first Christmas event at Tom Sawyer’s Tree Farm. Each family received a Christmas tree, ornaments to decorate, a visit to see Santa, an educational tour of the farm and hot chocolate to finish the day.

This year have seen a major shift in our abilities to raise funds to support our local program. We simply need more money to continue to support our Littles as well as more Mentors/Bigs. If you ever thought about being a Big Brother or a Big Sister, I would encourage you. It’s truly a rewarding experience and the impact you can make on a child is priceless and forever life changing. If you don’t have the time but want to make a difference then a donation is always welcome.

by Nancy Heck Albers Advisory Council Chairman Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cashiers

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