Roan Mountain Magazine
Janelle
(828) 260-1720 TN and NC
766-9803
Roan Mountain Magazine
Volume 2, Issue 1
September 2025
STAFF
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
Amy Thurman
amy@roanmountainmagazine.com
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Ericka Hughes
GUN TALK WITH JON
Captain Jon Strydom
NEWS FROM THE ROAN CeCe Studer
PEACE OF MIND WITH CHRIS
Christopher Adams, LCSW HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS
Cloudland High School Yearbook Staff
THE GRACE PLACE
Reverend Hunter Greene
SHORT STORY AUTHOR
Diana Tolley
THE LAST WORD
Noah Blair
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Faith Lynn
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Susie Phillips
susie@roanmountainmagazine.com
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Colleen Gainey
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Jay Rich
CONTRIBUTORS
Jonah Hilmon
Renee Russell
Brayden Townsend
Copyright © 2025
All content herein is copyright protected and may not be reproduced in whole or part without express written permission. Roan Mountain Magazine is published monthly and can be found at multiple locations throughout the Roan Mountain area, free to readers. For print subscriptions, please contact us for info. (423) 440-9012
Read the Digital Version at: RoanMountainMagazine.com
Visit us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/RMM_Facebook
Roan Mountain Magazine is printed by the Elizabethton Star
Letters to the Editor:
We would love to hear from you! Questions, comments, ideas, or whatever you’d like to share, please send to Amy: amy@roanmountainmagazine.com
ARTICLES & FEATURES
17 Highlander Highlights
First column by the Cloudland yearbook staff with news from the high school.
19 Grandparents Day Tribute
Brayden Townsend pays tribute to his grandparents, Eddie and Pat Roark.
21 Business Spotlight
This month, Ericka highlights Roan Mountain Pharmacy.
23 Towers and Storms
Myth or fact? Ericka lays it out in this article about mountaintop towers.
24 Celebrating One Year
A look back at various milestones in the magazine's first year.
26 Meet the Team Photos and bios of magazine staff.
Editor’s
Gun Talk with Jon Taste of the Roan
of Mind with Chris News from the Roan
ABOUT THE COVER:
Our very first cover photo, a year ago, featured sunflowers. When we saw Patricia's picture of sunflowers in front of her barn and American Flag, we knew we'd found our cover!
Photo by Patricia Pfeister
28 Advertiser Spotlight
We're grateful for all the businesses that support the magazine!
31 Poems
Hurricane Season by Ericka Hughes
Unrecognizable by Jonah Hilmon
32 Helene - One Year Later
Four local recovery stories, one year after the hurricane.
37 Cloudland Football
Noah interviews Coach Benfield about this season's team.
38 The NEW Grace Place
Reverend Hunter Greene shares church new and his Hillbilly Theology.
40 Dreaming Skyward
A short story by Diana Tolley
42 Best of the Roan
Results of our Best of the Roan contest!
When I was little bitty, John Denver’s song Take Me Home, Country Roads was popular on country music radio stations and the Saturday night country music programming on TV. I’d always sing along when it came on (back before anyone informed me that I have no singing talent) and although I was too young to really grasp the meaning of the lyrics, it seemed melancholy, filled with longing and being homesick for another place. And I wondered about those mountains. They sounded magical.
We moved a lot when I was a kid and I continued that into my early adult years, seldom staying anywhere long. I was a bit of a wanderer, trying to figure out my life, who and what I wanted to be, and trying to find a place where I fit, that felt like home.
Marriage and kids tempered the wandering a bit and when we landed in Georgia, that felt more like being “home” than anywhere else I’d lived to that point. Aside from a couple years in South Florida and a year basically roaming the country after the kids were grown, I lived in Georgia for nearly 30 years. Not always in the same places – even there I moved around, from the middle of the state to the coast, and the longest I’ve ever lived in the same zip code was seven years.
Nothing ever felt exactly right. Even when I tried to force it. I remember sitting on my friend Eddie’s porch one evening ten or twelve years ago and thinking, “I could be happy here on this coast. I could dig my feet in, let roots grow, and carve out a life for myself here.” Then I set out trying to do just that. I built up a business, focused only on the positives, and told myself over and over again that “this is home.”
Except it wasn’t. I can’t easily explain why, other than to say that it just never really felt like ME. Sure, I’d built a life there, but it felt lacking in meaningful purpose, and eventually more like I was just going through the motions than actually living. Like I’d hammered that life into being, rather than any sort of natural fit, and the time came when it just didn’t fit at all.
By now you know the story of how I landed in Roan Mountain, so I won’t bore you with that again, but this place truly feels like home. Like I’ve found my place in the world, found the life I’m meant to be living, and a sense of belonging that I’ve never felt anywhere else. Ever.
It’s all of you, the people here who’ve made me feel welcome. It’s the scenery, the history, the values. It’s the dirt that stains my feet while working in the garden, the way the light changes when the sun drops behind the mountain, the clean crisp air, the way mountain mist drifts across the face of a winter sun, and it’s cresting a hill to see layers of blue peaks stretching out to the horizon. It’s pulling on a worn flannel shirt before going to tend the chickens on a crisp fall morning, passing around a Mason jar when gathered with friends, running into folks I know and stopping to chat, and a comforting bowl of soup
beans from a recipe handed down for generations. It’s planting and preserving food by the signs, letting nothing go to waste, not throwing things (or people) out just because they’re old, and listening to the stories that everyone has to tell. It’s God and faith coming up in ordinary conversations, neighbors coming together in difficult times, sharing what you have with anyone who needs it more, and appreciation for creativity and handmade things. It’s legends, mystery, and music. It’s good manners, waving as you pass people on the road, and front porch sitting.
There’s no hammering or trying involved, it’s just my life. It’s just home.
I was driving down the holler the other day and a song came on the radio. It was a newer version of Take Me Home, Country Roads. I don’t know who sang it and it had a few other song lyrics mixed in, but it was the first time I’d heard or even thought of that song in decades. When I got home I listened to the original again. This time, rather than feeling a sense of longing or homesickness, it felt more like an anthem. Country roads did eventually take me home, to this place, where I belong.
Thank you all for making me feel at home here, in these Blue Ridge Mountains, that are indeed as magical as my younger self thought they might be.
See you 'round the Roan!
Amy Campbell Clark Editor amy@roanmountainmagazine.com
View at the end of my rainbow.
With deer hunting season right around the corner, excitement is building across our community. Whether you’re a veteran or heading out for your first hunt, being prepared can make the difference between a successful experience and a frustrating one. As a gunsmith, I’ve seen firsthand what hunters wish they’d packed—so here’s my shortlist of must-have gear and other tips for your next excursion.
Magnet Tool
It’s easy to drop small gun parts in the grass, leaves, or camp floor—especially when making quick repairs or cleaning. Packing a small, powerful magnet like the ones from Harbor Freight is a simple solution that can save time and prevent those dreaded “lost screw” or even a dropped plug or bolt in the snow moments. I have a few in stock in the gun shop.
Gun Repair Kit
Even the best-maintained firearms can develop issues under field conditions. A compact kit should include basic tools: screwdrivers sized for your rifle, spare screws, cleaning patches, oil, and a small multitool. Don’t forget a bore snake—these flexible cleaners are lightweight and effective for quick barrel cleaning after trudging through mud or rain.
First Aid Kit
Accidents can happen—a slip with a knife, a cut from barbed wire, or a mosquito bite that just won’t quit. Your kit should include bandages, antiseptic, tweezers, pain relievers, allergy medication, and supplies to treat blisters or minor burns. If you’re hunting in remote locations, consider a kit with items for treating more severe injuries and include a tourniquet. My personal go-to favorite to carry in my truck is the "Israeli Bandage" type dressing. This emergency compression bandage/tourniquet is sterile wrapped and designed to be opened with one hand and teeth and applied one-handed. Vital if severely injured.
Navigation Tools
Cell phones aren’t always reliable in the backcountry. Bring a map, compass, or a dedicated GPS device. Mark your starting point and prominent landmarks before you set out.
Weather Protection
Wear and pack layers—temperatures can shift quickly. A lightweight rain poncho and spare socks and spare gloves are worth the space in your bag.
Water and Food
Don’t underestimate the need for hydration and sustenance. Pack enough water for the day and energy bars or trail mix that won’t spoil.
Safety and Signaling Gear
Include a flashlight or headlamp (with spare batteries) and a whistle. These can be critical for signaling for help or finding your way back at dusk. An emergency survival blanket is also a cheap and
GUN TALK WITH JON
Happy Hunting!
By Captain Jon Strydom (aka African Jon)
lightweight preventive measure in case you get stuck for any reason. Less than $5 at Walmart.
Game Processing Supplies
If you’re lucky enough to score a deer, you’ll want sharp knives, gloves, and game bags for clean processing in the field.
Essential Documentation
Don’t forget your hunting license and any permits required for your area. Keep them dry and accessible.
Personal Comfort
A small seat cushion or folding chair can make long hours in a blind or on a stand much easier. Hand warmers are a nice bonus when temperatures drop.
Share Your Hunt Plan
Before heading out, always let someone know where you plan to hunt, your expected route, and what time you anticipate returning. If possible, provide a map or pin your location using a phone app. In remote areas, this simple step can be a lifesaver in case of emergencies or unexpected delays.
Gun Safety on the Move
Always practice firearm safety, not just during the hunt but while traveling to and from your stand or hunting area. Ensure your firearm is unloaded and pointed in a safe direction until you are ready to hunt. Use a secure sling or case for transport, and be mindful when crossing streams, deadfalls or ducking under a fence. More hunters are severely injured or worse while moving from place to place over in a hide or while stationary.
By reviewing your gear before heading out and thinking through practical needs, you’ll be better equipped for unexpected challenges and more likely to enjoy a safe, productive hunt. Remember, preparation is as much a part of successful hunting as skill and patience. Safe hunting!
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. dried pinto beans, rinsed and sorted
6 thick-cut, applewood-smoked bacon slices, chopped
1 medium (9 oz.) yellow onion, chopped (1 ¾ cups)
8 cups chicken stock
1 (2-lb.) ham bone
1 dried bay leaf
½ tsp. crushed (or ground) red pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
Optional:
1 large (10 oz.) red bell pepper, chopped (1 ¼ cups)
2 medium-size celery stalks, chopped (about ²/3 cup)
2 Tbsp. minced garlic (from 3 garlic cloves)
DIRECTIONS
Soup Beans
TASTE ROAN of the
Every family has their own variation of this local favorite comfort food, often handed down from earlier generations. This is a combination of multiple versions from local cooks. Give it a try and make it your own. But don't skip the cornbread! Enjoy!
▪ Place beans in a large bowl; add water to cover beans by 2 inches. Soak beans 8 hours or up to 12 hours. After soaking, drain and set aside.
▪ Heat a Dutch oven over medium. Add bacon; cook, stirring occasionally, until rendered and crispy, 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Do not wipe Dutch oven clean..
▪ Add onion (and pepper and celery if using) to drippings in Dutch oven. Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. If using garlic; add to pot and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
▪ Add soaked pinto beans, stock, ham bone, bay leaf, and crushed red pepper. Bring to boil on medium-high heat.
▪ Ccover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender but still retain their shape, about 2 hours. Uncover, stir in thyme and cook until liquid thickens slightly, about 30 minutes..
▪ Remove from heat, and ladel into bowls, garnish with reserved bacon.
Have a recipe to share? We might be able to include it in an upcoming issue. Ideally with seasonally available ingredients, and if you have a photo of the prepared dish, send that along too! amy@roanmountainmagazine.com
PEACE OF MIND WITH CHRIS
Pride Before the Fall
By Christopher Adams LCSW Licensed Therapist
The phrase "pride goes before a fall" suggests that excessive arrogance or self-importance leads to failure. Originating from Proverbs 16:18 in the Bible, it warns that pride can result in destruction. Pride involves self-exaltation, considering oneself (or one’s group) superior to others. We can see this in today’s society, where excessive admiration of certain individuals and groups is common. Yet no person or group deserves to be considered "special” or superior to anyone else. Celebrating oneself or one’s identity through pride is not only misguided but also harmful to oneself and society.
The increasing rates of depression and anxiety today often stem from prideful self-focus. One of the most effective ways to address these issues is to engage in acts of care and kindness toward others. Depression often involves struggles with past experiences, while anxiety is rooted in fears about the future. The connection between the two lies in this internal conflict. Helping others requires outward focus, which contrasts sharply with the internal battles of depression or anxiety. It becomes easier to set aside internal thoughts when one consciously concentrates on the needs of others.
By prioritizing the support and uplifting of others over personal interests, we can achieve positive outcomes. Helping others not only benefits our mental health but also deepens our relationship with God and those created in His image, often benefiting us just as much—if not more—than the recipients. Moving from feelings of anxiety and depression to caring for others involves replacing negative emotions with positive ones. Helping others brings joy to everyone involved. Similarly, expressing gratitude effectively counters selfimportance. By intentionally thanking God for our lives and blessings, we shift our focus from pride to humility. We all can become better versions of ourselves and enjoy improved mental health by focusing on the positive aspects of our lives.
In summary, effectively addressing anxiety and depression requires intentional and proactive practice of gratitude and helping others. Selfishness
and pride—whether personal or group-based—are destructive for both individuals and society. Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord [is] the beginning of wisdom,” highlights the importance of humility, which is the opposite of pride. I would be happy to help explore this topic or any other issues related to depression, anxiety, or addiction. Feel free to contact me at: 4yoursoulcare@gmail.com. I am offering 20% off cash pay rates to locals and those who mention this article.
Humbly yours, Chris
Dr. Heather Larson Behrmann, Esq. (757) 903-4410 www.behrmannlaw.com Roan Mountain (above the pharmacy)
In the world of conservation, wetlands are often one of our forgotten heroes. According to US Fish and Wildlife Services, there was a loss of approximately 670,000 acres of wetlands within the United Stated just between 2009 and 2019. This is an area approximately the size of Rhode Island. Wetlands are not only crucial for flood control, but 40% of all plants and animals use them for living or breeding. Within the world of wetlands, here at Roan Mountain State Park we have the opportunity to restore a rapidly declining habitat, the high elevation pond.
High elevation ponds are crucial to the biodiversity of our area offering a habitat unlike any other. There are many species of amphibians and insects that rely on these vanishing habitats to thrive. Here at RMSP, we have recorded 40 of the 155 Odonate species (the family consisting of dragonflies and damselflies) recorded in Tennessee. The two species that sparked the conversation of restoring the ponds were the Hagen's bluet damselfly and the American emerald dragonfly. Those two species were first sighted and recorded in Tennessee right here at the Miller Farmstead ponds! Hagen's bluet (Enallagma hageni) was found June 19, 2013, and American emerald (Cordulia shurtleffii) was found June 17, 2017, at that location.
Over time, through weathering storms, the dam holding the ponds together collapsed and the ponds were slowly filled with sediment and runoff from the mountains. This now muck-filled pond has lost
THE ROAN
Miller Farmstead Pond Project
By CeCe Studer Roan Mountain State Park
many of its beneficial properties resulting in less biodiversity at the site. We are very excited to announce the beginning of this project to not only restore a rare habitat that is rapidly disappearing, but we are also thrilled to be able to revive a once important feature to the historic Miller Farmstead.
Restoration of the Miller Farmstead ponds will be an ongoing process and we welcome locals and visitors to register for one of our many volunteer days to get a behind the scenes look. Once general construction has been completed, rangers and volunteers will install native plants to encourage local wildlife and support this native ecosystem. Additionally, we aim to continue this important research to track wildlife, like our once prevalent Odonata, to record the benefits that these natural habitats bring to Roan Mountain State Park.
Guests and future volunteers should keep a close eye on the Roan Mountain State Park Facebook page to stay up to date on current resource management projects that you can get involved with! Lastly, stay in touch with park programs offered, highlighting many of these important species and habitats around the park and see firsthand how vital they are to the success of our forests and waterways.
Sincere gratitude is extended to Ranger Marco Rodriguez for his efforts to conserve these rare habitats and vulnerable species and for his substantial input on this article.
Top: An American emerald dragonfly. Photo by Jim Johnson
This photo: Hagen's bluet damselfly. Photo by Josh Lincoln
Cloudland High School and Carter County Schools have committed to making mental health a priority. Cloudland High School is working towards training as many students and staff as possible in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA).
MHFA is an evidence-based, early-intervention course that teaches participants about mental health and substance use challenges. The course teaches adults how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges. Cloudland High School and Carter County Schools have put a great emphasis on the importance of teachers and school staff being MHFA trained. At Cloudland alone, over 75% of adults in the building are MHFA trained and they are working towards training as many students as possible in tMHFA.
Teen Mental Health First Aid is the same initiative as Mental Health First aid, but it teaches teens in grades 9-12, or ages 14-18, how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges in their friends and peers. The training gives teens the skills they need to have supportive conversations with their friends and emphasizes the importance of getting help from a responsible and trusted adult.
According to the MHFA website, young people often turn to each other when stressed or upset and try to help, sometimes taking on too much. This teen course teaches them they don’t have to take these problems on alone. The course discusses issues that some teens may find distressing, like school violence and suicide.
To date, Cloudland has trained a majority of students in 10th and 12th grades and many 9th graders are actively attending training sessions during their PE/ Wellness classes, with plans for the remaining 9th and 11th graders to take the course in the spring semester.
The courses are taught by Carter County Schools Director of Community Services Sonya Miller, Carter County Schools Mental Health Therapist Amber Sluder, and Carter County Schools Social Worker Jenny Jones.
Teen Mental Health First Aid
By Cloudland High School Yearbook Staff
RESOURCES
If you or someone you know needs immediate help, call 911.
National Helplines
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:
• Call or text 988
• Chat 988lifeline.org
• TTY users, use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988.
• Visit https://988lifeline.org/
Learn more about mental health problems Teens Health http://teenshealth.org/teen/your_mind
National Alliance on Mental Illness www.nami.org/Find-Support/Teens-and-Young-Adults National Institute of Mental Health https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/child-andadolescent-mental-health/index.shtml.
Learn more about Mental Health First Aid Mental Health First Aid USA www.MentalHealthFirstAid.org/
You can also encourage your teen to talk to their school mental health professional for additional information and support.
Top Left: Class in session Above: Current 12th graders who were trained last spring. Photos provided by CHS Yearbook Staff
Grandparents Day: A Tribute to Papaw Eddie and Mamaw Pat
Grandparents Day is celebrated each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. In honor of that, we’re so happy to share an essay written by Brayden Townsend, about his grandparents, Eddie and Pat Roark. The couple are much loved by not only their family, but also by many in our community. Eddie taught at Cloudland High School for 26 year.
Brayden is a very talented writer and has composed a thoughtful and moving tribute to these two, who’ve had such an impact on so many.
[Update: While preparing this issue for print, we were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Eddie Roark, on Tuesday, September 2. Our sincere condolences are extended to the family and all who loved him. He will be missed.]
By Brayden Townsend
Growing up, I was incredibly lucky to be surrounded by the warmth, wisdom and unconditional love of my grandparents. To me, they are more than just family, they are my heroes. Their influence has shaped who I am, taught me life’s most meaningful lessons and helped me discover what happiness truly consisted of.
My grandpa is truly one of the most naturally gifted storytellers and witty joke tellers I’ve ever been in the presence of. He has the ability to light up a room with his effortless humor and captivating charm. Whether he’s sharing a hilarious memory from his younger days or telling one of what seems like an unlimited supply of jokes, or even one of his legendary tales. He always knows just the right thing to say to brighten somebody’s day. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had a rough day, one conversation with him and you’ll find yourself laughing until your stomach hurts. He has shown me the tremendous power of laughter and its ability to heal, create connections, and even remind us not to get too caught up in what life throws at us. Even in tough situations, his humor has shown me that there is always something to smile about.
My grandmother, on the other hand, is one of the most genuine, caring and selfless people I’ll ever know. Her heart is always looking out for someone within her community. Whether she’s cooking a homemade meal for someone or letting people know she’s there for them and thinking about them. She also has a truly mesmerizing work ethic, approaching every task – no matter how big or small – with dedication, focus and care. Her ability to take on so many responsibilities with grace and determination is something I deeply admire. She has taught me that putting in hard work and doing your best goes beyond personal achievement; it’s a reflection of love and dedication shown through your actions.
Their version of heroism is the kind that often goes unnoticed by the world but leave a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to be around them. My grandparents have shown me what a truly meaningful life consists of. Whether it be how my grandpa makes everyone feel included with his humorous personality, or my grandma bringing a sense of peace and comfort through what seems to be her limitless care and generosity.
They’ve helped me understand that true happiness comes from moments of connection: laughing around the dinner table, sharing stories, or doing something kind for someone without expecting anything in return. Happiness, as they’ve shown me, often comes from everyday moments that we often take for granted.
When I face challenges or feel uncertain about my future, I’ll forever think of the steady, loving lives that my grandparents have led. They’ve been there for whoever needed them, day after day, no matter the conflicts or obstacles in their way. They’ve taught me the value of hard work, the power of perseverance, and the importance of family. I’ll carry their legacy whenever and wherever I can. I know that so much of who I am today is thanks to their boundless love, endless wisdom, and the example they’ve blessed me with.
Love,
Brayden Lynn Townsend
Brayden and Papaw Eddie. Photo provided by the Roark Family
Business Spotlight: Roan Mountain Pharmacy
By Ericka Hughes
Roan Mountain Pharmacy has been standing on Main Street since 1898, quietly serving as one of the town’s longest-running institutions. Step through its doors and you’ll hear the floorboards give a little beneath your feet, the counter is simple wood, and the building itself carries the weight of history. But beyond the modest setting, you’ll find something extraordinary: a pharmacy with state-of-the-art technology, decades of experience, and a team devoted to serving the people of this mountain community.
At the center of it all is pharmacist Jordon Baker, whose approach blends modern efficiency with an oldfashioned sense of care.
“In the early days, the pharmacy was owned by a medical doctor who was also a pharmacist,” Baker explains. “He cared for patients and personally filled their prescriptions. His medical license still hangs in the pharmacy today for anyone who’d like to see it. Carrying that history forward means a lot to me—I want to honor the pharmacists who came before me by continuing to provide excellent service and care. Even in 2025, with so many technological changes, I believe the role of the pharmacist remains vital.”
For Baker, pharmacy isn’t just a career—it’s a family effort. His sister Victoria manages the back-office operations, from software and billing, to employee benefits. His mother, Kandace, keeps the gift shop inviting and stocked, while also tending to the overthe-counter remedies. His father can often be found behind the scenes—swapping out display shelves, stocking supplies, or even driving deliveries when needed.
“It’s a true family effort,” Baker says. “Everyone plays an important role, and that’s part of what makes our pharmacy feel different. It’s not just a business—it’s something we all pour into together.”
Baker’s path to pharmacy began with a love of science. “In high school, a few chemistry classes really sparked my interest—I loved learning how medicine works to heal patients,” he recalls. “Chemistry, to me, explains how the world works, and I’ve always had a natural knack for it.” That curiosity eventually became a calling, one that has shaped his life and his vision for Roan Mountain Pharmacy.
That vision includes growth. Baker is currently overseeing the construction of a brand-new pharmacy on the site of the old tire shop. “I want to create a building that will outlive me and be an asset to the town—something that adds real value, utility, and quality of life for people in Roan Mountain,” he says. “The design, proportions, functionality, and sustainability all matter deeply to me. My goal is for it to be my best work yet in pharmacy design.”
Beyond Roan Mountain, Baker also supports locations in Gray and Bakersville, each led by pharmacists he considers his “franchise players.”
“Balancing two communities really comes down to having the right people,” he says. “We’re fortunate to have talented, committed team members in each location.”
Running multiple pharmacies comes with challenges, especially as operating costs rise. But Baker has found ways to adapt: “You can’t just pass those costs along in a small town. We’ve leveraged technology to improve efficiency, streamlined our processes, and focused on personalized service. In a rural community, trust and connection go a long way.”
Despite the growth and challenges, Baker remains grounded. “Healthcare has a way of keeping you humble—every day you’re reminded that people are facing challenges, pain, and adversity,” he says. “For me, having my health and peace of mind is more than enough. I enjoy the ‘game’ of business, but I’d walk away from it all if it came down to choosing between my health and wealth. Health is always number one.”
Looking ahead, his vision is simple but ambitious: “In the next five years, I want Roan Mountain Pharmacy to remain a trusted, essential part of the community while continuing to grow in both services and capabilities. Once the new building is complete, my focus will be on expanding what we offer—whether that’s new health services, enhanced technology, or additional conveniences for our patients.”
For Baker, though, it always comes back to the community of Roan Mountain itself.
“Roan Mountain isn’t just where I work—it’s home,” he says. “The people here have supported me, trusted me, and allowed me to be part of their lives in meaningful ways. This community has a spirit you can’t find just anywhere: it’s neighborly, resilient, and full of heart. Being able to serve here is both a privilege and a responsibility I take seriously. I want the town to know that I’m committed to giving my best to this place, because it’s given so much to me.”
In a world where many independent pharmacies have disappeared, Roan Mountain Pharmacy continues to thrive—not because of flashy storefronts or polished counters, but because of the steady, reliable care behind the counter. For more than a century, it has stood as a pillar of the community. Thanks to Jordon Baker and his family, it’s poised to remain one well into the future.
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Towers and Storms Do They Really Change the Weather?
Article and photo by Ericka Hughes
When a storm makes its way down the ridge, thunder talking back and lightning clawing at the sky, it’s easy to glance at the towers perched on our mountaintops and wonder if they play a part. Around here, where weather can turn from gentle rain to a hard-driving wind in minutes, it’s natural to ask: do towers affect storms? The truth is both simple and worth a closer look.
Lightning’s Favorite Target
Every storm has its marks. Up by the Roan, it’s often those steel-ribbed towers that catch the first strike. Their height makes them a natural lightning rod, sparing nearby barns, cabins, and homes. In that way, towers stand like sentinels—taking the brunt so we don’t. The flash may shake your nerves, but it’s a reminder that sometimes the tallest shoulders carry the heaviest blows.
Wind That Twists and Turns
Mountains already make the wind a trickster, curling and diving through hollers. Add a tower to the mix, and you’ll notice the air split and tumble on the far side. Rain may streak sideways, your hat may get snatched clean off, but it’s nothing more than the tower carving a little turbulence in the storm’s path. It doesn’t guide the storm—it just stirs it a bit where it stands.
Signals Against the Sky
Some folks reckon that all the buzzing energy from antennas could rile up a storm. Truth is, the power in one thundercloud dwarfs anything manmade. A tower’s signals might carry voices across the country, but compared to the raw force of thunder and lightning, it’s no more than a lantern against the sun.
Watching Over Us
The real gift towers give us during storms is information. Radar dishes, weather sensors, and repeaters help warn us when trouble is on the way. Out here, where a wall of rain can hide behind a ridge until it’s beating on your roof, that kind of early notice can be the difference between getting caught out or getting home safe.
What Stands True
So, do towers affect storms? Not in the way that shifts the clouds or bends the lightning. But they do shape the story of a storm: they draw the fire, stir the air, and stand tall enough to keep watch. In these mountains, where storms are as much a part of life as the rhododendrons in June, knowing how the land and its tall towers behave makes us just a little more weather-wise.
Roan Mountain Magazine Celebrating One Year
By Amy Campbell Clark
It’s hard to believe that one year ago, the first issue of Roan Mountain Magazine was published and distributed at local businesses. It’s been a year full of ups and downs, challenges, growth, learning, finetuning, as well as humor, here and there. And there’s sure to be more of all of that as we go forward.
We wanted to share some of the moments from this first year because all of you are part of it. This is your community magazine.
Waiting to Hear
The first issue of any publication is a challenge. Selling ads in a magazine that didn’t yet exist, deciding on the design elements, how many pages we could afford to print (32 at first), getting all the ads designed then deciding where to put them, deciding on the first articles, finding people to write and take pictures, proofreading, deciding how many copies to print and where to put them when printed. Then the agony of waiting to hear what people thought of it.
When those first comments started appearing on the Let’s Talk Roan Mountain Facebook page, we read them with a huge sigh of relief! You liked it! We couldn’t have been happier at the response from all of you! You shared posts, got the word out that it was available, gave copies to your family and friends, got in touch with us to share ideas, and nearly every issue was snapped up within days. Knowing that you enjoyed the magazine made all the uncertainty and effort so much more rewarding!
Skipping the Second Issue
As soon as the first issue was on counters, we got to work on October. Talked with more potential advertisers, started putting together articles and gathering photos, then had to pause as the news of Hurricane Helene’s approach reached us. Then everything came to a full stop.
In the days following Helene, we tried to get back on track, but it was difficult with our worlds turned upside down. And what would we publish? The planned fall and Halloween focused articles and try to give everyone a break from the devastation, or do we focus on the storm? Or do we not publish at all? What would advertisers think if we missed our second issue? But the decision made itself. At that point, none of the content we had planned was relevant anymore and everyone in our community, including magazine staff, had bigger things to deal with. It stung, knowing that
our first volume (the first year of a publication) would consist of 11 issues rather than 12, but it had to be. The Addition of Ericka
In January we dropped down to 24 pages due to the slower season with fewer article ideas, but we returned to 32 pages with the February issue, thanks in large part to Ericka Hughes joining the team.
Ericka’s addition is one of our most significant milestones in this first year. She’s such a talented writer and has a clear understanding of what the magazine is all about, she’s a joy to work with, and her writing skill has contributed greatly to this magazine being what it is today.
She jumped in with both feet and hasn’t looked back. Her first article was a music spotlight, which was perfect because I’d been wanting to find a way to include music, but hadn’t had time. She then took over the business spotlights as well as other features and articles. Then she started her Lessons in Life and Landscaping column in which she shares how she turns the challenges she faces at work into life lessons. Something we can all benefit from, and as usual, she proved talented and entertaining. But I was absolutely floored when she then sent me a poem for the June issue. Is there anything this young woman can’t do?
We’re thrilled to announce that as of this month, Ericka has accepted the position of Assistant Editor! In addition to her writing, she’ll also begin editing submissions and learning the production and publishing end of things. And one day, when I’m too senile to do this anymore, it’ll be her baby. Congratulations Ericka! You’re a Godsend!
Susie Joins the Team
Also in February, Susie Phillips joined us as an editorial assistant. She took over proofreading and began helping with distribution, which was a huge help in easing workloads. Just a couple months later, she also took over advertising sales. With her background in fundraising it was a natural fit and another huge load off my plate. Her efforts were directly responsible for us being able to increase the page count to 40 pages in May, issue number eight. (Something I wasn’t able to do with my previous magazine in over eight years of publishing.)
Susie also serves as a sounding board for ideas, and frequently asks, “Is there anything I can do to help?” She’s a great team player and a great friend.
Peace of Mind
In talking with people after the flood, I noticed how everyone downplayed both their efforts at helping others and the damage to their own homes, property and businesses. While being humble is a laudable
trait, it can also be dangerous when taken too far. We, both as individuals and as a community, dealt with a devastating event, and it doesn’t matter if your neighbor’s damage was worse than yours; if Helene impacted your life, it was still a blow. Brushing it off isn’t healthy. When Chris Adams asked me if he could write an article about recovering from a disaster, I jumped at it and asked him to make it a regular column. I sincerely hope you all read the guidance he shares each month, much of which is based in faith. But a funny side note. Our communications were all over the phone and email, so we hadn’t met in person, though I had seen his picture. Then one morning a couple months later, I was at Smoky Mountain Bakers dropping off magazines and in walked a familiar face, though I wasn’t sure at first how I knew him. Then it clicked and I introduced myself and met Chris and his wife, Ellie. Another reason I love living in a small town. Typos!
Although Susie does a great job of proofreading and usually catches my mistakes, there are times when I can’t get pages to her. Such as when I’m working late into the night in order to meet deadline. The last page I do for each issue is the Table of Contents so that one gets missed frequently. I try, but when I’m bleary-eyed, I tend to see what I think I wrote, rather than what I actually did. Such was the case when, for months, Chris’s column was listed on the masthead as “Peace of Mind with Christ.” But apparently none of you were paying attention either, because no one said a word!
And then there was Renee Russell’s Resilient Roan stories, which stayed on the Table of Contents list for several issues as Resilient Road.
I’m sure there have been others. If you spot typos please feel free to let me know! Then I can at least fix it in the digital issue.
Conquering Social Media
I put a request in the June issue for help managing our social media and Colleen Gainey reached out to me. As a small business owner (our very own Tupperware dealer!) with a background in marketing, not to mention her patience with me, she was a prayer answered. Our Facebook page quickly began growing thanks to her efforts and we’re all grateful! She developed and implemented a plan to keep the page active and entertaining for all of you, promote our advertisers, and keep you informed of updates. Since she’s joined the team, our followers have increased from around 300 to well over 500, at print time, and that number gets larger every week. She’s a wealth of ideas and a great sounding board as well. If you get time, check out the page and add your thoughts and comments to her posts!
The Grace Place
In a community where one of the first questions asked when meeting someone new is, “Where do you go to church?” and where saying the blessing before meals, even in restaurants, is commonplace, faith has
to play a significant role in our community magazine as well.
The original plan for The Grace Place was to have a message, news from local churches, a bible verse of the month, and a prayer list. But that was a lot for Noah to take on with a full time job, young children, and his own pastoral duties, so I asked him to just write the message each month until I could make the rest of it happen.
Then I stumbled across a post on a local Facebook Page from Hillbilly Theology and sent a message. Hunter Greene got back to me, we talked, and he loved the idea. The only hiccup was that I wanted to launch the new Grace Place in the September anniversary issue and Hunter was getting married in mid-August. But he pulled it off!
When I told Noah, his response was, “Hunter is an amazing talent! I was hoping it was him when you mentioned Hunter in a previous email. His material has always been great!”
We hope you enjoy it. Please ask your own pastors to get in touch with us with news, events, and more.
Fun for ALL Ages
With all the young families in the area, we wanted something our younger readers could enjoy and so created “The Kid’s Page” in the second issue. The word search is created in-house and we try to make the artwork and theme reflect the season.
But after a number of adults in the community shared how much they enjoyed the puzzles and even coloring the picture, we decided to drop “kid’s” and just call it The Fun Page. Approved by all ages!
Commitment
The first time I met Jordon Baker was when I delivered magazines to the pharmacy. He told me how much he enjoyed the magazine and said, “As long the magazine is being published, Roan Mountain Pharmacy will advertise.” What a tremendous show of support for not only the magazine, but our community! Thank you, Jordon, for all you do!
Distribution Humor
My son, Jay, began helping with magazine delivery in July, and took over local delivery completely in August. The first couple times, I went along with him. I’d told him that it would likely take him two days. After the end of the second day, he told me, “Mom, distribution won’t take me nearly as long as it takes you. I won’t need to spend a half hour talking or shopping at every stop!” And he was right. He’s always friendly and willing to chat, but he’s much faster, which means you get the magazines sooner!
We have a lot more great content lined up for you each month as we go forward and we always love to hear your ideas, your feedback, and your comments. Please always feel free to reach out to us!
Thank you all for a great first year!
Meet the Team: Magazine Staff::
Noah Blair – The Last Word Columnist and Sportswriter
Noah is a born and raised Roan Mountaineer. His family has called Roan Mountain home for over four generations, and with his wife (Kalee), their son (Tytan), and daughter (Brynlee) make it five. He works in sales for Terminix pest control and pastors the Roan Mountain Free Holiness Church. He enjoys the outdoors, to include hunting and fishing, and is a Tennessee Titan and Alabama football fan, but his favorite thing is being a dad and husband to his family. He's always enjoyed storytelling (thanks to his grandfather Ray Blair) and writing gives him that ability.
Diana Tolley – Short Story Author Diana attended Cloudland Elementary until 3rd grade when her parents, Lou Ella and Leroy Stockton, moved the family to Tucson, Ariz. They later returned and Diana graduated from Hampton High School. After marriage to husband David, they moved to Cove Creek and raised their kids, Robert and Rebekah, who both graduated from Cloudland. She's been an LPN for 41 years and was later hired as a school nurse at Cloudland, where she’s taken care of kids for 26 years. Diana has written short stories for 10 years under a pseudonym. In December, she took a deep breath and submitted her first story to this magazine.
Faith Lynn - Staff Photographer Faith moved here in 2018 from Crystal River Fla,. where she lived for over 20 years with her sons Greg, William, Jack, and Joe, and her husband. After her husband passed away, she needed to learn independence and found wandering the mountains s a healing experience. Faith also found photography a healing endeavor, taking pictures of what she calls “shiny things” that catch her eye and make her smile. She also enjoys learning new skills, cars, and volunteering at Foscoe Home Team, a non-profit helping people impacted by Hurricane Helene. She makes regular trips to spend time with her boys, now grown but will always be her heart.
Ericka Hughes – Assistant Editor Ericka is a proud local with deep roots here. She’s the daughter of Marsha Winters and Milburn Hughes, granddaughter of Richard and Donna Winters. She enjoys hiking, reading, or rock hounding in search of quartz. Her constant companion is Banjo, her German shepherd, who’s always ready for the next adventure. Her love of writing began in third grade when she first realized a pencil and paper could hold entire worlds. This grew into a love of storytelling and poetry, and has become her passion. With the magazine, she enjoys sharing stories that honor the people, history, and beauty of this place she loves. She has also been working on a novel.
Captain Jon Strydom – Gun Talk Columnist Growing up in a small farm village in South Africa, Jon enjoyed the bush and tried to avoid cities, but a career in counterterrorism pushed him there. He later changed gears, going back to his beloved bush to run his Overlander Safari company, catching wild animals for the San Diego Zoo or crocodiles for the leather industry. Later, he took to the sea as a charter captain/owner. On one trip he met and clicked with a charter guest. He and Angela have now been married for eight years. Two years ago, the couple made the move Roan Mountain home where he opened his gunsmithing business. Jon swears he'll never move again.
Susie Phillips – Advertising Director Susie retired here in 2019, from Columbia, S.C. with husband Kevin, after their son attended ETSU then married his college sweetheart and stayed. Susie loves the mild weather, the views, slower pace of life, and the people. She also enjoys being a part of the magazine and her background in fundraising for organizations that help special needs kids is a natural fit for selling advertising. She also enjoys spending time with her sons, Austin, Matthew and Mike, going out to listen to live local music, cooking, and reading. Susie has found her church home at Magill and loves the feeling of family and community spirit there.
Christopher Adams – Peace of Mind Columnist Chris believes God called he and his wife, Ellie here. The area is everything the west lacked: natural beauty, climate, solid values, and residents with a deep-seated faith in God that matches his own. Although they’ve been here less than a year, and miss their daughter, Isabella, it already feels like home. They recently adopted a rescue dog, Zeke, who has added joy to their lives. They now walk or hike daily, inspired by Zeke. The beauty they see reminds them of God’s grace and all that makes this area special. Chris is grateful to work as a therapist, supporting teens, adults, and couples seeking better mental health.
Reverend Hunter Greene – The Grace Place Columnist Hunter began preaching at 16, in small churches and local revivals; at 19, he was ordained and became associate pastor of Harmony FWB. He attended Milligan College and received a B.A. in political science and humanities, with minors in history and Bible studies. He later earned his Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School, graduating in 2022. He enjoys time with his new wife, Lauren, and their dog, Ollie, reading, playing basketball, cheering on the Vols, and writing for his blog, Hillbilly Theology. At heart, he’s just a Baptist hillbilly preacher who loves Christ, people, and the mountains.
CeCe Studer – News from the Roan Columnist CeCe worked for over 30 years as a legal secretary before coming to Roan Mountain State Park, where she’s responsible for merchandising their camp store. Once their youngest child graduated, CeCe and her husband, Mike, sold everything to live fulltime in their RV. They’ve traveled to over 35 states before finally calling Tennessee home. CeCe loves spending time with Mike, her two mini dachshunds, and friends. She also likes to quilt, sew, hike, and kayak. She looks forward to many visits from her children; they love it here as well! CeCe enjoys sharing what her new workplace has to offer and hopes you all visit soon!
Jay Rich – Distribution Manager
While visiting his mom for the holidays last year, Jay fell in love with this place and knew it was where he wanted to live. He feels a sense of peace and community here that he’s not found before. Jay works for Chuck Cabe as a helper and has joined the magazine as distribution manager. Jay and his partner, Karen, hope to open a general store to provide an outlet for local creators to sell their goods. He thrives when able to help others and sees this as a way to provide a beneficial service to the community. Jay enjoys playing with his dog, Tango, building blocks, exploring, telling corny jokes, and Sunday evenings with his mama for supper and a movie.
Colleen Gainey – Social Media Manager
Colleen was a military brat and has lived all over. When living in Colorado, she fell in love with the mountains and couldn't wait to return. Her dream was realized in February when she and her husband, James, sold almost everything they owned and bought property here. She’s mother of eight and grandma of six, loves cooking, eating new foods and traveling, though travel plans are on hold as they work on their property, prepping to build their forever home. Colleen is completely in love with the community of Roan Mountain and jumped at the chance to be a part of a magazine she loved reading.
Amy Thurman – Publisher/Editor Amy moved here wanting a quiet life on the side of a mountain, tending her gardens and chickens and working on a novel. But God had other plans and that novel was soon replaced with this magazine. She’s written professionally since 2001 and has a side gig helping small businesses grow. But this magazine is her passion, giving her a sense of purpose and of being part of this community she loves and considers her forever home. Amy has three grown kids (including Jay), and four grands. She lives up a holler with her German shepherd, Remington, and two terrorist cats, enjoys exploring, trying new recipes, reading, and tinkering.
Please visit our Facebook page where Colleen will feature each team member this month and share more about them.
Thank you, Advertisers!
We started our first issue with 15 ads. A few have come and gone, but the majority stuck with us and a year later, we’ve more than doubled that, with 33 ads at print time. These local businesses have allowed us to bring this magazine to you each month and it wouldn’t exist without them. Some don’t necessarily need to advertise but do so simply to support the magazine, while others have reported an increase in new business as a result of their ads. Regardless of their reasons, we’re grateful for their continued support! Thank you, all! Readers, please show your support by shopping with them and mentioning that you saw their ad in Roan Mountain Magazine. If you’re looking for a product or service, we also have a list of current advertisers on the home page of our website that’s updated monthly.
www.roanmountainmagazine.com
Original advertisers (with us since the first issue) are outlined in blue. Those with “welcome” are new in this issue. In alphabetical order:
MacFaden Guitars Ad on page 37 Welcome!
Mountain Harbour Ad on page 16
NAPA Auto Parts Ad on page 20 NCCU Ad on page 3
Plumbers Hardware Ad on page 20
R & R Bee Station Ad on page 30
Roan Mountain Animal Hospital Ad on page 22
Roan Mountain B & B
Roan Mountain B&B Ad on page 30
Roan Mountain Dental Ad on page 12
Roan Mountain Medical Center Ad on page 4
Roan Mountain Pharmacy Ad on page 12
Roan Mountain Soap & Candles Ad on page 16
Southern Appalachian Motorsports Ad on page 20 Stonewalls Restaurant Ad on page 48
The Appalachian Station at 19E Ad on page 37
Barn at Triple J Farm The Hair Shop Ad on page 16 Welcome! Roan Mountain Tire Express Ad on page 14
Barn at Triple J Farm Ad on page 30
Unrecognizable
A Poem by
Jonah Hilmon
The Pegleg, an area that closes at dark
Stable place of Roan Mountain State Park - at least to me
Oh, how you were a place of leisure!
Perfect spot to fish, deep enough to swim
But on this day-
You are foreign.
All around, trees are bare
Their leaves struggle to hold on Branches and twigs all over
The creek – runs softly, reeling from the recent rapids
Rocks, roots all displaced, And run over.
Everything – alien
Bird chirps for a moment, then stops
Does it remember the terror of the flood?
Walking down the bank – I see the remains
Trash, rocks and possessions
Broken pallet, flayed rug, lonely solar light cap.
The creek – still calm
But just about a week ago it was raging Wrathful, invading waters looting all.
Getting up, I wander
Metal sign tells me – “Please clean up after your dog”
Holding out small plastic bags as if to mock me.
What about the ruins? The trash-
Stolen possessions?
You need cleaning up, Pegleg.
Finding some trails – made by the raging water
As if the floods wanted me to follow
Its destruction, its handiwork.
Why did you wash over?
Oh, Pegleg, you are alien to me!
But it's not your fault.
You need cleaning up, restoring. Everywhere does.
Hurricane Season
A Poem by
Ericka Hughes
The skies flicker in colors never seen, Northern lights where they shouldn’t have been,
A warning etched in the dance of light, As the poles tilt further into night.
The winds roar loud in a twisted song, Hurricanes spinning, more frequent, more strong,
Their hunger swallowing coastlines whole, Leaving behind only silence and cold.
In the forests, the animals run, Fleeing from places they once called home.
They follow the heat, the rising tides, A planet's pulse that no longer hides.
Storms speak in tongues, whispering doom, tornadoes carving paths through quiet rooms,
They tear at the heart of what once stood, turning the familiar into driftwood.
What once was steady, now unwinds, A planet shifting before our eyes.
And in the glow of a distant flame, We see our world, no longer the same.
Hurricane Helene
One Year Later, Still Roan Mountain Strong!
Our community was dealt a heavy blow last September 27, with the arrival of Hurricane Helene. We had little advance notice or time to prepare, and the damage to our community was extensive. Not as bad as some areas, and worse than others, but it was still a challenge for many of us.
And yet, we’re still here.
For some, lives have returned to normal, for others things have changed dramatically, and others are still working to get back to normal. But we’re still here, and we’re still Roan Mountain Strong.
In this section, we've collected some uplifting recovery stories. Proof that we weren't defeated.
Faith After the Flood
By Renee Russell
So many here in Roan Mountain were affected by Hurricane Helene and St. John’s Free Will Baptist Church was hit hard. But this isn’t a story about the devastation of the church and fellowship hall. Rather, it’s about the blessings that came about in God-led miracles. This is a story of the Lord showering help and materials on this congregation.
Reverend Richard Sheppard, Sr., was shocked by the level of destruction. “That first day back to the church after the flood, I remember feeling completely overwhelmed, but through prayer, I refocused my attention on figuring out a plan for St. John’s. I knew the Lord was with us, and would bring us through this.”
He decided against building a new church on different property. “This church, that was first established in 1910, has been an integral part of Roan Mountain, and here it will stay.”
The following day in the church, he noticed a framed picture of his wife, Jane, on the muddy floor. He set it upright. “My smiling wife was saying to me that everything would be alright. Her picture filled me with hope.”
The water level inside was over six feet, with mud four to five inches deep. It was clear that the pews and pulpit would need to be replaced, as would the flooring and water-soaked walls. The piano was flipped on its side and destroyed, ruined song hymnals were strewn all over the floor, the refrigerator was found on top of a counter top, and sheet rock and insulation were completely ruined, as well. Almost everything in both buildings was affected or destroyed. The damage outside of the church was also devastating. Mud was
everywhere.
But that’s where this all takes a completely different turn. The Blessings! It started with how quickly volunteers arrived to assist. Reverend Sheppard was in awe of how God immediately provided so much help. The Reverend and congregation were grateful to learn that a water mitigation company would not be required due to all of the volunteers who arrived. Cloudland High School teachers and students (including the football team) helped with the sheet rock. At least 25 people were showing up everyday to assist. For several days, World Central Kitchen delivered meals to all who were assisting at the church.
Pleasant Beach Baptist Church in Elizabethton came to help and brought materials and donated funds. Families First Ministries also showed up, as did CCS who brought materials, and throughout the renovation, continued to help.
The Roan Mountain Volunteer Fire Department washed mud from the parking lot. Samuel Ellison from Kingsport, and his brother, installed a new heat system in the fellowship hall. High Tower Tabernacle located in Johnson City was there to assist, and a couple from Knoxville arrived to pressure-wash.
A group from Kingsport came to help with plumbing, and Logan Ingram also assisted with this. Kel Smith replaced the stove and refrigerator in the fellowship hall, and Ms. Deborah Coggins provided a new microwave and dishwasher. Elk View Baptist Church (located in Charles, West Virginia) brought chairs and tables for the fellowship hall and Gray First Baptist Church donated a piano. A retired pastor from Knoxville named Robert Morgan and his sister, Anne, posted an article about the situation on Facebook that resulted in many donations pouring into St. Johns. There was a group of Mennonites who came from Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Oklahoma during the first week after the flood to assist.
A group of young people from the Tri-Cities area contacted the Reverend stating they had a tractor and trailer they would bring to help. The tractor was then used to take the pews apart and remove them from the building. Two men from South Carolina purchased and installed a new mini-split for the church. Two ladies from Knoxville who owned a bicycle shop in Elizabethton came to help on weekends.
The renovation was moving along with even more volunteers arriving to assist, including Nick from
High Tower Tabernacle who called former Red Sox Coach Tim Gardner, Charles Shuler and his son, Chris, (another coach from Ohio State) to see if and how they could assist. The coaches requested a list of the church’s needs, and provided many of those items. Assistance to the church also included some local businesses. “Lowe’s Home Improvement has been a blessing and went above and beyond to ease our church’s burdens,” Reverend Sheppard said. Plumbers Hardware helped, and The Snack Shack prepared many meals for volunteers without charging a penny. Hunts Pizza and Highlanders BBQ gave St. John’s helpers discounts on meals, as well.
Cloudland Elementary School also reached out to St. John’s to offer the congregation space to hold church services for as long as they needed. This was greatly appreciated and some services were held there before returning to St. John’s.
One story that held a very special place in Reverend Sheppard’s heart involved an envelope that he found under the church door. On the outside was written, “God bless you.” and it held $1.37. This truly touched him, as he knew it was from someone who was most likely struggling from the storm as well.
Nothing went to waste. Items donated that couldn’t be used were handed on to other local churches that were damaged by Helene.
Reverend Sheppard wishes he had the words to adequately express his gratitude to everyone who assisted with contributions and assistance. His closing comment was, “You can’t outgive God!”
God bless St. John’s Free Will Baptist Church.
A Century and a Year
By Amy Campbell Clark, Photos by Herman Boone
The little green house at the corner of Main and Stratton has been in the Boone family since James and Loretta Boone built it in 1924. One hundred years later, Hurricane Helene came close to washing it way. Close, but not quite.
“We thought about not restoring it, but my dad lived here all his life and we grew up here,” said Herman Boone, referring to his five siblings, and their parents, John and Irabelle. “We couldn’t just let it go.”
When the floodwaters rose, Herman’s brother, Jim, was living there. Jim has MS and wasn’t getting around well, but his brother Steve, with the help of others, was able to get him out, safe and sound, before he could be trapped inside. Although the family was relieved their brother was safe, it was still troubling to see their family home so devastated. The water inside reached a height of 42 inches, the brick wall at the left front corner of the house was entirely washed away, the back wall was blown out, and the entire structure had to be gutted down to the studs.
The Boones have had help. Jim hired high school students to help with the mucking out, Mennonite volunteers were there for around a month doing framing, and installing windows and insulation, and of course family and friends have helped as well. The work isn’t done yet, but Jim is determined to have the work completed by September 27, one year after Helene.
After restorations were complete.
When asked if he could see any positives to come out of this, Jim said it was an opportunity to remodel the whole house. Part of which is being restored to the way it was when his grandparents built it, with high ceilings and the original porches. That house has stood there for longer than many residents have been alive and now it’s getting a new lease on life. A piece of Roan Mountain history is being restored to glory.
St. John's during the flood, with the high water mark visible.
Photo by Drew Miller
Photo provided by St. John's FWB Church
Built Back Better
By Amy Campbell Clark, Photos provided by MacFaden Guitars
Dan Hubbard, owner of MacFaden Guitars was a carpenter by trade, specializing in cabinetry and custom built-in work. He also enjoyed working on guitars in his spare time in his home office, then later as the sideline grew into a small business, he converted half of his garage to a full-scale workshop. When Helene dropped five large trees on the garage, destroying the structure and his workshop along with it, as well as two cars, Dan and his wife, Christine, had to decide whether or not to keep his dream alive. The damage was daunting and the business would have to remain closed while repairs were made, but they decided not to give up, to rebuild and keep the dream alive.
Dan made a list of customers willing to wait for their repairs, then got to work. They used Facebook, Google and their website www. macfadenguitars.net to communicate with customers and potential customers through the winter while work was underway. There was some insurance, but much of the help came from family, friends and neighbors as well as Jehovah’s Witness congregations.
“We had many volunteers to help us get back on our feet,” Dan said.
The couple decided to add a second floor over the garage. This addition allowed for a larger and more efficient workspace, room for new builds, retail space, and a more comfortable experience for clients. It took seven months, but after working through the winter, MacFaden Guitars held a grand reopening in April with guitar string giveaways and a fun jam session.
“This time we were able to have a sales space that includes instrument care products, strings, straps and accessories. We also try to have a few select guitars for sale. This is truly unlike any other guitar shop. We have a couch and amplifiers so you can sit down and play your guitar while enjoying free coffee, water and snacks. I’m the only guitar tech in the shop, assuring that each instrument as well as each customer gets the time and attention that they need.”
Top: Five trees fell on the garage where Dan had his guitar shop.
Above: Adding a second story to the garage allowed for more space to work and for client amenities.
Left: Dan and Christine
Faith, Hope and Hay
By Amy Campbell Clark, Photos by Drew Miller
You might recall seeing flood-soaked hay bales piled along the roadside on the east end of town in the days following the flood that resulted from Hurricane Helene. If you’re not a farmer, the implication of all that lost hay might not be readily apparent, but for Drew and Ashley Miller, of Miller Farms, it was devastating. They lost 186 round bales, which made up at least half of the winter feed for their cattle, as well as about 11,000 feet of fencing needed to contain their herd.
Miller Farms is a third-generation cattle farm that sells direct-to-consumer freezer beef; at the time of the flood they had nearly 40 cows, many with calves. The couple took over the operation from Drew’s parents, Danny and Joanna Miller, in 2019, but this was a blow he didn’t think they could recover from. Without enough feed to get through the winter and all the damaged fencing, the only solution seemed to be selling the cattle, which would essentially mean there would be no farm.
But Ashley refused to give up, telling Drew, “God will provide.”
“She had a lot more faith than I did,” Drew admitted. Ashley proved right. God did provide, in the form of help from family, friends and total strangers. A 15man crew of volunteers from western Kentucky drove over five hours and got to work rebuilding fences, and tractor trailers from Jonesville, Va., arrived with 160 round bales of hay. Miller Farms was saved.
Now, a year later, there’s still work to be done. More clean-up to do, and half of the fencing still needs to be repaired or replaced, but the Millers are making do and fixing as they can.
In spite of it all, Drew considers them luckier than many. In other flooded areas, topsoil is mostly gone. “Without soil, you’ve got nothing to start back from. We have soil. We’ll grow more hay.”
And even in the thick of a disaster, miracles happen. Three days after the hurricane, one of the Miller’s cows gave birth to a healthy bull calf. “There is always hope, even when your world is falling apart,” Drew said.
To purchase locally raised beef from Miller Farms, visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ millerfarmsroanmtn.
We would like to hear your own Hurricane Helene recovery stories. We’ll compile them and depending on how many we receive, we’ll determine how to publish and share them, as part of the history of our community. Please send them to us at amy@ roanmountainmagazine.com. Don’t worry about your writing skills, just tell your story. If you need help, we’ll send someone to talk with you and write it down for you.
Flood contaminated hay.
The miracle of new life, only days after devastation.
God and Virginia farmers provided hay.
The wonderful crew from Kentucky who mended fences.
Highlander Football: An Interview with Coach Benfield
By Noah Blair
September means the beginning of fall and all the season has to offer, and the return of Football is one of the highlights of Autumn. I got the opportunity to interview our very own Cloudland High School’s Head Football Coach, Zac Benfield, to discuss the season and get his thoughts on what we, as a community, can look forward to on Friday nights this fall on Orr Field.
Roan Mountain Magazine: What are you most excited about this season?
Zac Benfield: I’m most excited to see the hard work that the kids put in during the off-season displayed on the field. We had some guys really buy into the weight room, and I can’t wait to see them reap the success from their hard work.
RMM: What makes this team different than the teams you have coached before?
ZB: This year our backs have a lot of experience on both sides of the football. Other years we have guys in positions new to them or new to the game in general but this year every guy in our offensive and defensive backfields is experienced and confident in their positions. I believe this will help us play faster and will help the team a lot.
RMM: What position group has come the farthest through fall camp so far?
ZB: I would have to say our linemen, the big men up front are really starting to gel together and have made strides since the summer. One of those linemen, Gabe Barnett has made tremendous improvements to his game since July and he should have a big year for us. Our QB Bryce Birchfield has also sharpened his skill set throwing the ball as well.
RMM: From what you’ve seen so far in fall camp, who should we be looking to have a breakout year for the team this year?
ZB: Two guys stand out who are primed to have big years for us, Tristen Hoss and Grayson Cole.
RMM: What’s the one thing you want the community to know about your program and team?
ZB: These young men work really hard day in and day out in practice to get better and are passionate about being the best they can be. Their fight and desire to win ball games is strong and they are doing all they can to win on Fridays. The majority of our guys play all three facets of the game (Offense, Defense, and Special Teams) with little to no break, they don’t complain and
keep fighting. On top of all of that, they are quality young men who are genuinely good kids and I couldn’t be more proud to be the coach of this team. We have come a long way from July and we are excited to get out there on the field this fall.
As a former Highlander and someone who played for Coach Benfield, I think it’s important to remember that no matter how the season may go, the young men and coaches on the field work really hard to win and make the community proud. They practice and play through the heat, rain, and snow to field a team that the players, coaches, and community can be proud of. I say this because we sometimes allow the pursuit of winning to cloud the reality that these are young men giving their time and energy to play a game that will teach them about life and develop character that will last longer than the memory of any touchdown would. When the game isn’t going the way we would like or the team isn’t performing well, remember that these young men don’t go out there with the intent of losing and have put way more into it than the fans ever will. I also played with many of the coaches on the staff and I can’t think of anyone better to lead our Highlanders on Friday nights.
If you are free on a Friday night, go catch the game and help us cheer on our 2025-2026 Cloudland Highlanders!
by
Photo
Andrew Smith
GRACE PLACE THE
By Reverend Hunter Greene
Photos by Faith Lynn
Grace is one of those things that you know it when you see it – or better yet, when you feel it. Grace is a chorus of birds singing every morning when the sun rises. It’s the rolling hills and mountains we behold after reaching the top of a long hike. It’s the drop in our shoulders and deep breath when our loved ones return home from a journey. It’s the wagging tails and uncontrollable excitement of our dogs when we come home from work.
I like to think of grace as those moments when we recognize that God has met us right where we are –talking to us in a familiar language we understand and in ways our souls recognize as good. In essence, grace describes our awareness that God has entered into our time and our place and has shown Himself to be present with us. Grace, then, is simply all the billions of ways that God shows us just how much we are loved and adored.
For a magazine covering Roan Mountain, I can hardly think of a better name for this column than “The Grace Place.” Few places in all the world contain as much beauty – as much grace – as our home here in these mountains. My intention is not to use this space each month to argue that we must beg for God’s
attention and presence in our lives but rather that God is already abundantly present here — we just need eyes to see Him and ears to hear Him.
God is already at work in our community and in our churches, and just as this is a space for me to reflect on the love and grace of God, it is also a space for all of us to share how God is moving in our lives through our local church’s info, upcoming church events, and prayer requests. My hope for The Grace Place is that it will become a space where we can all share how we’ve seen and participated in God’s grace each month.
By way of personal introduction, let me just say how excited I am to be writing locally again for the fine folks of east Tenn., and western N.C. I was born and raised right here in Carter County. My family tree hails from Roan Mountain and Stoney Creek, and I’ve also spent considerable time in Elizabethton as a graduate of Elizabethton High.
I attended Milligan College where I graduated with B.A.s in Political Science and Humanities while minoring in Bible and History. During that time, I was also the associate pastor of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church. I consider my time as a student, basketball player, and pastor one of the great joys of my life, but pastoring certainly takes the cake as the most rewarding.
After Milligan, I attended Duke Divinity School and received my Master of Divinity with a concentration in Faith-based Organizing and Social Transformation. Since graduating seminary, I have mostly worked in nonprofit organizations that advocate for and organize with low-income communities to eradicate poverty and overcome economic disparities.
In my free time, I love hanging with my wife, Lauren, and our dog, Ollie, as well as playing basketball, reading, and watching my Vols. I also love to write – and do so frequently as the founder of Hillbilly Theology, my personal blog.
At heart, I'm just a Baptist, hillbilly preacher who loves Christ, people, and the mountains. You can expect my reflecting and my writing to highlight the God-given joy, beauty, and grace that radiate from all three.
May the Lord bless you and keep you until we meet again!
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth … From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for Larry Hicks and his family as he battles with cancer.
Please pray for the family and friends of Eddie Roark as they grieve his passing.
Upcoming Events
Israel Day
September 16, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
First Baptist Church of Roan Mountain
We are thrilled to host the Israel Day Project. A team from Israel and East Tennessee will be bring incredible technology to give participants a virtual reality tour of Israel. They will also prepare an authentic Mediterranean dish for us to taste and we will have worship led by a worship leader from Israel.
• Spots are limited to 100 people so registration is required.
• There is a non-refundable fee of $75 per person which goes directly to the team to cover their costs.
• This is open to anyone aged 10 and up.
• Register on the FBC website at fbcroanmountain. com
Please send all general inquiries, church information, upcoming church events, and special prayer requests to Hunter at hillbillytheology@gmail.com.
Check out Hunter's Hillbilly Theology site: hillbillytheology.com/ (Linktree: https://linktr.ee/hillbillytheology )
September Events
Lower Shell Creek Christian Church
13, 8:30 a.m. - Men's Breakfast 20, 8:30 a.m. - Church Cleaning Day 21, 5:00 p.m. Fall Kickoff/Color Wars (wear a white shirt)
26, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Food Distribution 28, (time TBA) Community Hot Dog Cookout/Youth Campfire Worship
Dreaming Skyward
She laid quietly, watching the stars in the big ol’ East Tennessee sky. Millions of them twinkled like tiny jewels in a big fancy crown. Lydia Townsend lay on top of the hill behind her house, wrapped up in an old quilt Mama had given her a while back. Although it didn’t do much for keeping the dew at bay, it sure helped keep the grass from itching her arms and legs.
The young girl sighed at the magnificent view overhead. She never got tired of watching the sky and all the secrets it held. Secrets like fireballs that occasionally shot through the sky and the way some stars changed positions as the seasons changed. Now that summer was quickly coming to a close and fall was knocking on the door, she reckoned the sky would be showing off some too. As the nights grew cooler, Lydia remembered that the air somehow seemed more clear, so that everything up above got brighter. There was a proper name for that, but she couldn’t remember it at the moment.
Lydia loved fall, even though it meant she had to go back to school and bedtime came earlier. But the nights would gradually get longer and the days much shorter, which meant she’d be able to sky-watch for at least another hour or two. Until Mama decided it was too cold outside; then she’d have to make do with looking out the bedroom window upstairs.
Most of the family knew about Lydia’s love for the stars and the sky, and didn’t give her too much of a hard time about it. Her two older brothers did call her “Mooney,” all because they said she “mooned around,” always looking up. And Granny Delia sure always said she’d never get anywhere if she didn’t get her head outta the clouds. She’d also added that keeping her
feet on the ground would be what took Lydia places. To which the young girl always replied that her head wasn’t in the clouds, it was way up in outer space and she could see where she was going by the light of the moon.
What she had never said was where she wanted to go. And that was to a big school up in Virginia. That’s where they had what folks called an observatory and people learned about outer space, planets, the stars and all kinds of astro-somethings. Virginia was a totally other state and it seemed like a world away. Of course, it would take some pretty good talking to get Daddy and Mama in agreement for her to go there after she finished school. In fact, she was due to graduate next year and that’s about when smart people went on to further their education. And Lydia was smart. Mrs. Calhoun, her teacher at the Shell Creek School said so all the time.
Nobody in their whole entire family had ever gone to college. In fact, Lydia only knew of two people who had gone to a school of higher learning. They were the two teachers who taught at Shell Creek. Mrs. Calhoun had found all kinds of books about space and everything in it, helping Lydia all that she could. She loved to read, that was a fact, and had boned up on what-all a body could learn in a big school like the one in Virginia. Yes, sir. She wanted to become what they called an As-trono-mer; Somebody who used big, long eyeglasses to watch the planets and stuff happening in the sky and outer space. That way they could let everybody know about how the entire world that they lived in worked like a clock; how galaxies were formed and stars exploded. It was what they called it in the books that
A Short Story by Diana Tolley
the teacher had given her, anyway. In fact, that’s how scientists had learned about the Milky Way a long time ago, and how it had come into being, and not the good Lord pouring milk out in the sky so the cows would give more, like Percy Winters had said.
Lydia watched as a cloud came into view overhead, making the whole sky seem like it was moving. Which it really was. She knew most folks relied solely on the stars to know when to plant their gardens, when to harvest and even when to can and put up food stores for winter. Granny even cut the grandchildren’s hair by watching the waning moons. She always said that if you cut hair while the moon was new, it would grow back fast and long. But if you wasn’t careful, and cut it when the moon was leaving (waning), then your hair wouldn’t grow a’tall. Lydia was careful; she didn’t wanna end up like cousin Alfred Presnell. His head was growin’ smack-dab outta his hair.
Then there was the fact that folks kept time by sky. Everyone knew, in certain years you had to leave fallow ground to replenish and nourish itself, so that it could produce good crops in the next growing season. Old farmer’s said, “the fewer the stars, the fewer the crops.” That was their sign to move planting ground.
All in all, Lydia reckoned that knowing all about the sky, the stars, the moon, sun, planets, the whole of it, helped people live life the way the good Lord intended. It was important knowledge to have. She was pretty positive there was even Bible scripture to back that up. Regardless, though, Lydia had her mind made up. She was gonna go to that school in Virginia, and she was gonna take with her all the stuff she had learned in the holler. She bet the teachers up there would be
amazed at how smart mountain folk were. You didn’t always have to have a fancy education to be right on things. But that’s what Lydia wanted. And with the help of the good Lord, Mama, Daddy, and Mrs. Calhoun, she’d one day become a professional sky watcher; an As-tron-o-mer. And maybe, just maybe, she’d be able to help others to discover a love for the world outside of where they actually lived!
The clouds finally passed and the moon had moved further across the sky. Lydia breathed a deep sigh and knew it was time to go home. School started in a few days and she had to rise early to help with the chores. As she stood up and shook out the old quilt, folded it and slowly made her way down the hill, stars high above the young girl sparkled and shone brightly. It was like they were saying “good night, see you soon.” And the moon continued to move across the sky while the holler settled down for the night, and all was peaceful.
Lydia slowly made her way to bed, and the last thing she did before closing her eyes, was look out the window beside her bed and smile. Yep. One day, she’d know all about the sky and what mysteries there was to discover up there. “Yes sir,” she thought as she yawned. “I can’t wait!”
Best of the Roan
We launched our first “Best of the Roan” contest in June with the hope of recognizing a little of what makes our community so special - and to have a little fun. We've tallied the results!
Some categories didn't quite go according to plan, with no clear winners, or no responses (so were left out). We also didn't have space to include photos, but look for those on Facebook as we feature the category winners this month!
Thank you all for participating and congratulations to the winners! (Listed alphabetically.)
Most Talkative Resident Winner:
Ken Shell
Apparently we have quite a few talkers in our midst and Ken Shell was the clear winner in this category! But since so many others were mentioned, we thought we’d give them all something else to talk about and include them as well! (In alphabetical order)
Honorable mentions:
Denton Birchfield
Heather Birchfield
Debbie Bowles
Sunni Buchanan
Rudolph Campbell
Josh Cloniger
Sherry Davis
Terry Denton
Derrick Guinn
Quietest Resident Winner:
Julie Guinn
Ronnie Hendry
Eddie Hughes
Bobbie Ingram
Kenny Johnson
Ken “Tater” Julian
Ralph McKinney
Leslie Schultz
Multiple Ties
Who, by contrast, don’t talk nearly as much. There was no clear winner in this category, only multiple ties, so we’ve included them all.
Quietest:
Mary Birchfield
Mike “Mose” Boone
Sharon Brown
Erica Birchfield Johnson
Jack Johnson
Sherman Johnson
Kenneth “Buckeye” Sluder
Gail Stevens
Kenneth Wayne (with LOL after his name)
Best Joke Teller
Winner: John Stevens, Sr.
It takes a special talent to tell a joke well and these folks pull it off. Because we love funny people, we've included everyone.
Honorable Mentions:
TV Barnett
Jack Blackwell
Jon Buck
Spence Campbell
Best Storyteller
Terry Denton
Jim McKinney
Dan Phillips
Eddie Roark
Winner: Eddie Roark
Runner Up: Floyd Odom
Storytelling has long been a way of handing down oral histories, sharing important information, and just plain entertaining listeners. We’re blessed with a number of gifted storytellers.
Honorable Mentions:
Jon Buck
James Gray
Dan Winters (In memory)
Longest Sunday Sermon
Winners (tie): First Baptist’s Gerren Street and Refuge Fellowship’s Israel Hughes
No comment on this category. We don't want to find ourselves on the wrong side of things.
Honorable Mentions:
Burbank FWB
Morgan Branch FWB
Lower Shell Creek Christian
Shortest Sunday Sermon
We didn’t have enough participants in this category to include it. And that’s saying something.
Best Beard
Winner: Brach Jarrett
Given the popularity of beards (the longer, the better), it didn’t come as a surprise that this category was one of the most popular! Although Brach took the lead with a wide margin, we wanted to give credit where credit is due and included all entries. Get growing, guys, we’ll do it again next year!
Honorable mentions:
Lee Benfield
Kerry Buchanan
Rick Cornwall
Preston Forbes
Derrick Guinn
William Ingram
Melvin Johnson
Tim Roberson
JD Westerman
Alex Wilson
Resident Coffee Guzzler
Winner: Avery "Pops"
Wynn
If you’ve ever set foot in Whiteway Grill before 10 a.m. on any given morning, you’ve likely seen (or heard) this category’s winner. Yep, none other than commissioner Avery “Pops” Wynn who usually has more coffee than blood running through his veins.
Honorable mentions:
Qalissa “Q” Gibbs
Anthony “Tony” Gray
Jerry Hicks
Derrick Hughes
Coldest Beer in Town
Stuart Ingram
Tonya Matherly
Paige Russell
Winner: The Kitchen at Mountain Harbour
Runner Up: The Appalachian Station
One humorous entrant responded, “There’s beer?” Yes, dear reader, there is. And by a vote, the coldest in town is served at The Kitchen at Mountain Harbor, followed closely by The Appalachian Station. We’ll see y’all there!
Nicest Business Frontage
Winner:
Carter County Bank
This category had great participation as well and we’re happy to share the results. Thank you all for making our community shine!
Honorable Mentions:
Americano Steakhouse
Mountain Harbor
Roan Mountain Lawn & Garden
Roan Mountain Pharmacy
Best Customer Service
This category had a surprising outcome in the form of a five-way tie!
Winners:
Carter County Bank
Highlander BBQ
Plumbers Hardware
Roan Mountain Pharmacy
Tire Express
Best Fisherman
Winners (tie): Rodney Buchanan and Jon Buck
We had another tie in this category. Bet you they won’t tell us their favorite fishing spots!
Oldest Living Resident
Winner: Geneva Street (age 102)
Based on all the submitted birth dates, Geneva Street seems to be our oldest living resident. Born on February 27, 1923, Geneva is 102 years old. How the world has changed since she came into it over a century ago.
Honorable mentions:
Shirley Tipton, born in 1930
Charles Watson, born in 1935
Longest Marriage
We only had four responses to this category, so we’re including them all, as all deserve recognition. We’d love to celebrate other long marriages in our community in a future issue. Please send us information and how we can contact the happy couple.
Donald and Lola Hughes October 2, 1954 (Happy 71st Anniversary!)
John and Esta Stevens September 19, 1963 (Happy 62nd Anniversary!)
Dana Dean and Jo Nell Young March 6, 1964
Ken and Judy Shell (dates unknown)
Best Hunter/Trapper
Winner: Tessa Strickland (age 12)
Heading into the woods to hunt or trap game pre-dates agriculture as a means of feeding ourselves. But it might surprise some to learn that not all the best hunters are male, such as the young lady who won this category. According to one entry, she’s been hunting since age five.
Honorable mentions:
Kim Barnett
Lance Jarrett
Best Homemade Pie
Winners
(tie):
McKinney
Marty Church and Diane
Who doesn't love pie! The making of these delectable desserts go back to ancient Egypt and there's good reason they're still enjoyed today!
Honorable mention:
Gail Street
What You Love About Living Here
Winner: The People
Runner Up: The Natural Beauty
We love Roan Mountain and the majority agree: the people are what make this place so special!
Fun & Games
When Hurricane Helene tore through, it wasn’t just the wind and rain that left a mark—it was the devastation it left behind. Yards that once reflected years of hard work were completely washed away. Fences, decks, and patios—meticulously built over countless weekends—were reduced to splinters. The landscape, so carefully cultivated, was unrecognizable.
It was heartbreaking. Standing there, looking at what was left, it was hard not to feel defeated. These weren’t just structures or patches of grass; they were symbols of effort, care, and pride. And yet, in a single storm, it was all gone.
But here’s the thing about storms—they strip everything down to the raw. What you’re left with is a choice: stay stuck in the heartbreak or start rebuilding.
The Aftermath
The cleanup wasn’t easy. Debris was everywhere, and the scale of the damage felt overwhelming. At first, it was tempting to approach it with frustration and bitterness—after all, years of work were destroyed in hours. But something shifted as I began to work.
I realized I couldn’t bring back what was lost, but I could create something new. That’s when I decided to go full throttle—not just to restore, but to rebuild with a fresh perspective.
Finding Positivity in the Process
Clearing away the broken fences and washed-out decks wasn’t just physical work; it was emotional work, too. Each piece of debris hauled off was a reminder of what was, but it also made way for what could be.
There’s something transformative about starting fresh. It gave me the chance to try new ideas, improve on past designs, and build with the future in mind. That positivity became my fuel. Instead of focusing on the loss, I focused on the opportunity to create something stronger, better, and more meaningful. The Life Lesson in the Rubble
Life, like landscaping, isn’t always under our control. Hurricanes—both literal and metaphorical—can sweep in and undo years of progress. It’s natural to feel heartbroken, even angry. But in the face of devastation,
LESSONS IN LIFE & LANDSCAPING Rebuilding After the Storm
By Ericka Hughes
resilience is what carries us forward.
Rebuilding doesn’t mean forgetting what was lost. It means honoring it by starting again. It means embracing the chance to grow—not just back to where you were, but beyond it.
Today, many of the properties I worked on after Hurricane Helene are thriving again. The fences are sturdier, the decks are more thoughtfully designed, and by summer, the yards were lush with new growth. They don’t look exactly the same, and that’s the point— they are proof of resilience and reinvention.
If you’re facing a storm of your own, whether it’s a literal hurricane or a personal challenge, remember this: The work ahead might be tough, but it’s also a chance to start fresh. With effort and a positive outlook, you can rebuild—not just what you lost, but something even stronger.
Because life, like landscaping, isn’t just about the storms. It’s about what we do after them.
Storm Clean-up Tips:
• Walk the site first — look for unstable trees, hanging limbs, and downed wires.
• Work in sections — clear access first, then move into detail work.
• Use the right tools — skid steers, chainsaws, log chains.
• Save what’s alive early — clear plants and shrubs before the damage sets in.
• Pace yourself
• The storm doesn’t care how long you worked — but the rebuild shows who you are.
• Start with what’s in front of you. One chain, one shovel, one load at a time.
• Don’t just replace what was lost — improve it.
• The ones who keep going, even when it’s slow, are the ones who finish.
• Every storm ends. What’s left is the work you did after.
THE LAST WORD
Marriage is Hard
By Noah Blair
Marriage is hard. It requires the one thing that comes the most difficult for us as individuals: devotion to someone else’s wants and needs, sacrificing our wants and needs at times due to that devotion to another.
In a world that is increasingly selfish and with a “me first” culture blossoming, marriage loses its value and importance when considered at face value. Marriage, at the surface level, lacks the shine and glitter that our culture places on “single” life. The freedom and adventure of a single life are portrayed as the shiny new sports car sitting in the lot, while marriage’s obligations and consistency look more like the dependable sedan towards the back of the lot. Single life has its advantages and is a necessary part of life’s journey. Being single allows us to have a singular focus on career and life goals, allows us to self-reflect and learn about ourselves, and allows us to determine our schedule and how we spend our time based solely on what we want to do.
If we lived our lives based only on what things looked like at the surface level then marriage would have never caught on. However, that would be a dangerous way to live our lives; trees don’t grow tall and strong with shallow roots, and our lives won’t grow and strengthen with surface-level living either. Marriage is hard. Go ask any married man or woman and they’ll likely confirm what I have now said twice. I’m also willing to bet that nine times out of ten the same person who tells you that marriage is hard, will follow it up by saying it’s worth it. I can’t speak for every married individual out there nor would I want to. What I will say is that for those of us in committed marriages, some advantages come with the territory.
Marriage allows you to focus and encourages you to keep chasing life goals in a very special way. When you’re married to someone you can share and unify on what you both want out of life and can maximize opportunities life provides. It also gives you
a cheerleader, teammate, and coach all wrapped up in one person along the journey as well. Life can be difficult but when you have that person you love by your side, life’s hills seem to be less tall and the valleys less deep.
Marriage will also challenge you to grow and learn more about yourself than you would think from the outside looking in. When you become less concerned about yourself and start caring for another person by choice it allows you to see life through another point of view, to learn and understand how other people process certain situations other than yourself, and how your decisions directly impact others around you, in new ways. You also get to see your spouse go through this same process and it allows for your bond and respect for one another to grow.
Marriage changes your schedule; you go from the only marks on the calendar being major holidays and the occasional doctor appointment, to the calendar resembling a rainbow or novel with all the places to be and go, almost overnight (especially if kids are involved). While this can at times be overwhelming, marriage does provide a full-time driver (or passenger princess in my case) to all of those events, appointments, and functions that cover your calendar.
Marriage is hard but most things that are worth having are hard. Marriage is like that diamond that’s buried way down in the earth. It takes work to find it, you’ll sacrifice and do things you would rather not, but if you stick with it you’ll find it’s priceless. If you’re married, tell your spouse thank you for sticking with you. If you are on the fence about marriage I hope this shows the blessing that it can be. If you’re not up for marriage, that’s ok too, just don’t get too many cats, no one wants to be the crazy cat lady/man.
See you out there, and remember God Loves you!
Noah and Kalee, 2020
