By Jessica Isaacs
Got plans for Saturday morning breakfast? Make your way to the Apple Barn at Valle Crucis Conference Center at 8:30 a.m. for the annual fundraising auction to support the Valle Crucis Community Park.
Join the park family for breakfast at just $8 per person and a viewing of the auction items first thing in the morning, followed immediately by bidding at 9 a.m. sharp.
“The park is unique in that it is one of just two private nonprofit parks in the High Country. The other is Green Valley,” said VCCP Executive Director Carolina Gandy. “Our park has been in Valle Crucis for over 30 years now and has really served as a gathering place for the community since its inception.
“It started as a labor of love by the community. It has always been volunteer based and families would come out and maintain the paths.”
The park has grown over the years and now has three staff members, 25 acres of land and permanent fixtures including a playground, covered shelters, access to the river and restrooms.
A brand new welcome center is under construction at the park now and will help park staff share the story of this community-oriented project with guests when it’s complete.
“We are still raising money for it and it should be completed this fall. It’s going to be awesome,” Gandy said. “We have never had any kind of permanent staff presence in the park, so people never realized it’s a private nonprofit park. Now we’ll have a presence to tell our story to people who come out there. It will also have additional restrooms and an indoor meeting space for classes, meetings or parties.”
The auction serves as the primary annual fundraiser for the park. Proceeds from Saturday’s event will provide up to 15-20 percent of its annual operating budget, the remainder of which is provided by out-of-pocket donations from the community.
“Ours is a very grassroots auction. It’s not a fancy event, that’s why we do it on a Saturday morning,” Gandy said. “There is literally something for every budget there. It’s just a low-key community gathering and it’s a lot of fun.”
Click here to see a list of items up for grabs at Saturday’s auction.
Auction coordinators are still collecting items and still seeking volunteers who are willing to contribute to the bake sale and price and sort auction items.
To get involved or make a donation to the park, call Gandy at 828-963-9239.
Click here for more information about the park and the auction.
ON FRIDAY:
Don’t forget about this week’s Music in the Valle performance on Friday night featuring the Dashboard Hula Boys sponsored by Peabody’s. Join them on the Herrick Pavilion right by the stage at 6:30 p.m. for a covered dish dinner with grilled goodies, wine, beer, water, plates and utensils provided by Peabody’s. Bring any non-alcoholic beverages you want to enjoy and make a donation to the park when they “pass the bucket” during the concert.
You must be logged in to post a comment.