High Country Press

October 23, 2019. Did you attend or graduate from Avery County High School? Would you like to reconnect with former classmates and friends? Would you like to visit with old friends in other classes? Then the First Annual Avery County High School Reunion is for you! The three schools that consolidated to form ACHS (Newland High, Crossnore High, and Cranberry High) have had annual reunions for many years. Avery County High School has been in existence now for 50 years and there has never been an annual reunion for all classes. But finally, one will be held this Saturday, October 26, the day after Avery’s Homecoming Celebration and Football Game. The reunion will take place in the ACHS Gymnasium, located at 401 High School Road in Newland. It is free to attend and doors will open for fun and visiting at 1:30 p.m. The reunion will last until 5:30 with a special program at 2:30 p.m. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

October 23, 2019. Looking to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in your neighborhood? Want to keep an eye on criminal activity in your area? Take a look at these recent incident and arrest reports from the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office and the Boone Police Department. Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

October 23, 2019. Downtown Blowing Rock will be filled with monsters, ghosts, ghouls and creepy, crawly creatures this weekend for the annual Blowing Rock Halloween Festival. All events are free and will make for a family-friendly and fun Saturday afternoon and evening. The day starts off with a special Creepy Crafts hands-on activity at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) from 2-3 p.m. After that, numerous games and activities for kids will begin at 3 p.m. in Memorial Park, including an inflatable airwalk that will be set up until 8 p.m. From 4-8 p.m., hayrides will be offered to travel through Blowing Rock. More Halloween events kick off at 5:30 p.m. with the Monster March on Main Street. Everybody in their costumes is invited to line up at the American Legion building to begin the match. Trick-or-Treat begins downtown at 6 p.m. as does the Trunk-or-Treat event at Blowing Rock First Baptist Church. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

October 23, 2019. The Boone Greenway Skatepark has become a highly anticipated upcoming feature for the local community since the Town of Boone approved the project in February 2018. J.P. Pardy, owner of Recess Skate and Snow, came up with the idea for the new skatepark when the DIY park at the old Watauga High School closed down in 2017. Boone’s skateboarding community has long yearned for a local destination they can skate freely and safely without fear of violating property laws or hurting themselves on improper terrain. For years, the DIY skatepark that was built by locals in the ruins of the old Watauga High School served as that community skateboarding hub. However, after Appalachian State University bought the land in 2017, the DIY skatepark was no longer accessible to the public. J.P. Pardy decided there should be a new skateboarding hub for the town of Boone, and this time, the location should be safe, official, and easily accessible from anywhere around town. Boone Greenway Skatepark is the product of Pardy’s ideas; the Town of Boone has partnered with Recess and Pardy to help build the skatepark in a tract of land near the already existing greenway in Boone, hence the skatepark’s name. By Joe Johnson / Read more…

October 23, 2019. Wouldn’t it be nice if newborn babies came with an instruction manual? Many of life’s frustrations for new parents would be so much easier to navigate if that were the case. But, as most of us know, we get through those first few days, months and maybe even the first year or two without too much trouble. It’s when those little ones begin to “think” for themselves — and exert their power — that the challenges really start. Thanks to the tried and true Love and Logic Parenting program, moms and dads can breathe a sigh of relief as they are guided through the maze while they learn how to deal with some of life’s more difficult situations. Parents in the High Country will be delighted to learn about an upcoming six-week session of Love and Logic, presented by well-known local pediatrician, Dr. Clint Zimmerman and Speech-Language Pathologist Bencita Brooks, who are independent facilitators of the Love and Logic Curricula. By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

October 23, 2019. Just this week, I’ve heard the first mention of a few snowflakes of the season. I’ve noticed that the Hallmark channel has begun showing Christmas movies. I’ve seen workers cutting Christmas trees from a field. And for weeks now, I’ve noticed Christmas decorations on store shelves, along with a few pilgrims as table decorations for Thanksgiving. And Halloween is still a few days away. Something about it just doesn’t seem right, but I guess it’s a sign of the ever-changing, constantly rushing times in which we live. I like things the old-fashioned way — a slower pace and everything in order: Halloween, Thanksgiving and then Christmas, just like it appears on the calendar. Since Halloween comes first, we’ll do some Ghost Toast before bringing out the turkey and fruitcake. Enjoy it while you can!.
By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

October 15, 2019. The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland. / Read more…

What’s going on in your community? Here’s a brief update on the emails we received today. Check back each day for an updated list of events going on in the area. As always, please feel free to email us about your event or update.

What’s Happening This Week at Lost Province Brewing

Blowing Rock Planning Board Meeting Rescheduled for October 24

‘Aging With Compassion’ a Buddhist Approach to Getting Older Free Talk Happening October 26

Watauga County Commissioners’ Meeting Rescheduled for November 6

Continuing Nursing Education: ‘Inside Appalachia—Strategies to Improve Patient-Provider Communications and Health Outcomes’ Offered November 20

Watauga Habitat is Looking for Future Homeowners

Jeanne Supin for Congress Campaign Statement on Syria and Turkey

Read more…
Compiled by Nathan Ham

October 22, 2019. Even with some damp and slightly chilly weather on Saturday and Sunday, big crowds still turned out for the 42nd Annual Woolly Worm Festival. Last year’s festival was a forgettable one as high winds ravaged vendor tents and forced the cancellation of Sunday events. This year made up for it in a big way with lots of happy folks and happy vendors. “The festival went great, some of the vendors said they had the best day Saturday that they had ever had in the whole time they have ever been at Woolly Worm in one day,” said Melynda Pepple, the Executive Director of the Avery County Chamber of Commerce. “Our crowds were phenomenal the entire morning. Then it got a little rainy, but for a while there, you could hardly move. We were very happy with the turnout. Everyone seemed happy, excited and very positive.” By Nathan Ham / Read more…

October 22, 2019. After a successful opening week at the venerable Appalachian Theatre of the High Country (ATHC), Executive Director Laura Kratt announced details today for the next two public events at the Boone landmark. Just in time for Halloween, the popular film “Hocus Pocus” will be shown at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, October 25 and 26. A curious youngster moves to Salem, where he struggles to fit in before awakening a trio of diabolical witches that were executed in the 17th century. Starring Academy Award® nominee Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy are the three wild witches who return from seventeenth-century Salem for a night of zany fun and comic chaos. Filled with bewitching laughs and magic, this hilarious film is perfect for the whole family. This is a family-friendly event and admission is $10 for adults and $6 for children. Comedian Jeanne Robertson takes the stage of the Appalachian Theatre at 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 2. / Read more…

October 22, 2019. The Community Care Clinic in Boone recently announced the departure of its medical director, Dr. John Whitlock, on September 1. Dr. Whitlock, who helped establish the Community Care Clinic in 2006, retired from his position. He has a significant history in this community, is well known and well respected.  He has turned over the reins to Dr. Daniel Goble, who is a hospitalist with Watauga Medical, involved with the Family Practice Residency Program coming in 2020, and has been a volunteer with the clinic for 2 years. In a little about his own work experience in the medical field, Globe commented, “I have volunteered at various free clinics since I was an undergraduate at NC State University. Since receiving the Brody Scholarship upon my entrance to ECU’s Brody School of Medicine, I have felt especially motivated to give back to each community I‘m a part of. During my first year at Brody, I regularly saw patients in several free clinics and became a director of the Grimesland Free Clinic during my second year. Throughout the course of my residency with Via Christi Family Medicine in Wichita, Kansas, I took care of a great number of urban indigent patients. So after moving to Boone in 2016 and starting as a full-time hospitalist with Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, it was only natural for me to volunteer at the Community Care Clinic.” By Colby Gable / Read more…

October 22, 2019. Watauga County’s own Eddy Merle Watson, late great musician and two-time Grammy award winner, was one of five inductees named to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame on Thursday, Oct. 17. It was a time to remember, Watson’s family told High Country Press, after their loved one was honored posthumously during the red-carpet ceremony at the historic Gem Theatre in Kannapolis. Watson’s daughter, Karen Watson Norris, her children, Channing Norris, Chelsea Kilgore and Sarah Beth Norris accepted the honor on Watson’s behalf. Karen Watson Norris said, “We are extremely pleased that my dad is being honored in this manner. It really means a lot to us, especially to know that even after all these years following his tragic death, that people still love his music — that it is still being heard and shared — and that it still has such deep meaning to so many people. We are very honored to be able to accept this award in his honor and memory. It would mean so much to him, also, to know that his contribution to music in North Carolina and beyond has not been forgotten.”
By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

Oct. 22, 2019 As promised, “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” delivers the most vile, repugnant, terrifying creatures known to man. I’m speaking of course, about the three fairy godmothers (Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville, and Juno Temple) who have watched over Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning) since she was a baby. The actresses’ faces on CGI fairy bodies is the stuff of nightmares. You may have heard of the Uncanny Valley, this is the Uncanny Bottomless Crevasse. By Bob Garver. / Read more…

October 22, 2019. Florida artist Daniel Ambrose has created a new egg tempera painting, Abandoned Beauty, that features a wren resting on the window frame of an old school building in North Carolina for the Crossnore School and Children’s Home. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this painting will benefit the institution’s Stepping Stones program. Ambrose has supported the Crossnore School for more than a decade, by offering paintings for sale at the Crossnore Fine Arts Gallery. The Gallery specifically supports the school’s Stepping Stones program, which transitions students from foster care to successful independent living. Its major goal is to alter future outcomes for students who have experienced years of foster care – a particularly precarious and vulnerable time for teens and young adults – by extending a safety net that continues nurturing adult behavior, skills and responsibilities. / Read more…

October 21, 2019. The annual Winter Fearless Forecast from RaysWeather.com was officially posted online Saturday, making way for an anxious crowd of winter enthusiasts to begin the debate on just how much snow will fall in the High Country. Ray Russell’s forecast predicts that Boone will see approximately 33 inches of snow, which is 10 percent less than the average long-term snow total. The forecast also predicts temperatures will be near the seasonal average and that the bulk of the winter precipitation will fall from mid-November to the end of January. Winter is predicted to be milder by late February and into March. As always, Russell advises readers to not put too much stock into long-range forecasts and that this prediction just so happens to be their scientific rationale based on historic trends and current weather models. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

October 21, 2019. This November, Saloon Studios will be hosting two exhilarating performances in their intimate, 100-seat setting; Barrere & Tackett are performing on November 2 at 6:00 p.m. and Mark Farner’s American Band will be performing on November 9 at 6:00 p.m. Tucked away on 180 acres of Mt. Jefferson, just south of West Jefferson, Saloon Studios is at the heart of a mid 19th-century Old West town replica surrounded by such buildings as a sheriff’s office, undertaker, post office, blacksmith, stables, cantina, and a general store. However, the saloon not just a replica of a western-style saloon; the location also doubles as a live performance stage and recording venue with state-of-the-art recording equipment, technology, and sound engineering in an intimate, 100-seat setting. Rock n’ Roll legends as well as up-and-coming acts are invited to the live stage to showcase their greatest hits; rock n’ roll hall of famers such as Dave Mason of Traffic and Steve Cropper of “STAX” Records, Foghat, Molly Hatchet and more have performed at Saloon Studios. By Joe Johnson / Read more…

October 21, 2019. The Men’s Glee Clubs of AppState and Watauga High School will combine for a program they call “Sing Your Way Home” – the final concert in the Summer Concert Series at St. Mary of the Hills this Sunday, October 27th at 3 pm in the nave of the church.  The program begins with the exuberant Zulu/Xhosa song San’Bonani/Namhla Kudibene, and includes music by Grieg and Mendelssohn, Joseph Martin’s Sing Your Way Home, and John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads. The AppState Men’s Glee Club, under director Dr. Meg Stohlmann, draws its 29 members from most of the colleges at the university and sings both sacred and secular music from all historical periods and styles. The group champions new works, and encourages its members to be active as student conductors, composers, and club leaders. Activities of the Glee Club include performances on campus and across the state of North Carolina. / Read more…

October 21, 2019. Appalachian Regional Library has received funding from the National Libraries of Medicine and locally from the Watauga County Community Foundation, which is administered by the North Carolina Community Foundation, in support of its 2019 Good Neighbor Project. The funding will be used to bring Dana Bowman, author of Bottled: A Mom’s Guide to Early Recovery, to speak in Watauga County. Bowman’s book, Bottled, is a memoir of her life as a young mother and an alcoholic. Multiple copies of the book have been distributed in the community to read, share, and return and there are copies that can be checked out at the library. Bowman will speak at a free event at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, October 29, at the Boone United Methodist Church. A meet and greet with the author will be from 4:30 -5:30 pm A Library Journal review describes her book this way: / Read more…

October 21, 2019. Grandfather Mountain can bear-ly stand the excitement, because Oct. 26 marks the nonprofit nature park’s annual Beary Scary Halloween celebration. This special day features a wide range of activities, including trick-or-treating, spooky arts and crafts, making enrichments for animals and a costume contest. The activities start at 11 a.m. and run to 3:30 p.m. and are included with the price of admission. Plus, kids in costume receive half-priced admission. “Beary Scary is a great way for kids to come up to celebrate Halloween and learn all about bears and other fun creatures,” said Jenny Condron, assistant habitats curator for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, the nonprofit organization that owns and operates the park. “This year’s theme is all about native animals and creepy critters that will highlight the environment of the mountain during the autumn season.” / Read more…

Oct. 21, 2019 Here are some fan shots from Saturday’s 52-7 victory over UL Monroe. With a sold out crowd, rain and the cold did not dampen the excitement of the crowd. App State travels to South Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 26 for their next showdown. Photography by Dennis Mills. / Read more…

October 21, 2019. On October 15th, The White House announced the recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) and the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). Among the recipients this year was Katie Matthews, a first grade teacher at Valle Crucis School, who was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The award honors individuals or organizations that have demonstrated excellence in mentoring individuals from groups that are underrepresented in STEM education and workforce. Individuals and organizations in all public and private sectors are eligible including industry, academia, primary and secondary education, military and government, non-profit organizations, and foundations. Nominations are encouraged from all geographical regions in the U.S., its territories or possessions, particularly jurisdictions designated by Congress under NSF’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). By Colby Gable / Read more…

October 21, 2019. If anyone ever thought that the golden years were boring, chances are they’ve never stopped in at the Lois E. Harrill Senior Center in Boone. There’s always something happening at the center and there’s rarely a day when there’s not a lot of fun and excitement going on for the young at heart. Regardless of the month of season, Director Billie Luster and her staff and volunteers always have a full slate of activities planned — parties, games, crafts, good food and fellowship – and that’s just the beginning. Now through the end of the year is an especially busy time, Lister tells us, with not only recreation and entertainment available, but also a list of outreach and educational opportunities to keep seniors young in heart, mind, body and spirit.
By Sherrie Norris / Read more…

October 21, 2019. Merlefest, presented by Window World, will begin accepting applications from vendors and retail merchants for The Shoppes at MerleFest, as well as artisans and craftsmen who wish to be featured in the Heritage Crafts tent, starting November 1, 2019. MerleFest is an annual homecoming of musicians and music fans that takes place on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, N.C. MerleFest 2020 will be held April 23-26. Located immediately through the entrance gate, most of the paying public must walk through The Shoppes to get to the main stage and walk back through The Shoppes when exiting. This greatly increases the foot traffic that vendors have visiting their booths. All of The Shoppes are set up on pavement. Those interested in participating in The Shoppes at MerleFest or the Heritage Crafts area may download an application and review the rules and guidelines at www.MerleFest.org/vendors/. MerleFest will accept applications through January 15, 2020. A selection committee reviews all applications and will email acceptance letters to selected vendors in February 2020. / Read more…

October 21, 2019. For a program familiar with making history, these are heady times even for the Appalachian State Mountaineers. On Sunday, the undefeated (6-0) Mountaineers received a No. 21 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 poll and the No. 22 spot in the Amway Coaches poll, eclipsing last week’s No. 24 ranking in both polls as the highest FBS ranking in Sun Belt Conference and school history. App State, which was already the first Sun Belt school to be ranked on multiple occasions, becomes the first school in league history to receive a Top 25 ranking in consecutive weeks. The Sun Belt was established as an FBS conference in 2001. App State joined the league in 2014. App State’s 52-7 win over west division leader ULM on Saturday marked the first win by a Top 25 ranked Sun Belt team and pushed the Mountaineers to bowl eligibility for the fifth straight season. Only Marshall has made more consecutive bowl appearances after jumping to the FBS ranks (six), and App State is the only program to win each of its first four bowl games in consecutive seasons. / Read more…

October 20, 2019. The Appalachian State Mountaineers kept their perfect record this season intact with a 52-7 homecoming rout of Louisiana-Monroe in a Sun Belt Conference game played on a cold and rainy autumn afternoon Saturday at Boone’s Kidd Brewer Stadium. A sellout crowd of 27,717 attended the game, which was also viewed by thousands, perhaps millions more on ESPN Plus television. Appalachian State (6-0 over-all; 3-0 conference) had little trouble moving the ball against the Warhawks (3-4 over-all; 2-1 conference), rolling up a whopping 572 yards and 27 first downs By Tim Gardner / Photography by David C. Mayo / Read more…

October 18, 2019. While some of the highest elevations in the High Country have seen a lot of color change already, the peak still seems to be another week away, that is according to the latest fall color update from Howard Neufeld at Appalachian State University’s Department of Biology. Neufeld predicts that this weekend and into next week will be the peak of color for the bulk of the High Country. Fall color change has started its descent from the higher elevations of Grandfather Mountain, past the Linn Cove Viaduct and into the valleys below. While color has peaked in certain areas near the viaduct and on the Blue Ridge Parkway, green can still be seen at lower elevations. That is expected to change very soon. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

October 18, 2019. Instead of the usual candidate’s forum that is hosted by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, the chamber went a different direction this election cycle to allow the four people running for Boone Town Council seats to explain why they are the best fit for the job. This year, audio podcasts were recorded of each candidate answering nine questions. The podcasts, which are available to listen to any time, give people a chance to hear these candidates on their own time instead of having to tune into the radio simulcast or attend the forum at a certain time. “We decided to go the podcast route which allowed candidates to have a little bit more time to speak. I think with the old format they had roughly 10 to 12 minutes worth of actual time to say anything. This time candidates averaged roughly 15 to 16 minutes of time to really get more into their stances on things,” said David Jackson, the President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce.  By Nathan Ham / Read more…

October 18, 2019. In honor of Appalachian State University’s upcoming celebrations, enjoy a snapshot of the university’s homecoming history, which first began in 1934. Spanning more than eight decades, this slideshow features a look at some of Appalachian’s early athletics fields — including College Field and Conrad Stadium — the university’s kazoo band, themed homecoming parade floats and many iterations of the Mountaineers’ mascot, Yosef. A 1940 letter provided by University Archives and Records, housed in Appalachian’s Belk Library and Information Commons, describes the original intent of homecoming: “Most colleges and universities set aside one day each year for the entertainment of their alumni. This is known as ‘homecoming day’, and homecoming it is, for many former students assemble to renew associations with their foster mother and campus brothers and sisters.” By Megan Bruffy / Read more…

October 18, 2019. Hardin Park sixth-grader Clara Lappan correctly spelled “Marathon” and “Autumn” to secure victory in the Watauga County Schools district-wide spelling bee held Oct. 18. Green Valley’s Zeke Walker from Green Valley secured the runner-up spot in the contest. The top-speller in each school was invited to attend the competition held at the WCS central office. This year’s contestants were: Liliana Wyatt of Bethel, Iris Westerman of Blowing Rock, A.J. McAulay of Cove Creek, Zeke Walker of Green Valley, Clara Lappan of Hardin Park, Mark Spaulding of Mabel, Ben Baublitz of Parkway and Grant Painter of Valle Crucis. A single speller from each school secured a stop at the district-wide spelling bee final by winning a competition among fourth through eighth-grade students at her or his school. Meredith Jones, Watauga County Schools Director of Middle Grades Education, said regardless of the competition’s outcome, students had demonstrated hard work and dedication to make an appearance at the district bee. / Read more…

October 18, 2019. Several speakers in support of and in opposition to potential changes to the Valle Crucis Historic District Ordinance had their voices heard on Tuesday evening at the Watauga County Commissioners’ meeting. The proposed changes would add an amendment to the ordinance that would address the construction of schools within the historical district. The ordinance that was first put into place in September of 1990 made no mention of school construction in Valle Crucis. In a previous meeting of the county commissioners on September 17, there was a proposal put forth by the board to amend the ordinance. After hearing so much public input Tuesday night, the discussions have been tabled until the next commissioners’ meeting on November 6. By Nathan Ham / Read more…

October 18, 2019. Current seniors in 11 Western North Carolina high school districts who meet specific academic requirements and submit an application by Friday, Nov. 1, are guaranteed admission to Appalachian State University through a newly announced program called GEAR UP Guarantee. Appalachian’s GEAR UP Guarantee is a collaboration between the university and the region’s 11 Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) school districts to provide a seamless pathway for high school students to enroll at Appalachian. The 11 GEAR UP school districts are Ashe, Alleghany, Burke, Clay, Graham, Madison, Rutherford, Swain, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties. By Elisabeth Wall / Read more…

October 18, 2019. Avery County Sheriff’s Department personnel and many other people have been searching all over for Bigfoot for months. Deputies finally found him where you might expect him to be: by himself far out in the woods. Many times if someone calls in a Bigfoot sighting, it would be ignored or perhaps even chucked at. But in this particular case, it has caused jubilation from many. A statue of the Sasquatch Bigfoot was stolen from Mountaineer Landscaping in Linville in August, and ironically it was found at a site less than an hour away. A man the Sheriff’s Department released as being named “Mike” was in a remote area of a nearby woods in the Edgemont Community when he saw Sasquatch. Mike contacted local law enforcement authorities, and they found and confiscated Bigfoot from there. By Tim Gardner / Read more…

October 17, 2019. Appalachian Mountain Brewery and We Can So You Can Foundation are returning to the Daniel Boone Amphitheatre this year to host the third annual Haunted Horn, the High Country’s only immersive haunted experience. This year’s version of Haunted Horn, entitled Haunted Horn: Stalker, will occur on Fridays and Saturdays from October 11 – 26 from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Tickets are available online for $10 and at the door for $13. Parking is available for free. We Can So You Can Foundation has put on Haunted Horn events for the past two years; 2017’s event was called Haunted Horn: Curse of Wendigo and 2018’s event was Haunted Horn: The Accused. This year, experience a time warp and go back to the 80s with Haunted Horn: Stalker, based after famous ‘80s era thrillers and slasher flicks, and try to escape the stalker pursuing you and the other participants trying to flee. By Joe Johnson / Read more…

October 17, 2019. Following a nearly week-long search for a suspect involved in an accident that killed a cyclist on October 10, a man has been arrested and his vehicle has been seized. The North Carolina Highway Patrol said on Wednesday that Charles Steward Bean, 55, of Creedmoor has been arrested in connection to a hit-and-run accident on Highway 221 across the Caldwell County line not far from Grandfather Mountain. Bean was arrested at his home in Granville County on a felony hit-and-run charge and is currently being held on a $35,000 bond. Bean’s 2008 Toyota Sienna minivan is believed to be the vehicle that he was driving when he allegedly struck and killed Ignacio Giraldo. Giraldo, 61, was traveling north when a vehicle crossed the center line in a curve and struck him head-on, according to the highway patrol. The man was riding his bicycle along with three others, including his daughter.  By Nathan Ham / Read more…

October 17, 2019. Seven students from Avery High School in Newland, NC recently completed “The Grandfather Challenge” hiking program at Grandfather Mountain in Linville.  “The Grandfather Challenge” program is sponsored by The Jason Project, Inc., which was formed by the parents of Jason Matthew Nipper, who passed away in June of 2014 at age 26. This private foundation was formed to host this unique hiking program, which is designed to build self-confidence in struggling youth, as well as trust and positive rapport with adult mentors. Because of Jason’s abiding love of the outdoors and mountain hiking, James & Cheryl have established  “The Grandfather Challenge,” through which students navigate all of the rigorous hiking trails at Grandfather Mountain.  Although the program includes at-risk kids suffering from mental problems and/or drug addictions, the program also seeks to assist any special kids who are struggling with personal adversities, including family, school, or other personal problems or challenges. / Read more…