HIGHLAND HAPPENINGS
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Upcoming Events
 
October 5th, 12th and 13th- Farmers' Market  
Join us for our Farmers' Market  on Friday's at 3:30pm at The Highland Center pavillion .   
*Special Hands & Harvest Weekend Farmers' Market: Friday from 3:30-6 and Saturday from 9a-1p!* 
 
Tuesday, October 9th at 5:30pm- Hayfields Farm Forum
Virginia Outdoors Foundation will host a community forum to gather public input on the potential use of Hayfields Farm.  
   
Wednesday, October 10th at 5:30pm- AMI Fellow Capstone Presentations
Phase I Fellows will present Capstone Projects exploring the needs and opportunities in Highland Community and on AMI's Mountain Farm. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the AMI and its Fellowship Program and a great chance to say goodbye for now to the 2018-2019 cohort!

Potluck begins at 5:30 PM.
Presentations begin at 6:15 PM.
 
Sunday, October 14th at 3p- Robin & Linda William
The Highland County Arts Council presents a memorial concert for Elizabeth and Mary Hille McCoy 
 
Saturday, October 27th at 12p- Positive Momentum: Ryan Munsey
Positive Momentum presents Ryan Munsey: Change the Way You Think... Change the Way You Live!
 
 
See all our upcoming events HERE 
 
 
Congratulations to Claire Sax-  
Interim Director of Operations

MONTEREY - The Highland Center's 20th anniversary year is drawing to a close and strategic planning work is moving ahead.

In recognition of program growth and the Highland Inn renovation about to start, the center's board has named Claire Sax as interim director of center operations.

  "I'm delighted that Claire is stepping up to take over day-to-day operations at the center," said executive director Betty Mitchell. "I'll be able to focus on overseeing a full renovation of the Highland Inn, the community park project, and working with our partners for strategic economic development projects. It is really nice to work with a colleague with Claire's development experience and marketing skills to accomplish the aggressive goals we've set."

Caroline Smith, board chair, shares Mitchell's enthusiasm. "As we've looked at the array of programs and activities that make up The Highland Center, we see that two senior level staff positions are a must. Betty has been instrumental in the vision and progress of The Highland Center over the past 20 years, and we are thrilled that she will again have an opportunity to showcase her strong fundraising and networking skills. We realize we need to align our resources as we move into the next decade of the center's life."

"I'm looking forward to working with The Highland Center team on existing programs and strengthening our community through youth, local foods and business incubation programs," Sax added. "Betty and I have a strong partnership and a shared vision for The Highland Center and the Highland Inn renovation."

Claire and her husband, Erik, and children, Karl and Lucy, moved to Monterey in July 2016 along with her parents, mother Dorcas Lohr and father Clair Myers.

She has worked at The Highland Center as development and events
coordinator since October 2017. In addition, she brings a great deal of experience in small business ownership, fund-raising, and resource development.

She created and owned Crowning Moments, working as a doula and childbirth educator. She worked for George Mason University and the Galapagos Conservancy in gifts management and development.

To schedule events, use facilities, or ask questions regarding daily operations, please contact Claire Sax at (540) 468-1922, or clairesax@htcnet.org


Youth Employment Program Wrap Up

This year's Highland Center Youth Employment Program (YEP), recently closed out its 17th summer with a total of 14 youth participants, 12 worksites, and 1,730 hours worked. The work sites were diverse this year and consisted of a myriad of not for profit and for profit placements. In the 17 years of YEP, the youth have worked: approximately 25,000 hours in the County, at local businesses, non-profits, and government offices, and also earned about $180,000 to contribute to the local economy.
 
This was the first year running YEP for Highland Center Programs Manager , Jessica Durovy. Overall Jessica enjoyed running the program immensely and loved getting to know the youth of the county.
 
  "I feel it is a privilege to get to work with the teens and young adults of any community. Youth always offer a unique perspective on the world and their community and the youth here are no different. I have always felt welcome here in Highland, but getting to know these teens, their families, and their worksites taught me about Highland in a way that I do not think I would have been able to experience outside of YEP."
 
The primary goal of YEP is to offer work experiences for the youth of Highland County, but the program is much more than matching a teen with a summer job. There are also a set of mandatory education sessions that are chosen in order to offer the youth lessons on skills such as: resume building, mock interviews, social entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and soft skills. Sessions often have a guest speaker who comes in and not only speaks on the session topic, but also offers the youth a unique professional connection they may not otherwise have access to. It is also a hope that these sessions will improve the participants likeliness of employment as well as their confidence levels during the job hunt. 
 
Sophie Hevener, a three-year long participant in the program, spoke about her experience in YEP and said, "(YEP) is a nice opportunity. I joined in the beginning to make money, but I keep coming back because of the new skills I learn each year. I love the things I have gotten to do and my favorite part is the people I get to work with."
 
Everyone involved in this program should be very proud.  This program has been and remains to be primarily community funded, which Jessica thinks speaks volumes to how much the community believes in this for the youth of Highland County.
 
Donors this year included: the Blue Grass, Bolar, and Mill Gap Ruritans, the Monterey Lions Club, Highland County Public Schools, Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge, the county's Board of Supervisors, and anonymous funders .
 
It is also notable that this year two of the program participants were hired on at their worksites for jobs throughout the school year. Additionally the worksites were asked to contribute a portion of their participant's wages. Overall the worksites contributed approximately $2,750 towards the wages of the program participants. This not only allowed for the youth to work more hours, but also showed the youth that everyone in the community is invested, in more ways than one, in their experience and their futures.
 
"I have learned a lot this summer and am looking forward to running YEP again next summer. I am so grateful for all the guidance of the worksites and the participation of this year's youth, I hope to work with you all again next summer." Says Jessica.
 
If you are interested in being part of next year's YEP as a student, donor, seminar instructor, or worksite, please contact Jessica Durovy at 468-1922 or programs@htcnet.org
 
 
 

 
McCoy Sisters Concert:  
Robin & Linda Williams
 

The Highland County Arts Council invites you to a memorial concert honoring Mary Hille and Elizabeth McCoy on Sunday, October 14th at 3p at The Highland Center. 

The concert will feature Robin and Linda Williams and is supported by the Charles Pickney Jones Foundation and the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

 
 
Following the performance, please stay for a silent auction and complimentary cider from Big Fish Cider Company.

For more information, please visit www.highlandcountyartscouncil.org 
 
 
 
JOIN US:  
Hayfields Farm Forum




The Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) will host a community forum on October 9 (5:30pm) in Monterey at The Highland Center to gather public input on the potential use and community aspirations of Hayfields Farm.
 
Hayfields Farm is a 1,034-acre farm located south of McDowell that was acquired by the foundation last year as compensatory mitigation in association with the development of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The property is adjacent to the Highland Wildlife Management Area and includes more than a mile of the Bullpasture River.
 
"We want to find a use for the property that maximizes public benefit while ensuring the property is protected as open space," says VOF's deputy director of stewardship, Martha Little, who is overseeing the planning process.
 
The forum, which will be facilitated by Stantec, will be held from 5:30pm-7:30pm at the Highland Center on Tuesday, October 9. Light refreshments will be provided. Call VOF communications and outreach manager Jason McGarvey at 804-314-9557 with questions.

     
    
 
OCTOBER 27th EVENT:  
Change the way you think...change the way you live!  
 
Come join the Positive Momentum Tribe at this highly interactive and informative presentation by high performance consultant and health & wellness thought leader, Ryan Munsey, entitled "CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK...CHANGE THE WAY YOU LIVE"!!!

Are you looking to make changes in your life (especially in your health)? Have y
ou tried to make desired changes before and it just did not happen (maybe you had a period of time of success followed by a significant setback)?

A lot of it depends on your thoughts; and, being aware of that. If you master your mind,  you can accomplish any goal and move toward the body, mind, & spirit of your dreams. As Ryan mentions in his book, "It's crucial to note it's not a lack of information that prevents us from reaching our goals. Rather, those who fall short of their goals do so in the implementation or execution stages, despite our stated goals and deepest hopes and desires".

EVENT OVERVIEW:
11:30AM - 12:00PM: Guest Check-In, meet Ryan
12:00PM - 12:10PM: Welcome & Introduction
12:10PM - 1:15PM: Ryan Munsey Presentation
1:15PM - 2:00PM: Questions & Answers Session with Ryan Munsey
2:00PM - 2:30PM: Meet Ryan and Tribe Council/Leaders

Ryan is a high performance consultant and thought leader in the wellness and personal development space and holds a degree in Food Science & Human Nutrition from Clemson University. After college, Ryan parlayed his bodybuilding interest into fitness and fashion modeling in New York City where he also began his career as a nutritionist and personal trainer, helping actors, designers, and other models achieve their fitness goals. In 2012, Ryan opened his own performance training facility in Roanoke, VA where he helped athletes and non-athletes, and contributed to leading national and international publications such as Men's Fitness & Men's Health. 

Buy Tickets Here