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Chetola Resort’s Corkscrew & Brew 5K Awards $1,500 to the Recipient of the Annual Charitable Race

Corkscrew & Brew 5K Race Director Gary Woolard is proud to present a $1,500 check to Children’s Organ Transplant Association in honor of 2-year-old kidney transplant recipient Levi Boyter.

By Allison West

June 8, 2018 

BLOWING ROCK, NC — Festivities surrounding Chetola Resort’s annual Corkscrew & Brew 5K are always exciting. The race is held in conjunction with SAVOR Blowing Rock: A Festival of Food and Drink, so the town is pulsing with energy, the participants are indulging in delicious food and beverages, and everyone is having a blast. But the extra spring in this race’s step – aside from the popular “non-hydration” wine and beer stations, of course – is that race director Gary Woolard makes sure someone in the local community benefits from all the fun and games. This year, more than 200 runners and walkers participated in the May 5 race, the net proceeds from which were dedicated to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association in honor of local two-year-old Levi Boyter, a kidney transplant recipient. On June 8, Woolard proudly presented a $1,500 check to Levi and his mother, Danielle Boyter.

“It’s been six months since his transplant,” says Danielle, “and his kidney is working the way it should. He was behind on a few things developmentally before his transplant, but since then, he’s gotten taller and taken off developmentally. It’s a whole different world for us. And I can’t thank Chetola Resort enough for recognizing us.”

Levi was born on October 2, 2015, to Andrew and Danielle Boyter of Boone, NC. Prior to his birth, doctors knew that Levi’s kidneys were not developing the way they should. The Boyters were referred to specialists in Charlotte who closely monitored Danielle through the last part of her pregnancy. When he was a week old, Levi was transferred to Levine Children’s Hospital due to his kidneys not functioning. Within a couple of days, he went into surgery for a peritoneal dialysis catheter to be placed along with a feeding tube. This started a three-month stay in the NICU where Levi was started on peritoneal dialysis. Once this was regulated and could be managed by a machine at home, Levi was released. From that point on, Levi has been growing and turning into an incredible little guy. He faced challenges due to kidney failure and the effects of dialysis on his little body, but you wouldn’t know it if you met him. He is an incredibly active two-year-old who loves to ride his tricycle, sing “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star”, watch Peppa Pig, and make friends with everyone he meets. In December 2017, Levi’s Uncle Joel was cleared as a match to donate a kidney to Levi. Joel is Andrew’s brother and lives in Orlando, Fla., with his wife, Amy, and their two children, Chloe and Micah. Levi underwent a successful kidney transplant surgery at Levine Children’s Hospital on January 17, 2018, and was finally released to go home on February 1.

Over the last six years, more than $11,500 has been distributed to local organizations, including the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and the Blowing Rock Chapter of Girls on the Run, as well as to the family of Luke Sponds, a three-year-old from Valle Crucis with spastic, quadriplegia cerebral palsy, in the quest to purchase a service dog to aid in Luke’s interaction at home and school. (Editor’s Note: Luke got the perfect dog.) The Children’s Organ Transplant Association is the latest organization to be awarded race proceeds.

“We always want to give back to the community, and helping children is a priority,” says Woolard of the race’s altruistic motivations. “It just adds a special component. Of course the race is a blast and everyone is having a great time. But when you can have a great time and raise funds to honor and help others, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

The Corkscrew & Brew thanks all of its sponsors and partners who donated time, marketing efforts, food, drinks, and prizes, including SAVOR Blowing Rock, Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Appalachian Ski Mountain, Be Natural Market, Grandfather Vineyard & Winery, Hatchett Coffee, High Gravity Adventures, Kilwins, Mellow Mushroom, Sky Valley Zip Line, Stick Boy Kitchen, and Zap Fitness.

SAVE THE DATE: The 7th Annual Corkscrew & Brew 5K will be held SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2019.

Information: gwoolard@chetola.com or 828.295.5533.