By Sherrie Norris
Approximately 1250 guests and dozens of volunteers helped set a fund-raising record during this year’s Blowing Rock Tour of Homes on July 28.
On behalf of St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church, which hosts the much-anticipated tour each year, chairperson Jo Ann Hallmark shared with High Country Press this week that the 2023— and 65th home tour in the historic town — raised $103,000. “These funds will be distributed to several non-profit organizations serving the needs of High Country residents,” she explained.
“As usual, Blowing Rock opened its beautiful arms wide, and welcomed so many to enjoy a wonderful day of fun and fellowship in our mountain village,” Hallmark said. “On behalf of our church, I want to thank everyone — and I believe it may have actually been everyone in the community — who rolled up their sleeves and found a way to help make the day a huge success.”
First and foremost, Hallmark emphasized, “I want to thank Cantey and Jim Tanner, Bridget and Steve Holcombe, Sue and Jim Dulin and Jeff Roberts, who generously opened their beautiful homes to make this year’s tour so very special, and Bo Henderson who hosted the most wonderful Christmas in July party to kick-start our fundraising efforts.”
Hallmark described how “generous patrons were quick to respond, when asked to get the fundraising started;” she praised all those volunteers who helped in some way before, during and after the event: planning, organizing, providing publicity/photos, logistics/transportation/safety; donating and arranging flowers and decorating, to moving donated items from place to place, baking, cooking and serving food, and serving as docents in the homes, setting up and taking down tents, distributing water, and even sorting through trash, “so that everything that could be was recycled.”
Indeed, Hallmark surmised, the success of the Tour of Homes does take a village — and the efforts will have a huge impact for a long time to come.
“Yes, all that work raised $103,000, which our outreach committee will distribute soon, she shared. “All of this help — all of this service — was offered with a collective smile and a generous heart. Why? Because we all knew we were working for the greater good, to help with the very real needs that exist in our beautiful mountain home. The only thing left to say, is thank you — and thanks be to God!”
The following local non-profit organizations, among those which earlier applied for grants from the 2023 Tour of Homes, have been chosen as recipients of the funding and will soon receive their gifts, “Ensuring that the legacy of the tour continues throughout the year – far beyond a beautiful Friday in July,” Hallmark concluded.
They are: Blowing Rock Cares, Blowing Rock Library, Blowing Rock Parks & Recreation, Blowing Rock Police, Blowing Rock School, Blowing Rock Women’s Club, Blue Ridge Conservancy/Middle Fork Greenway,
Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, BRAHM, Casting Bread Ministry, Club 12, Community Care Clinic, Crossnore School, Farm Café, Habitat for Humanity, High Country Caregivers, Hospitality House Shelter/Hospitality House, WE CAN, Hunger & Health Coalition, LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion), LIFE Village, Mountain Alliance,
New Directions Mustard Seed, OASIS, Inc., WAMY Community Action,
Watauga Community Housing Trust, Watauga Children’s Council, Western Youth Network, Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge.
The Blowing Rock Tour of Homes, always held on the last Friday of July, is set for July 26, 2024.
St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church is located at 140 Chestnut Drive in Blowing Rock.
For more information, call (828) 295-7323 or visit online at www.stmaryofthehills.org
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