Public Hearing Monday 6pm Town Hall
The town is committed to buying the
former school in the Heart of Banner Elk
for $1 million. Your idea's on how to
pay for it and turn it into a successful
enterprise are wanted. 
The town takes possession of the
Historic Banner Elk School in The Heart
of Banner Elk on Wednesday, October 1. 


The Banner Elk Town Council met in a public and special meeting on Friday, September 5 and unanimously passed a resolution to purchase the Historic Banner Elk School and property in The Heart of Banner Elk subject to holding a public hearing (Monday at 6pm at town hall) and a review of how the council intends to fund the purchase by the North Carolina Local Government Commission.

The public hearing is not for the purpose of commenting on whether or not the town should buy the school, but for the purpose of hearing comments on the proposed financing and contract for purchase of the Historic Banner Elk School Property. In fact the town takes possession of the school on October 1.

Photos above left to right first row: Heat pumps have been installed at the school for certain rooms. They provide heat and air conditioning. The school gymnasium and the plaque at the entrance showing that the school was built in 1939 via the Work Projects Administration (WPO).

Second row left to right: You can't see it from the street, but there was a cafeteria and kitchen in that part of the building. The gym from the outside looks like a fortress.

Third row left to right: When Avery County put a business incubator (AC Pride) into the school, they spent about $125,000 to put on a new roof, install new windows and updated the facility to meet all building codes. The Elk in downtown Banner Elk with the school building and property in the background. -Ron Johnson


What a fantastic view Monday morning on the Blue Ridge Parkway! Don't forget,
Grandfather Mountain is just a mile from this beautiful roadway at Milepost 305.
Photo by Kellen Short.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 
 Volume III Issue 620
Ron Johnson, Publisher
Email: ron@bannerelkmagazine.com
Weather Forecast for Banner Elk, NC
The National Weather Service

First night of 40ish.
Autumn officially begins next Monday.
 
Al, the Albino Crow of Banner Elk, has quite a following around town. The latest photo from Jack Sparks: "We have seen the crow around here for about a week.  I spotted him the first time near the intersection of 194 and Silver Springs Drive.  I had eight power binoculars in the car, so I watched him for a while and got a poor photo with my iPhone.  

"I got out my Nikon and installed my 70-300 mm zoom lens and got this picture. (Above photo at left).  I was standing in my front yard and he was up the hill in Mike Berkley's yard near his mail box."

Woody, the Woodchuck. New player in town (photo above right). When I was taking photos at the school the other day I spotted this Woodchuck in the courtyard. It's a bit fuzzy, but Woodchuck's move fast when they want to. I named him Woody just because.

Woodchucks are largest member of the squirrel family and part of the Order Rodentia, which includes rats, mice, squirrels, prairie dogs, chipmunks, beavers and porcupines. Out of these animals, only the beaver and porcupine are larger than the woodchuck. Also known as the groundhog or whistle-pig, its closest relatives are the yellow bellied marmot and the hoary marmot. -Ron
___________________________________________________________________

The Main Bobcat greets The Main Worm
Photo by Ron Johnson
Roy Krege, Mr. Woolly Worm aka The Main Worm (see tie) was greeted at the Lees-McRae College dining hall yesterday by Dr. Barry Buxton, President of the college
aka Main Bobcat. Both are listed on the "Ten Best-Dressed" list of Banner Elk.-Ron
 
Photo by Ron Johnson
If the weather cooperates more than 22,000 people will converge on Banner Elk
October 18-19 for the Annual Woolly Worm Festival led by Roy Krege, Mr. Woolly Worm.
Above Lees-McRae students took a moment out from their lunch to greet
The Main Worm who begins growing a "Woolly Beard" in late August.
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Lees-McRae College Cycling Team
looking toward a great year
Photo by Leigh Ann Thomas on Beech Mountain
Click here for the Cycling website
and complete schedule
Coming up September 20 - L-M heads to
Union College in Barbourville, KY

Watch Bobcat sporting events live.

Click here to view. 

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.

 

Tonight at Sushi Club!
The Sushi Club is next to Sorrento's Bistro and Barra
at The Stoplight in downtown Banner Elk

Tomorrow Night - Prime Rib night
at The Sushi Club and Barra
12-oz Prime Rib Dinner with potato and vegetable. $9.99. Open at 5pm.
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Lees-McRae College
Joshua Simcox first fall speaker
7pm Tomorrow at Evans Auditorium
Stephenson Center Programs | Fall 2014

All lectures are held on the campus of Lees-McRae College

in Evans Auditorium from 7 - 8 p.m. and are free and open to the public.

 

Thursday, September 18 Joshua Simcox '05

As the first fall speaker in the Stephenson Center for Appalachia Lecture Series, Simcox will read from his novel Bone and Cinder: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller and discuss the publication process. Simcox graduated from Lees-McRae in 2005 with an interdisciplinary degree in creative writing.  

 

Since then he has worked in the publishing industry and as a freelance writer.  His novel is the first in the Zapheads series, which is part of the post-apocalytic world created by local author Scott Nicholson.  Nicholson's After series already has an enthusiastic following, and to satisfy the demand for more books in the series he collaborated with Simcox.

 

Thursday, October 23 Dr. Aaron Astor | Civil War in East Tennessee

 

 

Thursday, November 20 Dr. Sean Collins | The Exciting World of Appalachian Streams

 


Contact Information

Dr. Michael Joslin
Phone: (828) 898-8758
E-Mail: joslin@lmc.edu  

___________________________________________________________________ 

 

________________________________________________________________

Tuesday, September 16
Weekly Meeting at Miller Commons on the
campus of Lees-McRae College

THE ELIMINATE PROJECT
Photo by Jim Swinkola
Dr. Mary Jo Brubaker increased member awareness of Project Eliminate during the September 16 meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk.  Project Eliminate, a world-wide project of Kiwanis International and UNICEF, aims to
remove maternal and neonatal tetanus as a death threat to new mothers and their babies.

"Steals the lives of nearly 60,000
innocent babies and a significant
number of women each year."
With The Eliminate Project, Kiwanis International and UNICEF have joined forces to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. This deadly disease steals the lives of nearly 60,000 innocent babies and a significant number of women each year. The effects of the disease are excruciating - tiny newborns suffer repeated, painful convulsions and extreme sensitivity to light and touch.

To eliminate MNT from the Earth, more than 100 million mothers and their future babies must be immunized. This requires vaccines, syringes, safe storage, transportation, thousands of skilled staff and more. It will take US$110 million - and the dedicated work of UNICEF and every member of the Kiwanis family.

Photo by Jim Swinkola
Save moms and babies...support Project Eliminate!  Avery High Key Club officers (left to right) Lizzie Andrews,Caroline Shirley and Sarah Cleary prepare to tackle Maternal Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) by collecting funds for Kiwanis International's Project Eliminate, with a Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF drive.
_____________________________________________

Proud to be a Gold Sponsor of
the Lees-McRae College
Homecoming & Family Weekend
October 3-5
See the schedule below

Photo at last year's tailgate party by Ron Johnson
Caren Lefler Albright, Class of '61, with Jim Albright
Photo by Ron Johnson at last year's Tailgate Party 
Raven and Javetta Rice from Bristol, TN, with Harrison Clark, Cincinnati

__________________________________________________________________

See you at Homecoming!
Click on any photo
Visit the Banner Elk Tourism Development Authority
website and live links to each accommodation _________________________________________________

Last year's L-M Homecoming featured in the banner masthead by Ron Johnson

Banner Elk Magazine is published Monday through Friday

Home Page: BannerElkMagazine.Com
See all back issues

Have a Wonderful Wednesday and see you tomorrow.

______________________________________________
Schedule

Lees-McRae College
Homecoming & Family Weekend

Friday, October 3
11 a.m.     

Founder's Day Event
In front of Chaffee Administration Building at the Roots and Wings sculpture
    
12 p.m.     

Founder's Day and Scholarship Luncheon
Tate Lawn

Must RSVP for this event.
    
2 - 5 p.m.     

Burton Center for Student Success Open House
Burton Center for Student Success (Bottom floor of Carson Library)
    
2 - 5 p.m.     

Lauritsen Technical Theatre and Design Studio Open House
Lauritsen Technical Theatre and Design Studio
    
2 - 5 p.m.     

May School of Nursing and Health Sciences Open House
May School of Nursing and Health Sciences
    
2 - 5 p.m.     

Robb Center for Career Exploration Open House
Robb Center for Career Exploration
    
3 - 6 p.m.     

Registration and Bobcat Reception
Alumni House

Pre-registered alumni and families will pick-up packets with the weekend schedule, updated information and discount coupons. Registration on-site is available, but please allow extra time if choosing this option.

Plenty of parking options: Alumni House, United Methodist Church next door, and roadside. Ramp access to the Alumni House is located at the paved driveway along College Drive. You are encouraged to enjoy fellowship with classmates, families and friends at the Alumni House.

The Alumni House is located at 310 Banner Road, Banner Elk, NC
    
4 p.m.     

Class of 1959 Get Together at the Home of Martha Stone Penny
Echota in Foscoe, NC

Hosted by Martha Stone Penney, Diane West Oldham and Malinda Deal

Parking is unavailable at the event location; therefore, shuttles will be offered and will begin leaving from the Williams Gymnasium parking lot at 3:30 p.m. and run until 6:30 p.m. The shuttle cost is $5 per person.

Must RSVP and prepay for this event.
    
5:30 p.m.     

Class of 1964 50th Reunion Dinner
Miller Commons

Dinner menu: salad, rosemary chicken breast served with wild rice blend and broccoli, and dessert. Cost for dinner is $5 per person. A percentage of the meal cost has been graciously underwritten by an anonymous donor.

Must RSVP and prepay for this event.
    
6 p.m.     

Fred I. Dickerson Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction
Tate Lawn

The Lees-McRae athletic department is proud to announce the induction of Clyde Frank "Soupy" Campbell, Jessi Blackwood Miller, and Ken Sullivan into Lees-McRae's annual Fred I. Dickerson Athletics Hall of Fame. Join members of the Bobcat Club for a celebratory evening steeped in the storied tradition of Lees-McRae athletics.

$20 per person, must RSVP and prepay for this event.
    
7 p.m.     

Women's Volleyball vs. North Greenville
Williams Gymnasium
    
7:30 p.m.     

Lees-McRae Performing Arts presents: Cinderella
Broyhill Theater at Hayes Auditorium

Directed by Dr. Michael Hannah '93

All performances are in the Hayes Auditorium, Broyhill Theatre. Tickets are only sold at the door. Ticket sales begin one hour before show time. All seating is General Admission. Ticket prices: Adult - $12 Student/Child - $5.
    
Saturday, October 4

Wily's (featuring Starbucks coffee) will be open Saturday morning from 8 - 11 a.m.
8 a.m. - 12 p.m.     

Registration
Alumni House

Pre-registered alumni and families will pick-up Homecoming or Family Weekend packets with the weekend schedule, updated information and discount coupons. Registration on-site is available, but please allow extra time if choosing this option. Plenty of parking options: Alumni House, United Methodist Church next door, and roadside. Ramp access to the Alumni House is located at the paved driveway along College Drive. You are encouraged to enjoy fellowship with classmates, families and friends at the Alumni House.

The Alumni House is located at 310 Banner Road, Banner Elk, NC 28604
    
9 a.m.     

Cycling Alumni Ride

Contact Cycling Coach Tim Hall at 828.898.3432 or hallt@lmc.edu to participate.
    
9 - 10 a.m.     

Muffins and Mimosas
Miller Commons

Enjoy a continental breakfast while you meet and mingle with President Buxton and your student's professors. Coffee, juice and other drinks will be available with the breakfast.
Must RSVP for this event.
    
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.     

Green & Gold Alumni Awards Brunch
Tate Lawn

Enjoy a full brunch buffet while visiting with your former classmates. The Alumni Association, led by Alumni Board President, Catherine Button Campe '89 '91, will hold its brief Annual Meeting and announce the recipient of the Lees-McRae Class Agent Award, the annual Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Alumni Service awards

$10 per person; Must RSVP and prepay for this event.
    
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.     

Interest Sessions
Various Locations

Please Choose One

    Hemlock Hike (Alumni House) | Enjoy a beautiful hike along the Hemlock Trail led by Dee Thomas, director of Outdoor Programs.
    Student Success (Burton Center for Student Success) | Everyone needs a little help from time to time. Learn strategies to help improve your student's success rate, including tutoring, writing center, advising and more.
    Career Services (Stafford Room, Carson Library) | Learn more about programs, resources and technology available to support your student's quest for the perfect internship, job or graduate school.

Must RSVP for this event.
    
10:30 a.m.     

Softball Alumni Game
Athletics Complex
    
12 p.m.     

Women's Volleyball vs. Southern Wesleyan
Williams Gymnasium
    
12 p.m.     

Class of 1959 Class Meeting
King-Shivell Lounge in the Cannon Student Center
    
1 p.m.     

Men's Lacrosse vs. Methodist
Field 4, Athletics Complex
    
2 p.m.     

Tailgate Contest
Bobcat Bank, Tate Field

Win the prize for the best tailgate d�cor! Anyone can enter: reunion classes, alumni friends and classmates or families! Be Bobcat outrageous, collegiate, and have fun! Judges will determine best Bobcat spirit. There will be food available for purchase. There will be a host of other activities for all ages. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

Tailgate spaces are limited! If you would like to enter the contest and park on Bobcat Bank, you must register using the registration form or by contacting Jillian Rosato at 828.898.2534 or rosatoj@lmc.edu.
    
2:30 p.m.     

Methodist Men's Lacrosse vs. St. Andrews
Field 4, Athletics Complex
    
3 p.m.     

Women's Soccer vs. University of Mount Olive
Tate Field
    
4 p.m.     

Class of 1964 Reception
King-Shivell Lounge in the Cannon Student Center
    
 4 p.m.     Men's Lacrosse vs. St. Andrews
Field 4, Athletics Complex
    
Approx. 4:30 p.m.     

Crowning of the 2014 Lees-McRae Homecoming King & Queen
Tate Field

Between the Homecoming soccer games, please join us for the presentation of the Homecoming Court and the crowning of the Homecoming King & Queen.
    
5:30 p.m.     

Men's Soccer vs. University of Mount Olive
Tate Field
    
5:30 p.m.     

Class of 1959 Light Supper and Reception on Beech Mountain
Hosted by Charles and Mary Elder Frisbie and Bob and Linda Measmer

Parking is unavailable at the event location. Shuttles will be offered and will begin leaving from Williams Gymnasium parking lot at 5:15 p.m. and run until 8:30 p.m. The shuttle is $5 per person.
Must RSVP and prepay for this event.
    
7 - 11 p.m.     

Homecoming Party on Tate Lawn
Tate Lawn

Come and party with us under a huge tent and dance the night away! Featuring the popular band, Hot Sauce, it promises to be a great evening.

Lees-McRae Classes of 1994 and 2004 will host special reunion tables during the party. If you are attending the 1994 or 2004 reunions, please RSVP for this event.

Drink tickets provided by the Alumni Association (for those 21 and older).
    
7:30 p.m.     

Lees-McRae Performing Arts presents: Cinderella
Broyhill Theater at Hayes Auditorium

Directed by Dr. Michael Hannah '93

All performances are in the Hayes Auditorium, Broyhill Theatre. Tickets are only sold at the door. Ticket sales begin one hour before show time. All seating is General Admission. Ticket prices: Adult - $12 Student/Child - $5.
    
Sunday, October 5

Enjoy Sunday with your student or alumni friends. Sundays are a great time to take a hike, visit Grandfather Mountain, go shopping or worship in one of our area churches. MacDonald Dining Hall will be open for brunch from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., and you may pay at the door.
9 a.m.     

Cycling Alumni Ride

Contact Cycling Coach Tim Hall at 828.898.3432 or hallt@lmc.edu to participate.
    
9:30 a.m.     

Class of 1959 Continental Breakfast
MacDonald Dining Hall

Please pay at the door.
    
2 p.m.     

Lees-McRae Performing Arts presents: Cinderella
Broyhill Theater at Hayes Auditorium

Directed by Dr. Michael Hannah '93

All performances are in the Hayes Auditorium, Broyhill Theatre. Tickets are only sold at the door. Ticket sales begin one hour before show time. All seating is General Admission. Ticket prices: Adult - $12 Student/Child - $5.

Banner Elk Magazine
111 Hillcrest Lane
Banner Elk, North Carolina 28604
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