Henderson County News
Here’s what Henderson County’s nonprofit leaders say about volunteers from the Baby Boom generation: They are loyal, passionate and hardworking — and they want to do volunteering their way.
“They are incredibly busy,” said Kimerly Hinkelman, executive director of the Pardee Hospital Foundation. “To volunteer, it has to be something very defined and something that makes a difference. They are into teamwork, group activities.”The Pardee Hospital Foundation thinks strategically about how to engage its 100 volunteers, which includes the board of directors and everyone involved in its fundraising events. “We offer specific time-limited activities,” Hinkelman said. Volunteers might be appointed to serve on a committee to organize an event, but their commitment is over after that, she said.Hinkelman, like many nonprofit leaders in the county, is herself a Baby boomer. “I’m in the middle of the boomers,” she said. She grew up in Ohio and moved to Hendersonville from Philadelphia. Like many boomer women, she has built a career, married, raised a family and is still working fulltime at age 63.In fact, about 40 percent the county’s population is made up of boomers, born during the post-World War II baby boom from 1946 to 1964. The early boomers hit retirement age about six years ago. Some did retire, some continue to work because they need to or because they want to. The Great Recession of 2007 reduced many boomers’ retirement investments, changing their dreams of a life of leisure and travel. While the economy has improved over the last 10 years, some boomers remain financially pinched – or they just want to keep working.Hinkelman recalled a recent meeting of the Association of Fundraising Professionals – WNC, at which one of the speakers talked about generational differences in philanthropy, focusing on the boomers ages 53 to 71.“They are still working, they have might have adult children, they are beginning to have grandchildren. They might still have kids in college. They might still be paying off college for their children. They have very busy lives. They are trying to do a lot of things.”For that reason, recruiting volunteers and staying connected with current ones means “personal connections,” Hinkelman said. “It is critical to understand these (connections) and leverage word of mouth. It’s all about personal relationships.”While their children and grandchildren are growing up with computers and instant-messaging and Internet connections, “You have to reach out to boomers through a variety of means because they are the generation that bridges the ‘paper’ and Internet age,” she said. “They embraced it and transitioned to technology in their work life.” And it’s Facebook, not Twitter, for the boomer audience that the foundation wants to reach, she said.
‘An invaluable source of volunteers’
The United Way of Henderson County finds boomers to be “critical to our work, both as volunteers and donors,” said executive director Denise Cumbee Long. “We see them highly involved in supporting United Way initiatives. We feel lucky that Henderson County has many residents in this age demographic.”“Boomers are an invaluable source of volunteers for United Way,” she said. “Last year, United Way mobilized over 1,500 volunteers to provide approximately 8,000 hours or over $188,000 worth of volunteer hour value to improve our community. Many of these volunteers were boomers. Some use our online Volunteer Matching Program to find volunteer opportunities at local nonprofits that fit their interests and schedules. We have heard several stories about recent retirees who moved to our area, discovered the online matching program and found truly satisfying volunteer opportunities where they could lend their considerable skills and expertise. Our local nonprofits tell us they love their boomer volunteers!“We also see boomers highly involved in hands-on projects at our Days of Caring or Action. They also serve on our volunteer funding panels and our board. Female boomers have become quite engaged with Women United, our new initiative for women leadership donors who want to connect their philanthropy with volunteerism. Members of Women United make up all age demographics, but boomers ae highly represented. They contribute to United Way at a leadership level and enjoy volunteering with an after-school program for at risk fifth grade girls.“Finally, we have also been intrigued by the trend of older participants signing up for our Rising Leaders program. We initially thought that Rising Leaders would mostly appeal to younger professionals who wanted to learn leadership skills and receiving training for future roles on nonprofit boards. We have found, however, that this program also appeals to recent retirees who want to get more connected to our county’s nonprofit community.“Our biggest challenge with our boomers is that they are so busy, even in retirement,” Long said. These are active, engaged people who are giving their time and resources to many causes that they care about deeply. We feel lucky when we are one of their choices,” Long said.
‘Boomers do the heavy lifting’
Jeff Miller, who founded Blue Ridge Honor Flight in 2006 to honor military veterans by providing them a chance to visit the war memorials in Washington, D.C., said boomers are a “huge part” of the success of the organization. “Baby boomers are on our board. Boomers do the heavy lifting.”At least 60 volunteers fly with 100 veterans on each of the two Honor Flights that leave from Asheville Regional Airport each year. The trips are up and back in a day, he said, “not immensely time consuming but immensely gratifying.” Everyone is welcome to participate in making the day memorable for a veteran of a military conflict, now mainly Vietnam and Korean war vets. “Be a guardian (on a flight), welcome them home (at the airport)” or provide help before the flight. “Help with a fundraiser or in general volunteer work.”When “vets tell you it’s the greatest day of their entire lives, you know you’ve done something right. I truly believe it’s a flawless mission that we do,” Miller said.Boomers are “pretty major” for the Blue Ridge Humane Society, said Lutrelle O’Cain, executive director. “They are very valued as volunteers at the shelter and the thrift store and in fundraisers and special events. They bring a variety of talents and life experience to the table.” At last count in August, the Humane Society had 365 volunteers – “one for every day of the year,” O’Cain said – many of them boomers who are retired and want to stay active. Many are seasonal volunteers, and “we really miss them when they are gone. They help in the shelter and the thrift store. We rely on volunteers every day of the week and on holidays.“They feel satisfaction in being involved. They feel needed and appreciated to see the results” of their work, when a shelter dog gets adopted, for example.“Many of them come in to spend time with the animals. Many don’t have pets any more so they get their ‘pet fix’ at the shelter. They get a lot of pleasure from that.”
Matching interests and tasks
At Pardee Hospital, boomers are among the volunteers who help in departments throughout the hospital, said Karla Reese, director of volunteer services. The hospital counts on its 200 volunteers to help keep things running smoothly.“Some volunteers have three or four different jobs,” she said. In the application process, volunteers are asked about their backgrounds and interests so they can get matched appropriately to positions available. Some people have volunteered for years, accumulating hundreds of hours of volunteer time – one volunteer was honored for her 17,000 hours of service, Reese said.Retired teachers tend to find their way to the Blue Ridge Literacy Council, said Autumn Weil, executive director. “We have about 150 volunteers a year, with 80 percent remaining year over year,” she said. “The majority of our volunteers are Baby boomers. We reach them through direct marketing, flyers in places of worship, word of mouth. Primarily they seek us out because of their love for literacy. They generally are retired educators. They are at a place in their lives where they can volunteer – it takes a commitment of five hours per week. They seek us out.”
'Have a passion for the mission'
The Literacy Council provides tutoringfor adults in one-on-one or small group settings. “We have 218 adults and 194 are matched with tutors, individuals or small groups that meet once or twice per week. We find that younger boomers are still working – fulltime or part-time because they need to or because they want to. Group sessions are now the rule rather than the exception because of volunteer scheduling and preferences.“No matter where you volunteer,” Weil said, “have a passion for the mission. It will make a difference. I appreciate the loyalty of our Baby boomer volunteers.”Some nonprofit leaders plant the seed of volunteerism early by reaching out to school-aged children and young adults. Carolyn Justus, board chair of the Heritage Museum, is one of them. She hosts Tarheel Junior Historians once a month at the Historic Courthouse. “These are third to eighth graders, homeschooled mostly. They come with their parents … You have to plant seed with younger generations” to get them interested in history and getting involved. Most of the current 30 volunteers are 70 or older, she said. She is seeking boomer-aged volunteers to continue the museum’s mission.The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Volunteers in Partnership (VIP) program has 76 volunteers between the ages of 20 and 90. VIP volunteers are members of the Sheriff’s Office but are not sworn officers. They assist in 13 areas including traffic control, security at the Historic Courthouse and the Judicial Courthouse, funeral escorts and civil fingerprinting.“Last year we had 25,000 hours in volunteer time which is worth about half-a-million dollars” for Henderson County, said Dale Coerver, director of the program. Coerver retired in 2010 after a career as a corporate executive and a small business owner. “I needed something to do and I was impressed with the Sheriff’s Office, so I volunteered.” In 2011 he became director.“We constantly need new people” to volunteer, he said. Turnover every year means he is always recruiting. “The bulk (of volunteers) are not boomers,” he said. “Some are still working fulltime.”
Park Ridge Health Foundation recruits volunteers by encouraging current volunteers to bring friends. “We just developed a new brochure about volunteer opportunities,” said Sherri Holbert, foundation director. “We had a special meeting in November at the Flat Rock Playhouse” for a performance of “Pinkalicious,” which runs through Nov. 19. Park Ridge Health is executive producer of the musical. “We used it to invite volunteers to come and enjoy the show and as a recruiting idea for new volunteers. We said, ‘Come and hear the Park Ridge story’ and connect with the team.”
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Henderson County News
Henderson County deputies charged a Pisgah Forest man with a string of home break-ins and other thefts dating back to Oct. 1.
Investigators residences, a business, a shed and the larceny of a motor vehicle.
Charged was McArthur Blake Thomas, 23. Investigators linked Thomas to eight different incidents. Since the beginning of the investigation, Thomas has been charged with 26 different offenses, including:
Eight counts of possession of stolen propertyFour counts of obtaining property by false pretenseTwo counts of breaking and enteringTwo counts of larceny after breaking and enteringTwo counts of possession of a stolen firearmTwo counts of possession of a firearm by felonTwo counts of altering or removing a gun serial numberLarceny of a firearmFelony larcenyPossession of a stolen motor vehicleResisting a public officer
Thomas is being held at the Henderson County Jail on a $368,000 bond. Detectives continue to investigate Thomas’ involvement in any additional crimes.
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Henderson County News
A Hendersonville man was sentenced to 14 years in prison after he was convicted of trafficking in methamphetamine, District Attorney Greg Newman announced.
Judge Tommy Davis sentenced Alvin Miller of 307 Substation Street in Hendersonville during a recent term of Superior Court in Henderson County. The sentence was enhanced based on three prior felony drug convictions in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Judge Davis also imposed a $50,000 fine.
On Feb. 9, Miller’s probation officer and members of Henderson County’s Direct Enforcement Team (DET) performed an unannounced search of Miller’s home. DET officers located at least 35 grams of methamphetamine on Miller’s person. Also, Miller had 3 wallets in different pockets with $1,328 in cash. Inside the defendant’s bedroom, the officers discovered digital scales, plastic bags, glass pipes, syringes, as well as pills and weight scale calibrators. Miller was immediately arrested and taken to the Henderson County jail.
Once in custody, Miller admitted to officers that he was a consumer of methamphetamine and had been selling the illegal drug “on and off for about 10 years.” Miller said that he obtained an ounce every other day to sell.
Following an evidentiary hearing where Miller’s lawyer unsuccessfully challenged the legality of the search, Miller plead guilty and was sentenced. “Miller is the kind of person that needs to be out of our community," Newman said. "Miller and people like him who sell methamphetamine are only concerned about the money and have no regard for the ruined lives resulting from their actions. I have no patience for those supplying drugs in our area."
In addition to Miller, the following people were convicted in Henderson County Superior Court within the last two weeks:
-- Edward Dornan, 125 Greenfield Lane, Hendersonville, 57 months active for Third Degree Exploitation of a Minor (Possession of Child Pornography);
-- Alexis Alvarez, 806 7th Avenue East, Hendersonville, 17 months active for Breaking and Entering and Larceny of a Firearm;
-- Scott Brown, 908 Magnolia Spring Place, Hendersonville, 150 days active for Assault;
-- Philip Estes, 278 Duncan Creek Road, Fletcher, 60 months active for Breaking and Entering and Larceny;
-- Karina Ferrera, 1093 Holly Circle, Forest Park, GA, 17 months active for Possession with the Intent to Sell or Deliver Methamphetamine;
-- Henry Hutchinson, no known address, 105 months active for Attempted Common Law Robbery;
-- Edward Russell, 32 Knox Road, Ridgecrest, NC, 136 months active for Larceny, Obtaining Property by a False Pretense, Habitual Felon;
-- Courtney Smith, 110 London Berry Lane, Lake Lure, NC, 99 months active for Possession with the Intent to Sell of Deliver Methamphetamine and Habitual Felon;
-- John Stinson, 39 Logan Lane, Fletcher, NC, 19 months active for Conspiracy to Commit Common Law Robbery and Resisting a Police Officer;
-- Jessica Vasquez, 742 N. Grove Street, Hendersonville 19 months active for Felony Larceny.
In Polk County, Dan Brady, of 567 Will Green Road, Tryon, was sentenced to five years in prison active for taking indecent liberties with a minor.
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Henderson County News
The main Hendersonville post office will move next spring to the Blue Ridge Mall, a U.S. Postal Service official confirmed.
The postal service will occupy the Sears space, offering post office box holders and other customers access from inside and outside the mall. Sears plans to move within the mall to a different location.“The Postal Service is excited to have secured a new location for the Hendersonville Post Office,” Phillip J. Bogenberger, the Postal Service’s spokesman for North Carolina, said in a statement. “The 10-year lease to occupy the former Sears space with approximately 7,000 square feet will meet the needs of our customers and accommodate the growth of the community. We plan to move into the new location in 2018 and offer the same services that were available at the former location on Fifth Avenue West. There will be entrances to the Post Office from the mall and the parking lot.”Hendersonville’s main postal facility has been in its current building since it was built in 1966. In July of 2016, the First Baptist Church of Hendersonville purchased the property from owners Larry and Elizabeth Hinkle for additional church parking. The church then leased the property back to the post office to allow the postal service time to secure another site. The search took longer than anticipated and the lease was extended through the end of March 2018, church officials said.It is unknown at this time if the contract post office at Four Seasons Mall across U.S. 64 from the Blue Ridge Mall will close or possibly relocate to a more central downtown location.Last year, Hendersonville officials urged the postal service to keep the post office downtown and, barring that, to open a small retail office in the central business district.“We have many citizens who walk, bicycle, or use public transportation for work or to run errands, including to the current post office,” Mayor Barbara Volk said in a letter to Richard Hancock, the postal service real estate specialist from Greensboro who was assigned to find the new site. “Moving the facility to the outskirts of town would place a heavy burden on these citizens as well as those who wish to drive only short distances.”
Many post office box holders who visit the facility daily had feared a move to an even more out-of-the-way location — the post office annex on Lakewood Road near the Sam's Club.
On Monday City Manager John Connet issued a glass-half-full reaction to the move, which keeps the facility on the city side of I-26.
“The City of Henderson appreciates the U.S. Postal Service’s deliberate and thoughtful process in finding a new location for the Hendersonville Post Office," he said. "While a downtown location was preferred, we are happy that the Postal Service will utilize available space at the Blue Ridge Mall. This location will provide adequate parking for Post Office customers and bring potential new customers to the variety of retail stores at the mall."The rear access to the post office would need to be renovated to provide a public entrance. U.S. Postal Service officials have not provided details of that work.The early reaction about the move from postal facility users was mixed.“That’s ridiculous,” said Marilyn Bliss, who lives in Hendersonville. “They’ve had plenty of time to find a better location and there are a lot of elderly people who won’t go to the mall. Why not build a new building?”Ben Balentine, who lives in Hendersonville, said he will probably give up his P.O. box rather than drive further into heavy traffic. “It’s a matter of convenience,” he said.“People don’t want to get into high volume commercial traffic,” added Lori Fothergill. “I’ll go to the post office in East Flat Rock where it’s less congested.”Steve Franks, whose law office is across the street from the Fifth Avenue West facility, is unwilling to make a daily trek to the mall.“I might just give up my P.O. box and have my mail delivered to my front door,” he said. “I can save some money.”One Hendersonville native didn’t like the idea of the mall location for another reason.“I just don’t associate the post office with a mall,” said Charlene Varnes. “It should be a stand-alone building.” Also a post office box holder, Varnes had concerns about accessing the facility after dark.Mary Stroman said the new location would be an improvement over the 51-year-old building the postal service currently occupies.“Anything is better than this,” said Stroman, adding that “the mall needs a shot in the arm.”Her friend Kathy Papes agreed. “Yes, parking is probably better at the mall,” she said.Pam Hedstrom, who operates the Flower Market a block east of the Fifth Avenue facility, thinks the new location is a good choice.“It will encourage more people to go to the mall and they don’t need to build a new building,” she said.Mall walker Vann Trapp said he had heard about the move because he attends First Baptist Church.“The (mall) parking lot is filled up only around Christmas,” Trapp said. In the six years he’s been doing laps at the mall, he said, he’s observed a drop in the number of shoppers. The increased foot traffic should help the mall stores, he said.Another mall walker, Kim Corn, said as a driver she’d welcome the move.“I never did go down to the one in that neighborhood because it’s so hard to get in and out,” she said. “I think it’s good to have the (mall) spaces occupied for sure.”The Hull Property Group, the Augusta, Ga.-based mall owner, has not disclosed where the Sears store will relocate. Marketing officials at Hull did not respond to the Lightning’s request for comment.A Sears employee said store workers were told they’d find out on Monday evening where the store would move. Sears moved to its present location several years ago after many years occupying the storefront next to the old K-Mart store.Trapp and Corn said they had heard on Monday that Sears would relocate to the space next to Belk last occupied by the Pardee Signature Care Center.
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Editor Bill Moss contributed reporting. Read Story »
Laurel Park News
Businesses and residents along U.S. 64 are increasing the visibility of their opposition to a widening plan that includes a divided highway with roundabouts.
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Henderson County News
The fifth annual Turkey Trot 5k, a run/walk event open to all ages and fitness levels, starts in front of Hendersonville City Hall, 145 Fifth Ave. East, at 8:30 a.m. Thanksgiving morning. The route travels through downtown ending back at City Hall. Entry fee is $11.
Packets may be picked up prior to the race on Tuesday or Wednesday at City Hall. Packets may also be picked up the day of the race. The city is out of shirts. However, packets not picked up by the end of the race will be redistributed and those shirts will be available for purchase.
So bring the kids, bring grandma, bring the dog. Be part of this fun event prior to sitting down to your Thanksgiving meal.
For more information, contact Amy Knight at 828-233-3227 or Lu Ann Welter at 828-233-3204 or by email or click here.
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Hendersonville News
A downtown brewery that bills itself as a safe space for people of color and the lesbian and gay community was the target of vandalism and racially charged threats this week.The Hendersonville Police Department is investigating a series of threatening emails sent to Black Star Line Brewing Co. Thursday and Friday.“We had multiple threats on our website, different threats,” said Simon Melendez, a Black Star Line employee who spoke for owner and chief brewer L.A. McCrae. “Also we came in today and the keg electrical wires were cut. We had a few alerts go off in our building, we had a sign stolen among other things. It all started just about racism and hate.”An email Friday afternoon followed previous messages and the damage that the brewery workers said they found when they opened.“We are just getting started N----,” the email said. “We hate N----. Especially gay, men hating n----. We still coming …”Detectives are investigating the threats.“We took a communicating threats report last night on some vulgar and racial tones that were sent to them via email and on their website,” Hendersonville Police Capt. Bruce Simonds said. “It’s currently being investigated by the detective bureau.”“It’s very disturbing,” he said of the language. “We take it seriously. The chief went down there and met with the owners. Problem is tracing an IP address” to a sender that disguises the origin.Police have stepped up their watch over the bar on Third Avenue West.“Absolutely,” Simonds said. “We do that with any threat or any break-in for the foreseeable future to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”Describing itself as “the first black, family, & woman owned brewery” in the Asheville area, Black Star Line says that it aims to “create space for women, people of color, queer folks, and other folks with marginalized social identities. It is the spot that is truly for us and by us.”In the meeting with the owner and employees, Chief Herbert Blake pledged support from police.“He basically reassured us that this movement we have going here is going good for the city, that no matter what everybody has our back,” Melendez said.He said the brewery has received a positive reception since it opened last month.“We’re trying to be cautious and at the same time maintain a balance of peace and not have violence break out here and/or anywhere else, because of our cause,” he said. “We have people fighting for our side and people fighting against our side. People that agree and disagree feel very strongly on both sides.”“Business wise, it’s been fantastic,” he added. “People have been coming in, having a good time. We’re just going to be welcoming. Hopefully, everybody will just be peaceful and we can stay the happy medium.”Bartender Javier Naranjo, who recently moved here, said bar patrons have been uniformly supportive.“It’s been all positive,” he said. “I haven’t had any inkling of any such belief or disdain for people like this.”
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Henderson County News
The Hendersonville Fire Department will be conducting a night training on Main Street, Saturday, starting at 7 p.m.
Firefighters will be performing aerial operations for high rise building fires in the 600 block. The setup area will be located at the Skyland Hotel and First Citizens Bank. Traffic will be diverted around fire apparatus for short periods of time. For more information or questions, please contact Deputy Fire Chief James Miller at 828-697-233-3228 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Read Story »
Henderson County News
Blue Bell Creameries is throwing a schoolwide ice cream party on Monday for Clear Creek Elementary School in honor of its being named a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School.
A Blue Bell truck filled with ice cream will arrive at Clear Creek Elementary School at 1:20 p.m., to treat all the students, teachers, and staff members.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon Schools program has honored more than 8,500 of America’s most successful schools for the past 35 years. This year, 342 public and private schools across the country received this coveted award. Blue Ribbon Schools are selected on the basis of two primary criteria: 1) they are among the highest-performing schools in their state, and 2) they are schools with at least 40 percent of students from disadvantaged backgrounds that have improved student performance to high levels.
“At Blue Bell, we recognize the importance of encouraging and honoring schools that have achieved educational excellence,” says Ricky Dickson, president of Blue Bell Creameries. “We are well aware that such high levels of achievement require tremendous effort from students, teachers, administrators and parents. This is Blue Bell’s way of showing how proud we are!”This year’s winning schools were honored at an awards ceremony in Washington D.C. on Nov. 6-7, 2017. Read Story »
