Health Archives

What’s New at the Farmers’ Market? Shopping at Horn in the West on Saturday, May 28

May 27, 2016. Harry Chapin, a singer, songwriter, and storyteller, wrote a song about “A Better Place to Be.” Well, there is no better place to be this Saturdaymorning (Memorial Day Weekend) than the Watauga County Farmers’ Market for fresh produce, grown locally by farmers who take personal pride in the quality of their vegetables, fruit, and meats (chicken, beef, pork, lamb, and turkey) and the relationships that they’ve developed over the years with customers who appreciate excellence and value.

Avery County’s Dr. Charles Baker Inducted into Medical Honor Society Alpha Omega Alpha

May 27, 2016. In the High Country, few men are held in higher regard than Dr. Charles Baker. The kindhearted physician, who began practicing medicine in Avery County more than 30 years ago, was recently honored as a new inductee into Alpha Omega Alpha at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Watauga Medical Center Earns ‘A’ Grade for Patient Safety in April Hospital Safety Score

May 17, 2016. New Hospital Safety Scores, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide and provide the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S. health care system, were announced today by The Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety watchdog. Watauga Medical Center was one of 798 hospitals to receive an A, ranking among the safest hospitals in the United States.

Village Vision Festival to Follow Opening Day of the Farmers’ Market on May 7 in Boone

March 22, 2016. Celebrating community and local food, Village Vision has once again organized a series of service projects with the grand finale of an arts and music festival! The festival will take place on the first day of the Watauga County Farmers Market, Saturday May 7th, 2016 at the Horn in the West Park from 12:30-8 p.m.

Women Helping Women: WFBR Grantee Luncheon Celebrates the Power of Philanthropy

April 19, 2016. Kindness, laughter and warm smiles filled the room on Wednesday as local leading ladies joined for the annual Grantee Luncheon hosted by the Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge. The get-together was held at the Blowing Rock Conference Center and gave guests a closer look at how the dollars they raised have been spent in the community.
Story and Photos by Jessica Isaacs.

Join Café Portofino in Celebrating 15th Anniversary with March Fundraising Event for OASIS

Mar. 30, 2016. Help Café Portofino celebrate its 15th anniversary as it gives back to a different locally-based nonprofit each month this year! By Kaitlan Morehouse

Photos: Empty Bowls Event Draws Huge Crowd to Support Hunger and Health Coalition

March 21, 2016. An impressive crowd showed up at Watauga High School on Saturday for the annual Empty Bowls Supper to support the Hunger and Health Coalition. The success was made possible by student volunteers, participating restaurants, business sponsors and event coordinator Whit Whitaker. By Jessica Isaacs. Photos by Ken Ketchie.

Seeding Community Resilience: Annual Food Summit Set for April 2 at Appalachian State

March 17, 2016. “The event offers a special opportunity to strengthen ties between the university and the wider community by highlighting our common interests in local food and exploring ways to build a more resilient and just local food system,” says Jacqui Ignatova. “The event will showcase the knowledge and expertise of community members in our local food movement and encourage the exchange of ideas to help us to address some of our common challenges and opportunities.”

Bare Essentials Market Changing Hands After 27+ Years with Henderson, Underwood

March 15, 2016. After nearly 28 years of successful business in Boone, Bare Essentials Natural Market owners Ben Henderson and Mary Underwood are ready to pass the torch. They’re ready to tackle new adventures, and are leaving the market — a staple for healthy living in the High Country — to new owners, Dave and Catherine Reczek. Henderson will work his last official day at the market this Thursday, but he’ll be on hand for a few more months to help introduce the Reczeks to the Bare Essentials family of customers. By Jessica Isaacs.

Volunteers Give More than 22,000 Hours, Raise More than $34,000 for ARHS in 2015

March 7, 2016. It was a great year for volunteers of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS). Throughout 2015, volunteers contributed more than 22,000 hours of service at ARHS facilities and helped raise more than $34,000. “Health System volunteers are invaluable members of our healthcare team,” said Amy Crabbe, Sr. Vice President of People Services at ARHS. “They play an integral role in our mission to make life better for the communities we serve.” For more information about volunteering at ARHS, visit www.apprhs.org/about/volunteer.

Jung Tao School Offers Alternative To Western Medicine in Sugar Grove

A fantastic alternative to western medicine is sweeping across the High Country at the Jung Tao Clinic for Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. Located at the Historic Cove Creek School in Sugar Grove, the clinic offers low cost acupuncture treatments to the public and school community performed by student interns in their final year of training to become professional practitioners of Chinese medicine.

Patients come from all over the county to treat a wide variety of conditions. The clinic is located on the Jung Tao campus on the first floor of the old rock building. By Troy Brooks

NC Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program: Medicare Advantage Disenrollment

Feb. 1, 2016. The annual Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period runs from Jan. 1 through Feb. 14. During this time, Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan may leave their plan and return to Original Medicare. If you switch to Original Medicare during this period, you will have until Feb. 14 to also join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to ensure you will have drug coverage in 2016. Your prescription drug coverage will begin the first day of the month after the drug plan gets your enrollment form.

Legal Aid to Host Health Insurance Enroll-a-thon in Boone on Jan. 29

Jan. 21, 201. Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Morganton office is holding a free enroll-a-thon Jan. 29 in Boone to help consumers enroll in affordable health insurance through the Affordable Care Act before Jan. 31, the last day of the 2015-2016 open-enrollment period. Consumers without health insurance at the end of open enrollment may be subject to a fine on their 2016 tax return. This year, the fine is increasing from $325 per person to $695 per person, or 2.5 percent of the consumer’s income, whichever is greater. Some consumers may be eligible to have the fine waived. Navigators can help eligible consumers apply for waivers.

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