Lees-McRae College News

On Thursday, September 16 Lees-McRae College Outdoor Programs will host the fifth annual REEL ROCK Film Tour at 8 p.m. in Evans Auditorium in the Cannon Student Center at Lees-McRae College.

“We are so excited to be hosting this awesome film tour at Lees-McRae again this year!” said Dee Thomas, director of outdoor programs at Lees-McRae. “We encourage everyone to come early and visit the information booths for product demos.”

The Tour brings the best in climbing and adventure films to local audiences across the globe. REEL ROCK shows are spirited events where climbers and outdoors lovers come together to celebrate and sample the ultimate in adventure filmmaking. Prize giveaways, appearances by top climbers, and fundraising for non-profit organizations are always part of the party at REEL ROCK events.

The REEL ROCK Tour is the largest climbing event in the world. In 2009, REEL ROCK screened in over 120 locations world-wide, drew over 35,000 audience members, raised over $15,000 for non-profits, partnered with more than 120 retailers, university outing clubs and climbing gyms, and won copious media coverage and critical praise.

This year, REEL ROCK turns five, and co-founders Sender Films and Big UP Productions are celebrating by taking you on a global ride like never before. From death-defying speed link-ups of the wildest faces in The Alps, to Olympian displays of strength and tenacity on the hardest boulders ever climbed, REEL ROCK 2010 features a breathtaking journey through the vertical realm with the heroes of rock and snow.

This event cost $5.00 at the door and will be a benefit for the Carolina Climbers Coalition and the Lees-McRae College Climbing Team. The doors open at 7:30 p.m. for a chance to visit climbing information booths and see equipment demos.

For more information please contact Dee Thomas at (828) 898-8810 or thomasd@lmc.edu. Learn more about the Reel Rock Film Tour at www.reelrocktour.com.

Don your kilts and sporrans and follow the sounds of the bagpipes to Banner Elk for Lees-McRae College Homecoming Weekend October 1-3. This special weekend for Lees-McRae College includes the inauguration of the College’s 15^th president, Dr. Barry M. Buxton, on Saturday, October 2.

We’re celebrating our new president and our Scottish heritage during Homecoming 2010! Events include reunions, the homecoming parade, inauguration events, soccer and volleyball matches and so much more. You don’t want to miss this important weekend in the life of Lees-McRae College!

“We are so excited with all that is happening at the Lees-McRae College!” said Abigail Lord ‘01, director of alumni and parent relations. “We hope everyone will join us for history in the making with the inauguration of President Barry M. Buxton, Parents’ Weekend, and all of our alumni bringing home their memories and making new ones. I look forward to seeing everyone for Homecoming Weekend 2010!”

On Friday, Homecoming festivities begin at the new Lees-McRae College Welcome Center housed in the newly-renovated Historic Cheese House at the Mill Pond. Swing in for refreshments and pick up homecoming registration packets from 3 to 5 p.m.

Also on Friday, Lees-McRae will induct four new members into the athletics Hall of Fame at 5:30 p.m. at Williams Gymnasium including Randy Bloemendaal ‘92, Robin Scott ‘95, Robert Ball ‘82 and Brent Bookwalter ‘06.

That same evening will be the Homecoming Cookout at MacDonald Dining Hall at 6 p.m., followed by a women’s volleyball match, the annual homecoming bonfire, a Lees-McRae Performing Arts presentation of Into the Woods, the Bobcat Social and three class reunions.

Lees-McRae Performing Arts will present Into the Woods on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Hayes Auditorium. Thursday and Friday performances will be at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday performances will be at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students and children. For more information, contact the box office at (828) 898-8709.

On Saturday, alumni registration continues at the Welcome Center from 7:30 to 10 a.m., when the parade embarks on a new route through campus, making its way on College Drive.

After the parade, make your way to Tate Lawn to celebrate the inauguration of Lees-McRae College’s 15^th president, Dr. Barry M. Buxton. His installation ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., followed by a picnic lunch on the lawn.

Saturday events are ongoing throughout the day including women’s softball and men’s lacrosse alumni games, a tennis match, a women’s volleyball game, alumni reunions, the annual alumni meeting and awards and the presentation of the homecoming court.

You won’t want to miss the #2 nationally ranked men’s soccer team as they take on Pfeiffer University on Tate Field at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Bobcats finished second in the national last year in NCAA Division II soccer, and look to capture the national title this season under the leadership of new Head Coach Matt Thompson.

Then, on Saturday evening, celebrate Dr. and Mrs. Barry M. Buxton at the Inauguration Gala or the Inauguration Celebration, both happening in the Cannon Student Center. The black tie Gala begins at 6:15 p.m. and includes dinner, cocktails and entertainment by the Nightlife Band. If you’re looking for something a little more casual, the Inauguration Celebration begins at 7:30 p.m. and includes cocktails, light hors d’oeuvres and entertainment by the Nightlife Band.

Then, wrapping up the weekend, there’s a President’s Breakfast at Hemlock Hall Sunday morning at 9 a.m. and an Inaugural Blessing at Banner Elk Presbyterian Church at 11 a.m.

For a full schedule of events, click here. For more information, contact Abigail Lord ‘01 at (828) 898-3523 or lorda@lmc.edu.

Lees-McRae College will offer a four-week course on Arabic and Islamic Culture for local community members in September and early October. The course, which will meet on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 – 8:00 on the college’s Banner Elk campus, will be taught by Lahcen Qasserras, a visiting Fulbright Scholar from Morocco.

“We are so fortunate to have Lahcen with us this year,” claims Scott Crawford, the director of Lees-McRae’s Global Community Center, which is helping to sponsor the course. “He brings terrific energy, a wealth of knowledge, and a winning smile to our campus. And his presence allows us to offer courses to both students and the community that we wouldn’t normally be able to offer.”

According to Crawford, the course will focus on various aspects of Arabic and Islamic culture with a particular focus on Moroccan culture. Food, music, and art will be explored, as well as issues of religion and politics.

Community members wishing to take the course should contact Lees-McRae College’s Global Community Center at 828-898-8788 or send an email to Scott Crawford at crawfords@lmc.edu. The course will begin on September 14 and conclude on October 5. The course fee is $25.

This is the third year that Lees-McRae has hosted a Fulbright Scholar to teach Arabic language and culture at the college. Past scholars have visited from Oman, on the Arabian Peninsula, and Tunisia, in Northern Africa. The program is sponsored by Fulbright and the Institute for International Education.

Lees-McRae College welcomed the third largest freshman class in the history of the college as a four-year institution on Move-In Weekend Aug. 13-14. The campus was bustling with activity as the class of 2014 settled into their residence hall rooms and began preparation for the start of a new academic year.

With approximately 280 new students beginning classes this past Wednesday, this group is 46 percent larger than the class that moved-in last August – a welcome boost in enrollment.

“This year’s incoming class has responded to the spirit of excitement and energy that’s running through Lees-McRae College this year. And they’re already adding to it,” said Dr. John Keener, vice president for enrollment management who oversees all recruitment and retention efforts at Lees-McRae. “These students recognize the value of student-centered education in the most beautiful place on earth.”

On the morning of August 13, every available parking space was taken as parents and families began unpacking their over-stuffed cars and vans as the move-in festivities began. Thankfully though, the families were not alone. On hand to help were faculty, staff, peer leaders and entire athletic teams carrying refrigerators, suitcases, TVs and the like up countless flights of stairs. Even the College’s new president, Dr. Barry M. Buxton, could be found carrying boxes and welcoming new students and their families to campus.

“The college’s growth this year is a tribute not only to a dedicated and passionate faculty and staff, but also to Lees-McRae’s inherent strengths: a true community atmosphere, an education that combines versatility with career preparation, and, of course, a campus like no other,” said Dr. Keener. “Lees-McRae College is a genuine learning community, and we’re thrilled to welcome this new group to the family.”

Lees-McRae College and DeFeet announce a partnership between the sock and apparel company and the Bobcat Cycling Team with the team becoming the first collegiate cycling testing program in the country. Lees-McRae Cyclists will become “wear testers” for the company.

“In meeting with Shane Cooper, founder and president of DeFeet, I knew we could work to help further promote both of our brands at a high level. Shane is passionate about the area and loves cycling,” said Athletic Director Craig McPhail. “We will benefit from this partnership as we build our team and program to be recognized as the number one collegiate cycling program in the country.”

A traditionally strong cycling team, Lees-McRae College, located in Banner Elk, NC has become partners with the leading cycling sock manufacturer in the world to help create the vision of this cycling campus.

Lees-McRae’s new president, Dr. Barry M. Buxton, plans to make the Lees-McRae Cycling Program number one in the nation. He intends to create the first minor degree in bicycling studies and draw cyclists from around the country and the world.

Dr. Buxton said recently, “My goal is to ultimately have 150 cyclists enrolled at Lees-McRae. We plan to continue to win national championships, but we also want to prepare our graduates to assume positions of leadership in the business world of bicycling. The response thus far to the minor in bicycling studies has been extremely positive. Our new Bicycling Advisory Council will support their effort and strengthen our objective of strong ties between Lees-McRae and the corporate world. I am pleased that Shane Cooper and DeFeet are leading the way with this new partnership.”

With nine national championships to their credit, Lees-McRae’s Cycling Team is poised to become the premier destination for collegiate cyclists.

DeFeet is located in Hildebran, NC, just 45 minutes from the Banner Elk campus. This proximity is mutually beneficial and opens up new opportunities for Banner Elk and its students. DeFeet is a company that often turns traditional methodology on its head en route to finding new solutions for cyclists. The new DeFeet UnD System® is a prime example of that. DeFeet now has the most extensive line of high-tech base layers for cycling in the world.

“We have been fortunate to have such great riders come through the program and graduate from the college, and now to have the opportunity to look at internships, sponsorships and finding ways to grow cycling in the United States, we felt it was the time to begin working together,” said McPhail. “This business collaborative has so much potential.”

Don’t miss Ragtime: The Musical now showing on the Lees-McRae Summer Theatre stage in Hayes Auditorium in Banner Elk.

Under the direction of Dr. Janet Speer, the show runs now through August 6 with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. and a select number of matinee performances at 2 p.m. See it Aug. 2 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. or Aug. 4 and 6 at 2 p.m.

Ragtime intertwines the stories of three extraordinary families as they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair and what it means to live in America.

“When I listen to the music of Ragtime, I am reminded of the great musicals Showboat and Porgy and Bess.  Like those classic pieces, Ragtime cuts to the emotions of a people in a growing nation and shows us both their glory and their pain,” said Dr. Janet Speer, the artistic director for Lees-McRae Summer Theatre.  “The play takes a look at the stories of Jewish immigrants, African Americans and the established elite who saw themselves as owners of the nation.   It is funny, touching, patriotic and ultimately a fascinating history lesson, all in one epic musical that shows us where we’ve been, and why we continue to believe in this phenomena called America.”

Ragtime was written by the award-winning composer/lyricist team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, noted playwright Terrence McNally and based on E.L. Doctorow’s distinguished novel.

“We will have the largest cast ever placed on the Lees-McRae stage.  Many alumni and other Summer Theatre friends are coming in to help us mount this show.  After all, when you are dealing with three cultures of people who created this great nation, you must have a large group of actors, singers and dancers to pull it off.  It will be challenging, and very, very exciting,” said Speer.

Tickets are $24 for adults and $13 for children and students and may be purchased at the box office located in the lobby of Hayes Auditorium.

For more information about the show and how to purchase tickets, please call 828.898.8709 or visit www.lmst.lmc.edu.

Over 150 volunteers convened in MacDonald Dining Hall on the morning of July 29 for the first Lees-McRae College Volunteer Work Day. Volunteers spent the day painting residence hall rooms, cleaning classrooms and offices, working in the gardens, and beautifying the campus in preparation for the arrival of students for the fall semester.

“Our first Volunteer Day has been a great success. It’s amazing what a little paint and ‘elbow grease’ can do!” said Lees-McRae College President Barry M. Buxton.

Volunteers included alumni, members of the community, trustees, faculty, staff, a group of students from the American Jewish League, and a 17-member professional paint crew provided by Webb Painting. Behr Paint, with assistance of Home Depot, donated 175 gallons of paint for residence halls, and lunch was provided for the volunteers by ARAMARK Dining Service.

“We owe the success of the day to our dedicated volunteers and sponsors,” said President Buxton. “It was certainly a group effort. Several volunteers asked when we would do Volunteer Day again! We really appreciate all of the hard work.”

After a long day of hard work, it was clear to all involved that the spirit of service is alive and well at Lees-McRae College. Annually, Lees-McRae students, faculty and staff perform over 8,000 hours of community service on campus and in the community.

“We are so fortunate to have so many friends and colleagues who do not mind rolling their sleeves up for a hard day’s work. Our work day was a huge success because people believe in the power of this place and the important work we do to provide a liberal arts education to our students,” said Selena Hilemon, director of community outreach.

For more information about volunteer opportunities at Lees-McRae College, contact Abby Lord at (828) 898-3523.

To enjoy an evening of Appalachian music and poetry, come to Lees-McRae College on Wednesday, July 28. At 7:00 p.m. in Evans Auditorium, the Stephenson Center for Appalachia presents Appalachian bard Douglas Van Gundy to entertain with his unique blend of traditional mountain music and his original poetry.

Van Gundy’s first book of poems, A Life Above Water,was published in 2007 by Red Hen Press, and his poems and essays have appeared in many journals including The Oxford American, Ecotone, Waccamaw, The Louisville Review and The Fretboard Journal. In 2009, his poems “Engineers” and “The Return of the Almighty” were nominated for Pushcart Prizes.

A graduate of the Goddard College MFA program, Doug has been a visiting poet at Randolph Macon College, Barton College, Coastal Carolina University and Davis & Elkins College, and was an associate artist at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He currently teaches writing at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Virginia.

In addition to being an accomplished poet and teacher, Van Gundy is a well-known traditional musician, playing fiddle, guitar, mandolin and banjo in the old-time duo Born Old. He covers the gamut of mountain music, from early folk ballads to contemporary country tunes, such as his own “Hank Williams, Jack Daniels and Chef Boyardee,” an hilarious parody of country-western music.

“We look forward to Doug Van Gundy’s unique blend of traditional and contemporary mountain music and his fresh, original poems,” said Dr. Michael Joslin, director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia at Lees-McRae College. “The Lees-McRae community is looking forward to the program, and we invite everyone to come by to enjoy the show.”

Doug Van Gundy’s performance is free and open to the public. You are invited to attend at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 28, in the Evans Auditorium in the Cannon Student Center of Lees-McRae College. For more information, call Meghan Wright at 898-8729.

Lees-McRae College is pleased to be able to share its facilities with members of the community. In order to offset depreciation of equipment and facilities, the College has devised a community membership fee.

Effective immediately community members are required to complete a facility usage form and payment of $100 membership fee. This is a yearly fee. All paying members will receive an official college photo ID.

This ID will allow community members to access the Broyhill Fitness Center, Arthur Student Recreation Complex, Rhea Lyons Swimming Pool, James H. Carson Library, tennis courts and any exercise class offered by the College. (Additional fees may be required for certain classes.)

Each individual’s ID should be on his or her person while using College facilities.

The facility use form and payment can be completed with Justin Kitts, director of campus life and recreation, in the Cannon Student Center or the Arthur Student Recreation Complex.

Paying members are allowed one guest per day at the rate of $5 for each guest pass. Guest passes may be used each day during regular facility hours.

To obtain a guest pass, the sponsor must present his or her current college ID. Guests must present a valid photo ID (i.e. driver’s license). The sponsor will be held accountable for the behavior of their guest.

For more information, call 828-898-8753 or 828-898-8797.

By Megan Hall

Before Lees-McRae cycling had its pick of riders, before the reign of Carla Swart, and before the Lees-McRae College name became synonymous with collegiate cycling championships, the College had the cycling powerhouse known as Brent Bookwalter.

Hailing from Michigan, Bookwalter began racing in 1998 when a childhood friend took him to a race and showed him the ropes. From there he climbed the ranks of the Michigan mountain biking elite and never looked back.

“I have never met a more diverse and disciplined rider. He has a background that started in mountain biking and transitioned into cyclocross and on to road, where he now is a professional bike racer in the road discipline competing against the world’s best.  His background and experiences keep him calm and focused in all racing situations,” said Robert Jameson, a former teammate of Bookwalter’s and now the Lees-McRae College assistant cycling coach.

At the time Bookwalter entered Lees-McRae, the College was still relatively new to the collegiate cycling scene. But when Bookwalter graduated in 2006, he had accumulated an incredible 15 national championships (7 of which are individual championships) and Lees-McRae was nationally recognized for its cycling program.

“The first [national championship] I won is really special. I was new to LMC and LMC was rather new to collegiate cycling.  It was the first time an individual from the school had won a national title in a sport, and it was an honor to be a part of that. Another one that I hold a little closer to my heart is the last one I won while at LMC, in cyclocross.  [I have] good memories of that race as a hard fought battle and some epic conditions. SNOWY!” said Bookwalter in a 2010 interview with NashvilleCyclist.com.

Not only was Bookwalter the first Bobcat to win a national championship in cycling, he was also the foundation of an emerging Cinderella team, putting as much time and effort as possible into making the Lees-McRae College cycling team the national success they are today.

“I was lucky enough to race with Brent for one season, and as long as I have known Brent, he has been pursuing a professional career as well as achieving collegiate success. Even through a grueling travel schedule, he managed to maintain good academic standing while also having a strong influence on his collegiate team,” said Dane Garvik, a former teammate of Bookwalter at Lees-McRae. “His dedication was absolutely inspiring. He was a big part of why our team was so successful. He took it upon himself to teach the team as much as possible about cycling collegiately and professionally, as well as how to balance both.”

In the world of professional cycling it is not unusual for young cyclists to forego college in hopes of finding success on the professional circuit, but not Brent Bookwalter.

“Collegiate cycling played a huge part in allowing me to develop into the rider and person I am today.  I think during that time of your life, both of those things (personal and ‘professional’) should go hand in hand.  For me, LMC was a perfect place for that.  It allowed me to pursue my ambitions and dreams as a cyclist while keeping it in a healthy balance with the rest of my life, so I still had fun and didn’t try to push it too fast,” said Bookwalter on NashvilleCyclist.com.

For Bookwalter, taking time to get a quality education did not slow down his professional career. Since 2005 he has been a regular on the professional circuit, racing for teams such as Advantage Benefits Endeavour Cycling Team (2005), Priority Health Cycling Team (2006), and his most recent venture, BMC Racing Team (2008).

While recovering from a broken leg in 2007, Bookwalter began talking to BMC Racing before he was even able to walk. By 2008 he was on the team.

“I’ve been so fortunate to have great people who have always believed in me, sometimes even more than I believe in myself.  I think that is what you need when you are going through a really tough time, and my path crossing with BMC was a prime example of that.  Gavin and Charlie really believed in me from the very first time I spoke with them.  That was really inspiring for me in my quest to return to a high level within the sport. It’s a unique foundation for a relationship with a team and I think both sides benefit from that mutual faith and/or belief in each other,” said Bookwalter in a 2010 interview on NashvilleCyclist.com.

In the midst of his third season with BMC Racing, Bookwalter got the chance of a lifetime. He was named one of nine starting riders for BMC in the 2010 Tour de France. This is his first appearance in the grand tour race.

In his Tour de France blog, courtesy of VeloNews.com, Bookwalter says:

“Without having had it firmly locked in my sights in the months and weeks leading up to the race, arriving at a sporting event which has the magnitude of the Tour de France has been interesting exercise in focus and expectation…I didn’t fully expect to race the Tour… Upon being selected it actually came as a bit of a shock at the comments I received and the influx of attention. The Tour is cycling…it is a goal or dream that always exists from the first time you pin on a race number … a sort of ‘perma-goal’ for just about any cyclist…It’s an honor to be here.”

Bookwalter may now be climbing in the Pyrenees, but he once climbed the mountain roads of the High Country of western North Carolina on his bike not unlike Tour de France legend Lance Armstrong. Armstrong famously trained in Banner Elk and Boone after surviving cancer and credits the mountains with helping him regain his inspiration to do the Tour de France.

“The American Tour legend Lance Armstrong was partially created and fostered by these mountains much like Brent Bookwalter.  The North Carolina High Country is Brent’s roots much like Armstrong’s, and now the future hope of a great American cyclist in the Tour de France just might be Brent and once again from these very mountains,” said Jameson.

Editor’s Note: As of July 20, Bookwalter’s team BMC Racing is in 13^th position overall. Bookwalter is journaling his debut experience in a Tour de France Diary for VeloNews.com. To read about his journey, visit VeloNews.com and search Brent Bookwalter.

Image: Brent Bookwalter after a muddy mountain bike race in 2005 with former Bobcat Cycling Coach Doug Owen.

President Barry M. Buxton invites the community to participate in the first annual Lees-McRae College Volunteer Work Day on Thursday, July 29 on the campus in Banner Elk.

Faculty, staff, students, friends of the college and members of the community will join forces for a campus work day where volunteers will paint residence hall rooms, clean out storage spaces, work in the gardens, and beautify the campus.

“We have much work to do! If we all take a day to roll up our sleeves and invest our time in Lees-McRae, we can make a world of difference on this beautiful campus,” said President Barry M. Buxton.

Increasing volunteer involvement is a central part of President Buxton’s revitalization plan for the College. Thus far, the response has been strong. Brian Webb of Webb Painting has volunteered his staff and supplies for the day to assist with painting residence hall rooms. Donations of paint and other supplies also have been received for the day.

“We’ll have well over 100 volunteers on July 29, but we can always use more help,” said Buxton. “We want our campus to look the best it can when our students and families arrive in August for the fall semester.”

Although July 29 is a day dedicated to campus beautification, volunteer opportunities are abundant across campus throughout the year. “We want to involve volunteers from the community as docents, tour guides, gardeners, librarians, teachers, lecturers and fundraisers,” said Buxton. “As you can see, we have something for everyone, depending on the person’s area of expertise. The human resources located within a 10-mile radius of the College are extraordinary. We want to be sure we don’t miss out of any of these opportunities for community involvement.”

Throughout the year, Lees-McRae College students donate more than 8000 volunteer hours to community service. In fact, Lees-McRae was named to the President’s National Honor Roll of Service with Distinction in 2009 for community service involvement. With community volunteers working at Lees-McRae, service in the community comes full circle.

To participate in the Volunteer Work Day at Lees-McRae or to learn other ways you can volunteer, contact Abigail Lord at 828.898.8785.

From time immemorial, fresh, clean-running rivers have been the lifeblood of Appalachia, providing drinking water, fish, transportation and scenic beauty. With the coming of industry, development and overpopulation, many mountain rivers have suffered, becoming polluted, silted up and filled with refuse.

Fortunately, today many have realized the damage our rivers have suffered and more importantly are doing something about it. Leading the fight to recover and preserve one of most precious resources are the Riverkeepers, part of the world-wide Waterkeeper movement.

On July 21 as part of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia Lecture Series, Donna Lisenby, the Upper Watauga Riverkeeper, will discuss her career as an advocate committed to preserving and protecting North Carolina rivers. The subject of a UNC-Chapel Hill documentary in the college’s “Environmental Heroes” series, Lisenby helped pioneer the Riverkeeper program in the state as the Catawba Riverkeeper. In 2007 she brought her award-winning talents and dedication to the mountains to champion the Watauga River, Elk River, Roan Creek and Watauga Lake watersheds.

Her program will be held in Evans Auditorium in Cannon Student Center on the Lees-McRae Campus from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 21. Everyone is invited to attend free of charge.

“Few individuals have had such an immediate impact on improving our mountain environment and raising awareness of damage to our rivers as Donna Lisenby has. We are fortunate to have her visit our campus to share her work and vision,” said Dr. Michael Joslin, director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia. “We invite everyone interested in keeping our rivers clean and free-flowing to join us for her program.”

For information, contact Meghan Wright at (828) 898-8729.

Later this summer, Lees-McRae College will open a welcome center in the Cheese House, a historic building on campus located at the historic Mill Pond on Shawneehaw Avenue. In his revitalization plan to strengthen the College, President Barry Buxton identified the need to establish a more prominent sense of arrival for the College.

“Currently the campus is somewhat of an enigma. We want to define the boundaries of our campus, and encourage visitors to the area to stop by the welcome center and learn more about Lees-McRae College,” said President Buxton. “Because of its prominent location in the town, as well as its central location on campus, the Cheese House was the obvious choice for the welcome center.”

The Cheese House and Mill Pond bridge the gap between the main campus and the athletics facilities located on Hickory Nut Gap Road.

Staffed by volunteers, the welcome center will act as a mini-museum for the College stocked with information for visitors and prospective families. Volunteers will lead historic walking tours of campus from the Center.

“We want more people to connect to Lees-McRae and the community. The College has a fascinating history, and we hope visitors to the High Country will want to explore that history through our welcome center and tours,” said Buxton.

The welcome center is slated to open by September 1. College administrators requested that the Avery County Arts Council find a new home by August 1 in order to occupy the space as a welcome center by September. The Avery County Arts Council has occupied the Cheese House since 2007.

“The College and the Avery County Arts Council have been partners in arts education since the inception of the Arts Council many years ago,” said Buxton. “Lees-McRae has provided office space at no cost to the Arts Council for the last 12 years. However, Lees-McRae must recruit more students and families, and strengthen our financial base.”

The College offered additional office space on campus to the Arts Council, but that offer was declined. According to an article in the July 1 edition of the High Country Press, the Avery County Arts Council had an offer to move to Linville.

“The College has enjoyed the close relationship it’s maintained with the Avery County Arts Council. Our students have conducted service learning projects there and our students and graduates have been employed by the Arts Council,” said Kacy Crabtree, dean of the faculty at Lees-McRae College. “Lees-McRae and the Arts Council have enjoyed a longstanding relationship centered on collaborative arts experiences for Avery County, Banner Elk, and Lees-McRae.”

“The College looks forward to maintaining a close relationship with the Avery County Arts Council in many future endeavors,” said Buxton. “The arts are an important part of the education of our students, and maintaining a relationship with the Arts Council will benefit the College, the community and the Arts Council.”

On Wednesday, July 14, Lees-McRae College’s prize-winning historian will present a reader’s theater glimpse at the lives of Appalachian women. Dr. Allen Speer, together with his wife, Janet Speer of the College’s performing arts program, will highlight women who overcame obstacles in life and persevered in difficult times. His presentation, Courageous Women will take place beginning at 7 p.m. in the Stafford Room of the Carson Library at Lees-McRae as part of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia Lecture Series.

Based on the three volumes of his survey of his family heritage, the Voices from Cemetery Hill trilogy, his program will draw from each book. Speer’s trilogy has won a total of eight awards, including the prestigious American Association for State and Local History Award. His final volume before publication had received the Robert Bruce Cooke Award for an unpublished manuscript.

“Allen Speer’s Voices from Cemetery Hill trilogy presents a unique look at our mountain culture from before the Civil War to the present, showing how the threads from the past form an important part of the cloth of today,” said Dr. Michael Joslin, director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia at Lees-McRae College. “We are proud to host his program on this significant body of work and invite everyone to share his vision of the lives of strong Appalachian women.”

Speer’s presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the Stafford Room of the Carson Library of Lees-McRae College. The event is open to the public and free of charge. For information contact Meghan Wright at 898-8729.

Former Lees-McRae cyclist Brent Bookwalter makes his Tour de France debut this week after a second place finish in the Giro d’Italia prologue. Bookwalter finished in 11^th place in the Tour de France prologue Saturday.

Bookwalter, a 2006 graduate of Lees-McRae who won seven collegiate national mountain bike titles while racing for the Bobcats, now rides for BMC Racing Team alongside teammates Cadel Evans and George Hincapie.

Follow Bookwalter’s Tour de France performance at www.lmcbobcats.com or online here.

If you are interested in Appalachia, reserve three Wednesdays in July to participate in the John B. Stephenson Lecture Series at Lees-McRae College. Scholar, teacher, humanist and caretaker of Southern Appalachia, John B. Stephenson began his career at Lees-McRae College and rose to be the president of Berea College. He left an enduring legacy of devoted stewardship of the mountains. This series of programs honors his memory and carries forward his devotion to our Southern mountains.

Beginning at 7:00 p.m. on July 14, 21 and 28, Lees-McRae College will present a diverse set of programs: an historian, an environmental activist and a musician/poet will share their expertise with the public in presentations that promise to be both entertaining and enlightening.

Dr. Allen Speer, distinguished Professor of History at Lees-McRae, will present a reader’s theater based on his Voices from Cemetery Hill trilogy. Together with his wife, Janet Speer of the college’s performing arts program, he will highlight women who overcame obstacles in life and persevered in difficult times. His presentation, Courageous Women will take place beginning at 7:00 p.m. on July 14 in the Stafford Room of the Carson Library.

On July 21 Donna Lisenby, the Upper Watauga Riverkeeper, will discuss her career as a advocate committed to preserving and protecting North Carolina rivers. The subject of a UNC-Chapel Hill documentary in the college’s “Environmental Heroes” series, Lisenby helped pioneer the Riverkeeper program in the state as the Catawba Riverkeeper. In 2007 she brought her award-winning talents and dedication to the mountains to champion the Watauga River, Elk River, Roan Creek and Watauga Lake watersheds.  Lisenby’s lecture will be held in Evans Auditorium in the Cannon Student Center.

Next on July 28, Dr. Douglas Van Gundy will present a program of traditional Appalachian music and his original poetry in the Stafford Room of the Carson Library. A professor at West Virginia Wesleyan College, he is a well-known traditional musician, playing fiddle, guitar, mandolin and banjo in the old-time duo Born Old. His first book of poems, A Life Above Water, was published in 2007 by Red Hen Press, and his poems and essays have appeared in many journals including The Oxford American, Ecotone, Waccamaw, The Louisville Review and The Fretboard Journal. In 2009, his poems “Engineers” and “The Return of the Almighty” were nominated for Pushcart Prizes.“

Lees-McRae College and the community are fortunate to have these vital guardians of our culture spend evenings with us,” said Dr. Michael Joslin, director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia at Lees-McRae College. “We invite everyone to spend one or all three evening with us this summer.”

The Stephenson Lecture Series is free and open to the public. Each program begins at 7:00 p.m. For information contact Meghan Wright at (828) 898-8729.

Mitchell County native Frank Baskin is the featured artist at the 38^th Annual Alumni Arts and Crafts Show and Sale taking place July 10-18 in the Cannon Student Center on the campus of Lees-McRae College as part of Alumni Frolic Week.

Baskin, a wood craftsman from Spruce Pine, NC, is a regular at the Alumni Arts and Crafts Show. He has been a dedicated participant for the past five years!

Specializing in kitchen utensils made to order, Baskin says his best selling item is a Lazy Susan that features a blend of exotic wood from South Africa and South America, along with domestic wood such as maple. He also makes a crescent shaped wine caddy, serving spoons, cutting boards, and much more.

“My use of exotic woods is my signature, so to speak. I just like to be creative and innovative. If it hasn’t been done before, then I’d like to do it!” said Baskin with a grin.

A former industrial engineer for Henredon Furniture Industries, Baskin began his wood-crafting career thirty-five years ago by bringing scrap wood home from the factory and “playing around with it.” Since his retirement, he now takes special orders for his unique pieces and participates in just two craft shows a year, with this month’s Lees-McRae Alumni Arts and Crafts Show being one of them.

Baskin is also a vendor in the Home of the Perfect Christmas Tree Store in Spruce Pine. This store is best known for having its Christmas ornaments purchased and displayed on one of the White House Christmas trees in 2002 during the Bush Administration.

Since its inception, the Alumni Arts and Crafts Show has contributed more than $240,000 to College projects, including the purchase of computers, audio-equipment and physical plant improvements. In addition, an invested endowment of $135,000 provides annual Alumni Arts and Crafts Scholarships to worthy students. All proceeds benefit the college.

“I choose to continually be a part of the Lees-McRae Alumni Arts and Crafts Show because I love contributing to a scholarship fund. I wish I could give 100% of my profit!” said Baskin.

The schedule for the show is as follows: Saturday, July 10, 9:30am-4pm; Sunday, July 11, 1pm-4pm; Monday, July 12-Saturday, July 17, 9:30am-4pm; Sunday, July 18, 1pm-4pm

The show and sale is free and open to the public. It will be held inside the Cannon Student Center on the campus of Lees-McRae College. For more information about the Arts and Crafts Show or Alumni Frolic Week, please contact Michelle Scott at 828.898.2489 or scottmv@lmc.edu.

On Monday afternoons from 5-7 p.m. Tate Lawn is the place to be in Banner Elk for Lees-McRae’s very own farmers’ market complete with items including local homegrown veggies, fresh maple syrup, all natural beef, pork and chicken and fresh-baked cakes and breads.

Brainchild of the newly formed student group LOCAL (Lees-McRae On-Campus Agriculture and Life), the Lees-McRae Farmers’ Market is raising awareness about local and organic foods on campus and connecting the College with local farmers and the community.

Katie Hayes, advisor of LOCAL, says the farmers’ market is also a visible way to show that the College is participating in “green” practices. “By eating locally grown food, the average American can reduce their fuel consumption considerably. We are demonstrating to prospective and current students that we care about the environment,” said Hayes.

LOCAL and the farmers’ market have the support of President Buxton. “It’s important for our students to have access to vegetarian, organic and local food options,” said President Barry Buxton, who is working closely with the College’s food service provider to improve these types of food options in the dining hall. “Giving our students access to healthy food options while supporting local farmers is a win-win scenario for the College.”

President Buxton is working with ARAMARK Higher Education and its Green Thread initiative to reduce the College’s environmental impact while improving food options in the dining hall. “We’re thrilled to work with ARAMARK. They are committed to environmental stewardship, sustainable practices, providing local food options and improving the health of our students. These are all things Debbie and I strongly believe in,” said President Buxton.

Participating farmers are also giving back to Lees-McRae through a $5 weekly fee for the College’s Monday market. This fee will be used for advertising money for a student-led service learning project this fall. “The market will be able to foster service learning opportunities among our students,” said Hayes.

“We hope faculty, staff and community members will swing by Tate Lawn on Mondays to supplement their grocery shopping for the week,” Hayes continued. “The selection will only improve during the summer as more local produce becomes available.”

LOCAL is doing some farming of its own on campus. Students in the group hoped to grow their own produce for the market, but decided to grow fruits and vegetables for the wildlife center on campus.

In exchange for a plot of land to use as an on-campus garden, LOCAL is growing food for the animals at the Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute located alongside the Elk River on Lees-McRae’s campus. The group is currently growing squash, strawberries, peas and carrots to supplement the pantry for the animals housed at the BRWI.

For more information about LOCAL and Lees-McRae’s Farmers’ Market, contact Katie Hayes at hayesk@lmc.edu or 828.898.8772.

President Barry Buxton has only been in office for three weeks, but he is already making a big impression on the campus and community with his plans for the future of Lees-McRae.

Known for “rolling up his sleeves and getting involved” President Buxton has a 24-point revitalization plan in place to strengthen the College. Top goals include strengthening the Board of Trustees, eliminating the College’s debt over five years and increasing enrollment by 50 percent in that same period of time.

Other plans include the College becoming the top pet friendly campus in the country, becoming the number one bicycling college in the country and establishing a school of nursing and allied health.

Recognizing the importance of stability in leadership, President and Mrs. Buxton have committed to a decade of service to the College. Together they bring energy, vision, and valuable experience to Lees-McRae.

“Dr. Barry Buxton is a proven leader in higher education. With his roots in Appalachia and a strong sense of calling, I truly believe we have found a remarkable person to lead the college, serve the community, and transform our destiny,” said Tommy Brigham, chair of the College’s Board of Trustees.

“The opportunity to serve as Lees-McRae’s president is a calling I could not ignore. It’s where God wants me to be. It’s where we’re intended to serve next and we’re thrilled to be returning to our roots in Appalachia. This is a wonderful chance to give back to the place and the people we love,” said Dr. Buxton.

The inauguration of President Buxton will be held on Saturday, October 2 during Homecoming weekend. More information regarding inauguration and homecoming will be shared in the coming weeks.

President Barry M. Buxton received a special gift to adorn his new office in the historic Rock House when he began his duties as the fifteenth president of Lees-McRae on June 1.

Bob Jones, artist, retired Appalachian State University professor and brother-in-law to Buxton, hand carved the Lees-McRae College shield out of mahogany to hang above the mantel in President Buxton’s office.

“The whole family is so excited about Barry coming to Lees-McRae,” said Jones. “This shield was a way that I could show him how excited I am!”

Jones said this striking piece took him nearly six weeks to complete.

A talented woodcraftsman and artist, Jones also constructed the desk that President Buxton works from daily in the Rock House. Jones is also a painter and sketch artist, and enjoys retirement and traveling with his wife Anne Buxton Jones. The couple resides in Blowing Rock.

The 38^th Annual Alumni Arts and Crafts Show and Sale will be held July 10-18 in the Cannon Student Center at Lees-McRae College as part of Alumni Frolic Week.

Come and check out all the handmade arts and crafts on display, and get a head start on your holiday shopping.

The unique show began as an outdoor “clothesline” exhibition held by two Lees-McRae alumni in 1973 and has grown to a show of nearly 30 vendors. Items for sale include pottery, woodworking items, jewelry, pillows, wooden bowls, paintings, crocheted items, ceramics, stained glass, mosaics, floral arrangements and much more.

“Possibly one of the best kept secrets of the summer, the Alumni Arts and Crafts Show is the only show of its kind in the area: held indoors with air conditioning, friendly volunteers, free parking, complimentary refreshments, no admission charge, clean facilities, and the best prices!!! All are welcome at our week-long indoor show! Don’t let the rain keep you from coming out to shop! Our show features high quality work at prices that fit any budget,” said Michelle Vance Scott ‘86/’90 coordinator of volunteers for the show.

The schedule for the show is as follows: Saturday, July 10, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, July 11, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Monday, July 12 - Saturday, July 17, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, July 18, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The show and sale is free and open to the public. For more information on the Arts and Crafts Show and Sale or Alumni Frolic Week, please contact Michelle Scott at scottmv@lmc.edu or (828) 898-2489.

Since its inception, the show has contributed more than $240,000 to College projects, including the purchase of computers, audio-equipment and physical plant improvements. In addition, an invested endowment of $135,000 provides annual Alumni Arts and Crafts Scholarships to worthy students. All proceeds benefit the college.

Scott Crawford, Director of the Global Community Center at Lees-McRae College, has recently been invited to become a member of the Avery County Rotary Club after speaking to the group this past month. Crawford’s involvement will be an excellent way to network in the local community for a wide range of international and service-based projects.

In addition, Crawford received nearly a full scholarship for his doctoral studies at Columbia University in New York City in recognition of his academic performance during his first year in the program. Crawford is obtaining an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. His dissertation will focus on Global Education.

A host of local designers, contractors and community businesses will bring new life to a 75-year-old historic building on the Lees-McRae College campus. The 2010 Lees-McRae College Designer Showcase House will transform the structure, located in the heart of campus, into a designer showcase and guest home for the College.

The ultimate goal of this fundraising initiative is to create an on-campus retreat to house VIPs, alumni and trustees.

“True to the motto of Lees-McRae College – in the mountains, of the mountains, for the mountains – this charming home will return to its original purpose and character,” said Deborah Buxton, wife of President Barry Buxton and community liaison for the showcase house project. “It will be a showcase for Blue Ridge Mountain talent including artists, craftsmen and designers.”

The showcase house has an interesting history at Lees-McRae. Constructed in 1935 by the wood-work and building department students, the showcase house was first used as a practice home for the home economics department of Lees-McRae College, and includes the now-legendary craftsmanship of Daniel Boone IV, the hand-forged wrought iron icon who came to teach this skill to Lees-McRae students in 1934.

During the summers, Miss Anne Jenks and Miss Carrie Jenks, of Southern Pines, NC, would stay in the home, an arrangement with the College that helped finance the construction. The Misses Jenks had been frequent visitors to the Pinnacle Inn, a summer resort run by the College in the 1920s and 30s.

In a newspaper article dated November 13, 1935, the home was described as a “modernly equipped, part-stone structure finished inside with chestnut paneling with wrought iron fixtures made in the Daniel Boone shop.” The article continued, “It will serve as both a laboratory for the classes in cooking and home management and as a guest house for the college, the students acting as hostesses.”

The Lees-McRae Designer Showcase House will most certainly be a community and team effort: Dianne Davant of Dianne Davant and Associates has volunteered to serve as the chairperson for this fundraising initiative. Contractor Mark Lehmann, Brian Webb of Webb Painting, Classic Stone Works, Pam McKay of The Art Cellar, photographer Dot Griffith, Elisabeth Wall of Lenoir’s E.B. Wall and Associates and Deborah Williams of Cobweb Designs (UK) have all pledged their support and services to the project. Other confirmed participants will be announced in the coming weeks.

A mid-September opening is planned for the Lees-McRae College Designer Showcase House. Guided tours for individuals and groups will be available. The showcase house is located at 184 Chestnut Way on the campus of Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk. All proceeds will benefit building restoration and historic preservation on the Lees-McRae College campus.

For more information on this project, contact Deborah Buxton at 828.898.8846 or buxtond@lmc.edu.

Lees-McRae College President Barry M. Buxton announced the appointment of Caroline O. Hart as vice president for advancement effective June 1, 2010. Hart comes to Lees-McRae from Barton College in Wilson, NC where she served as assistant vice president for institutional advancement.

In her role at Lees-McRae, Hart will oversee all development, advancement and alumni relations services and activities for the College. Working closely with President Buxton, Hart will cultivate relationships with alumni, donors, parents and families, volunteers and other college constituents.

“Caroline Hart is a seasoned advancement professional, and I am delighted to have her join the executive staff of the College,” said President Buxton. “Her experience and accomplishments at Barton College bode well for Lees-McRae’s future efforts in fundraising and alumni development. She is a great addition to Lees-McRae!”

Hart comes to Lees-McRae with more than a decade of development and fund raising experience. While at Barton College, she first served as director of development and later as assistant vice president for institutional advancement. She managed a number of special project campaigns, increased the college’s annual fund program, developed a successful alumni programs office, oversaw endowed scholarship programs, and directed many special events.

Prior to Barton College, Hart also held positions in development at Peace College in Raleigh and The Montessori School of Raleigh. She has completed courses in fund raising at Indiana University Center on Philanthropy. Her professional memberships include CASE and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

“Joining the Lees-McRae team is a great opportunity for me and my family. This is an exciting time in the life of the College, and I am looking very forward to working closely with alumni and College friends to take Lees-McRae to the next level. It’s a great day to be a Bobcat!” said Hart.

Hart earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from Peace College in Raleigh. She lives in Banner Elk with her husband Jim and son McRae, 7.  She and her family enjoy soccer, saltwater fishing and simply being outdoors. 

Lees-McRae College is gearing up for another exciting season of Lees-McRae Summer Theatre with Ragtime: The Musical opening July 28 in Hayes Auditorium in Banner Elk.

Under the direction of Dr. Janet Speer, the show will run from July 28 to August 6, with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. and a select number of matinee performances at 2 p.m.

Ragtime intertwines the stories of three extraordinary families as they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair and what it means to live in America.

“When I listen to the music of Ragtime, I am reminded of the great musicals Showboat and Porgy and Bess.  Like those classic pieces, Ragtime cuts to the emotions of a people in a growing nation and shows us both their glory and their pain,” said Dr. Janet Speer, the artistic director for Lees-McRae Summer Theatre.  “The play takes a look at the stories of Jewish immigrants, African Americans and the established elite who saw themselves as owners of the nation.   It is funny, touching, patriotic and ultimately a fascinating history lesson, all in one epic musical that shows us where we’ve been, and why we continue to believe in this phenomena called America.”

Ragtime was written by the award-winning composer/lyricist team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, noted playwright Terrence McNally and based on E.L. Doctorow’s distinguished novel.

“We will have the largest cast ever placed on the Lees-McRae stage.  Many alumni and other Summer Theatre friends are coming in to help us mount this show.  After all, when you are dealing with three cultures of people who created this great nation, you must have a large group of actors, singers and dancers to pull it off.  It will be challenging, and very, very exciting,” said Speer.

Tickets are $24 for adults and $13 for children and students and may be purchased at the box office located in the lobby of Hayes Auditorium beginning July 6.

For more information about the show and how to purchase tickets, please call 828.898.8709 or visit www.lmst.lmc.edu.

In addition to Ragtime, Lees-McRae Summer Theatre will hold two sessions of its annual Creative and Performing Arts Camp. The dates are June 21-25 and June 28-July 2.

Camp hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. This fun and educational camp will allows students to explore the surrounding Appalachian mountain culture through drama, dance, music, film, costuming, technical theatre, creative writing, design and visual art.

The cost of $220 per camper per week includes a t-shirt, lunch and field trips. As an added bonus, campers who attend both weeks and families with multiple children attending will receive a $50 discount. Students entering first grade through 12^th grade can participate in the camp.

For more information please contact Stacey Trivett, Camp Director, at trivets@lmc.edu or 828.898.3372.

FORUM at Lees-McRae College kicks off its 31^st season on June 22 with Big Ray and the Kool Kats in Hayes Auditorium on the campus in Banner Elk with seven Tuesday evening performances following through the summer.

This season includes performances by the Western Piedmont Symphony, Grammy winning singer/songwriter Linda Davis, and six-member family Irish Step and American dance group ShaeLaurel.

FORUM began in 1979 as an organization formed by a group of “summer people” with the purpose of bringing cultural programs to Banner Elk. Affiliated with Lees-McRae College, FORUM has grown to be a large organization made up of local residents, “summer people” and Lees-McRae College staff that provides programs of both cultural enrichment and wholesome entertainment to the community.

The 2010 season opens June 22 with Big Ray and the Kool Kats featuring a 12-member group of instrumentalists, vocalists and dancers bringing swing music from 60s, 70s and 80s. On June 29, David Osborne, known as the “Pianist to the Presidents,” and his trio will present Broadway, romantic, classical and ageless standards of the American songbook.

Grammy winning singer and songwriter Linda Davis will grace the stage of Hayes Auditorium on July 6. This world-class entertainer brings an evening of country music and standards including her personal hits. July 13 will be the annual FORUM performance of the Western Piedmont Symphony. Music director and conductor John Gordon Ross returns for his 17^th season with a program of popular classics.

Brian Roman will demonstrate his natural ability to sing on July 20 with many popular tunes from Elvis to Sinatra and his own recordings including “As Long As I have Music.” ShaeLaurel will dance their way into FORUM patron lives on July 27 with their high-energy musical acrobatics along with Irish Step and American Dance and traditional vocals.

On August 3, Orange Kellin and the New Orleans Blue Serenaders featuring Vernel Bagneris brings talent to the FORUM stage fresh from Broadway. These seasoned performers will thrill listeners with sounds of the Big Easy.

And finally, rounding out the season, is Joseph Martin on August 10. Pianist and composer Martin, accompanied by wife Sue, a lyric soprano, the husband and wife duo will present a concert of secular piano and vocal music.

Membership in FORUM at Lees-McRae College is required to attend FORUM performances. For more information about FORUM, visit go.lmc.edu/forum. To become a FORUM patron, contact Sandy Ramsey at ramsey@lmc.edu or (828) 898-8748.

Lees-McRae College invites the community to beat the heat this summer in the Rhea-Lyons Swimming Pool at Lees-McRae College. The pool is open to the public Monday through Friday during the month of June.

The pool is open daily from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1-8 p.m. Swim lessons are available. Contact a lifeguard for more information.

Admission to the pool is $2 for members of the community and free to Lees-McRae students, faculty and staff. For more information, call (828) 898-8725.

Operating hours for the pool during July and August will be announced later this month. Log on to www.webccalendar.lmc.edu for details.

The Rhea-Lyons Swimming Pool is located in the back of Williams Gymnasium off Hickory Nut Gap Road on the Lees-McRae College campus in Banner Elk.

Looking for something fun to do this summer?

Whether it’s for you or the kids, we have something just for everyone at Lees-McRae College this summer.  Check out some of our special summer programs that we offer to the community.

SCUBA Class: May 28-May 30 – all day

Contact: Two Worlds Divers (828) 265-2255

Hurry up and sign up now to get into a class with Two Worlds Divers.  Most of the coursework is done online on your own time, and then you get together with the rest of the class for one weekend and practice in the pool at Lees-McRae College.  If you’ve missed this class, don’t worry, we’ll have others! Just call Two Worlds Divers now and tell them that you heard about the class from Lees-McRae College.

Tai Chi Classes with the Taoist Tai Chi Society: Tues/Wed/Thurs   10-11am

Contact:  Arthur Student Recreation Complex Front Desk (828) 898-8848

The ancient art of Tai Chi uses gentle flowing movements to reduce the stress of today’s busy lifestyles and improve health.  If you’re looking for another way to reduce stress, consider tai chi (TIE-chee). Tai chi is sometimes described as “meditation in motion” because it promotes serenity through gentle movements, connecting the mind and body. Originally developed in ancient China for self-defense, tai chi has evolved into a graceful form of exercise that’s now used for stress reduction and helps with a variety of other health conditions. Come by the class to sign up. The cost is $25 a month.

Ballroom Dance Classes: Mondays at 6pm (June 14-July 26 –no class July 5)

Contact: Arthur Student Recreation Complex Front Desk (828) 898-8848

Motivated by dancing with the stars?  Come and see how big of a star you can be! Grab a partner and head to the Carol and Glenn Arthur Student Recreation Complex on Mondays to learn the basics of ballroom dancing, burn some calories and have a blast.  These classes are FREE!

OC Pro Basketball Camp: Tues/Thurs (July 13-Aug 5)

Contact: Arthur Student Recreation Complex Front Desk (828) 898-8848

The O.C. Pro Basketball Clinic is a series of private lessons for children.  This clinic is a 4-week program during which Coach O.C. will work with children to improve their basketball skills, increase their confidence level, teach them teamwork, and to have fun.  This clinic will cost $75 per child and will be hosted at the Arthur Student Recreation Complex on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00-6:30pm (ages 4-6) and 6:30-8:00pm (ages 7-12).

Climbing Wall Nights:  June 16 and July 14 - Wednesday 6-8pm

Contact: Arthur Student Recreation Complex Front Desk (828) 898-8848

Get some climbing in at the indoor climbing wall on one or both of these Wednesdays.  Harnesses and climbing shoes will be provided. Participants should wear comfortable clothing.

Campus Recreation Camp: SIGN UP BY JULY 16^th TO RESERVE YOUR CHILD’S SPOT!!!

Contact: Arthur Student Recreation Complex Front Desk (828) 898-8848

Lees-McRae College is offering two different day camps for kids!  These camps will be fun, active, and educational experiences right in Banner Elk.

The first camp will begin Tuesday, July 20 and end on Thursday, July 22 from 10am-2pm.  This camp will be geared for younger children, ages 4-7.  The camp will cost $75 for the three days and will include lunch.

The second camp will take place the following week from July 26-30 from 10am-3pm for ages 8-12.  This camp will cost $125 and will include lunch four of the five days of camp.

Both camps will be filled with fun, mostly outdoor activities, in which they will be active and have a great time!  Some camp activities include a scavenger hunt, adventure hikes, climbing time, fitness games, crafts, and sports with collegiate athletes.   Please make sure to print off the Camp Registration Form found HERE and mail it in with your check or drop it by the Arthur Student Recreation Complex by July 16.  Space is limited!

Zumba Classes: Starting Wednesday, June 2 at 5pm

Contact: Arthur Student Recreation Complex Front Desk (828) 898-8848

Ditch the boring workout and join the party over at the Arthur Student Recreation Complex on Wednesdays starting on June 2 at 5pm.  Wear comfortable clothes, bring water, and be prepared to sweat!  The Zumba® program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away, so make sure to come check the new fitness craze that’s spreading like wildfire! Classes will be $5 a class with instructor Brie Young!

Continue to check Lees-McRae’s WebCalendar for updates and additions at www.webcalendar.lmc.edu.

Lees-McRae College Commencement was held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 22 at the Williams Physical Education Center inside Williams Gymnasium on the Banner Elk campus. Degrees were conferred upon 228 students, the largest graduating class in the history of the four-year, liberal arts college.

Incoming President Barry M. Buxton delivered the commencement address called “Fulfilling the Promise”. He reminded graduates and the audience of the courage Rev. Edgar Tufts displayed when he moved to Banner Elk in the late 1890s to improve the lives of the people of Banner Elk and Avery County. “This young couple, Edgar and Bessie Tufts, had the courage, vision and dedication to found Lees-McRae College…to work together, tirelessly, for the benefit of Appalachian people.”

He also spoke of the joy of returning to the mountains of Appalachia with his wife Debbie to serve Lees-McRae. “Coming to Lees-McRae is coming back home for both me and my wife, Debbie. We grew up in nearby Blowing Rock and we are proud to be from this place…proud to be Appalachian.”

“One only needs to spend a day on this campus to realize that Lees-McRae College is a family…a family that loves one another and aspires to great service,” President Buxton said.

After the conferral of degrees and the induction of the Class of 2010 into the Alumni Association by Alumni Council President Kim Garrison Palmisano ‘83, Joshua Kurtz was honored with the H.C. Evans, Jr. Fidelity Award. This award, named for the College’s ninth president, recognizes academic excellence, campus citizenship, friendliness and service to the College. The recipient is selected by the graduates themselves, approved by the faculty and represents the highest ideals of the graduating class.

Joshua Kurtz from Oak Ridge, NC, earned a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Religious Studies. Kurtz served as a captain on the men’s basketball team, was a member of the honors program, and a resident director in Tate Residence Hall. He is also a member of a legacy family. Kurtz’s father Michael also attended Lees-McRae. After graduation he hopes to teach middle school, and is currently in the process of applying to several school systems.

About the Speaker: Barry M. Buxton will become fifteenth president of Lees-McRae College on June 1. A native of Blowing Rock, North Carolina, President Buxton has a long history of involvement with institutions of higher education in Appalachia. During the decade of the 1980s, he served as Executive Director of the sixteen-member Appalachian Consortium. In this capacity, he worked with faculty on research projects, scholarly conferences, and publications related to Appalachia. In 1987, he received a distinguished service award from the Blue Ridge Parkway in recognition of the historic studies he conducted of Mabry Mill, Moses H. Cone Estate, Davey Farm, and Brinegar Cabin.

Most recently President Buxton served as Vice President for Special Projects at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he was responsible for major gift solicitation, leadership development, and foundation relations. He also served as executive liaison to the Savannah, Atlanta, and European Boards of Visitors.

In a diverse career spanning 35 years, he has been a teacher, researcher, publisher, editor, and community leader with extensive international experience. He has served as a consultant to such diverse organizations as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Tennessee State Board of Regents, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Texas A&M University. President Buxton is a past member of the North Carolina Humanities Council and the Nebraska Humanities Council.

He holds two degrees from Appalachian State University, where he received his teacher certification and was an E.F. Lovill Fellow. His Ph.D. is from the University of Nebraska, and his dissertation was titled “Job Satisfaction of College and University Presidents.”

Don’t miss the beauty of summer in Banner Elk and a chance to relive your college days during Alumni Frolic Week. July 9-18 is Alumni Frolic Week, and offers the perfect opportunity to bring your family to the mountains and experience all the wonders that Banner Elk and Lees-McRae have to offer in the summer.

Reunions, outings, parties, gatherings, the annual arts and crafts show, concerts, exercise classes, day camps for children and teens, the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, old friends, and new friends are just a taste of what Lees-McRae’s Alumni Frolic Week has to offer.

You can stay for a day or a week (or even longer) and enjoy everything that you remember about Lees-McRae, like cool summer evenings on the porch of Virginia Residence Hall, blueberry picking in Elk Park, shopping and sightseeing in Blowing Rock, and so much more!

Reunions include the class of 1950’s 60-year reunion, the class of 1940’s 70-year reunion, the class of 1955 luncheon for members of classes of the 1950s decade, the annual alumni banquet, and the Young Alumni Mixer for graduates of the 1990s and 2000s.

Other activities include the Alumni Arts and Crafts Show held in the Cannon Student Center from July 10-17 showcasing handmade arts and crafts by alumni and friends of Lees-McRae College.

There will also be a special presentation of the Lees-McRae College produced movie In the Mountains is a Place Called Home on July 14 at 6 p.m. in Evans Auditorium. Soon after the release of the Edgar Tufts Memorial Association’s first motion picture To Set Aglow a Sacred Flame, several members of the Association’s Board of Trustees approached Lees-McRae’s public relations director asking that a second picture be made, a film endeavoring to bring up to date the work of the three ETMA institutions.

Using the Board’s suggestion to build the second film around a young child at Grandfather Home for Children, the producer constructed the movie. Daisy Long, a Lees-McRae sophomore, and Kathy Cook, of Grandfather Home, were cast to play the two major roles in the story that follows the child from Grandfather Home through her graduation from Lees-McRae.

The premier was November 19, 1959 in the Chaffee Auditorium. The film was recently restored through a grant from the National Film Preservation Foundation and will be shown in Evans Auditorium on July 14 at 6 p.m. Daisy Long Everett ‘60 will be in attendance for a discussion following the screening of the film.

For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit our website at www.alumni.lmc.edu.

During the 2010-2011 academic year, at least four Lees-McRae students will leave the familiarity of Banner Elk to pursue their studies overseas. Two are headed to Northern Ireland, while two others will study in England and France.

Juniors Kenzie Simpson and Princess Neely have been accepted into the competitive Irish-American Scholars program and will each spend a semester in Northern Ireland. Simpson, a performing arts major, will attend Belfast Metropolitan College in the fall. For her, this is the fulfillment of a long-time goal.

“I have always wanted to go to Ireland, even since I was really young,” claims Simpson. “It’s so exciting to know that I can gain this opportunity while also enhancing my education. I can’t wait to experience a new culture and actually be an international student!”

Neely, a psychology major, will attend University of Ulster in Coleraine in the spring. For her, the experience represents the opportunity to approach her studies from a different cultural perspective.

“Because the mind is so complex, it would be absurd to limit myself to studying psychology within a location in which I am comfortable and familiar,” Neely notes. “Studying abroad in Northern Ireland will introduce new concepts and ideas I have yet to discover and will aid me in my future career.”

This opportunity to study one’s major from another perspective can be one of the most enticing, and most valuable, benefits of study abroad. This is particularly true for Nathan Larson, a junior business major, who will spend fall semester at the University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, France enrolled in a European Union Studies program.

“I am really looking forward to learning about the European Union,” says Larson. “It is such an influential organization…Since I have started at LMC, the topic of international business has interested me in my business classes. So I can’t wait to get some “real world” experience with it.”

And of course, Larson looks forward to other benefits of study abroad as well.

“I can’t wait to eat the delicious foods,” he says.

Finally, Vicky Gianera, a senior criminal justice major, will be studying at the University of Lancaster, in Lancaster, England in the fall. She is particularly excited, as the experience will represent her first time traveling out of the United States.

“I am most looking forward to adapting to their culture,” Vicky says excitedly, “and visiting all the cities I’ve heard about growing up, such as Liverpool and London.” She also looks forward to learning more about how Britain’s criminal justice system differs from that of the U.S., though she admits that England has yet another draw for her.

“I have wanted to visit England since I was a young child because I was raised listening to the Beatles, and they’re one of my all-time favorite artists,” she says.

Study abroad is certainly nothing new at Lees-McRae, but interest among students appears to be picking up steam, according to Global Community Center director Scott Crawford, who manages international programs on campus, including study abroad opportunities.

“It seems a culture of travel is building here,” notes Crawford, who believes many factors, including the globalization of the U.S. economy, culture, and the workforce, contribute to this spike in interest. But Crawford also gives credit to past Lees-McRae students who have studied abroad and returned as advocates for the benefits of student travel.

Two such students, Austin Wright and Caitlin Jenkins, who just graduated in May, were so inspired by their international experience that they created a handbook for students who wish to study abroad. Creation of the handbook was a vital part of their senior project this year, and will serve as a tangible legacy of the positive experiences they had studying overseas. They hope it will inspire more students to study abroad in the future.

“Studying abroad is a challenge; emotionally, spiritually, and physically but the rewards are without comparison and are better than anything I experienced in my college career,” claims Wright, who spent last fall semester at Swansea University in Swansea, Wales.

Jenkins, who spent the fall of 2008 in Paris, also lauds the rewards of study abroad, focusing on the invaluable multicultural experience one gains as a natural byproduct of a semester spent in another country.

“Living in Paris was wonderful from eating pastries to speaking French to experiencing a new culture,” recalls Jenkins. “I lived in a dorm with students from France, Spain, Germany, Russia, China, America, Africa, and Italy; this melting pot of cultures allowed me to get a taste of many parts of the world.”

Such experience seems to have served both Wright and Jenkins well. After graduating this May, Wright will pursue his MFA at Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia while Jenkins will serve an internship at FedBid, Inc., a company in the Washington, D.C. area.

Crawford expects that Simpson, Neely, Larson and Gianera will have similar wonderful experiences studying abroad, and will return as global citizens with multiple opportunities awaiting them after graduation. Further, he hopes that their experiences will continue to stimulate the “culture of travel” catching on at Lees-McRae.

Pictured above is Caitlin Jenkins and her international friends at the Louvre in Paris.

Founded in 2000 by Martha McAfee Krieger (’86/’03) and Michelle Vance Scott (’86/’90), Bobcat Kids’ Club was designed to offer a day camp for children of alumni during the annual Alumni Frolic Week. Children in the day camp engage in recreational activities, visit area attractions, do arts and crafts, play games, and have picnics.

Lunch is also included each day. The camp is held Monday – Friday (July 12-16) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adults supervise and plan daily activities for campers.

Since its inception, Bobcat Kids’ Club has become a very popular attraction during Frolic Week. The campers have enjoyed the fun times and friendships. We only had seven campers our first year, and in 2009, we had 30 campers! “We wanted to find a way to bring alumni with children back to campus during Frolic Week, but most of our friends expressed the need for childcare or children’s activities,” says Krieger.

After realizing that alumni in their age groups and younger were not attending Frolic Week, Krieger and Scott partnered up to resolve this issue and finally came up with a fun solution that benefits the entire family.

“Bobcat Kids’ Club serves two purposes,” says Scott. “First, the Club provides an opportunity for the children and grandchildren of alumni to experience LMC in a unique way. This unique experience can be a catalyst for legacy families to be created…second and third generations of alumni in one family. Secondly, the Bobcat Kids’ Club experience is enriching for the children in its programming and it also gives the parents and grandparents time to enjoy their own time during Frolic Week.”

In honor of our 10-year anniversary, we will participate in some new programs and share our journey with Frolic Week attendees. The week will end with a celebration party. Krieger says, “Each year we challenge alumni to encourage their friends and former classmates to meet in the mountains for one week and bring their kids. This year we are challenging YOU too…stay in the dorm, put your kids in the camp, have fun with friends. You’ll be back next year!”

Bobcat Kids’ Club is for children ages 4-11. The cost is $30 for those staying on-campus $50 for those staying off-campus for the week. Our rate includes daily activities, lunch and camp supplies.

“We look forward to meeting your children!” says Krieger.

For more information on Bobcat Kids’ Club, contact Sandy Ramsey at 828-898-8748 or ramsey@lmc.edu. A Teen Camp for children ages 12-15 is also available. The cost is $15 for the week.

The Lees-McRae Bobcats finished second at Road Cycling Nationals and second overall for the season while Carla Swart wins her third consecutive individual omnium title.

The Lees-McRae College Bobcats cycling team finished a mere three points shy of the overall Division I USA Cycling National Collegiate Championship for the 2009-2010 season after finishing second at Road Nationals May 7-9.

The rankings combine each school’s finish in the four cycling disciplines:  track, mountain bike, cyclocross and road.

The Bobcats took second overall with 72 points, just three points behind first place Fort Lewis College of Durango, CO.  The Bobcats had a 12-point margin over third place finisher Lindsey Wilson College of Columbia, KY.

The team finished in second place at Road Nationals earlier this month in Madison, WI; second place at Cyclocross Nationals in Bend, OR last December; third place at Mountain Bike Nationals in Tahoe, CA last October; and fifth place at Track Nationals in Trexlertown, PA last September to give them the second place overall finish for the season.

Bobcat cycling standout Carla Swart won the 2010 women’s road race making her the Division I Women’s Road Race National Champion on day one of the 2010 USA Cycling Collegiate Road Nationals.

Swart’s win was her third consecutive Women’s Division I Road Race National Champion title.  Swart was also the overall Women’s Division I Individual Road National Champion in 2009 and 2008.

Carla Swart became collegiate cycling’s most decorated rider in the 2008-2009 season winning an individual national title in each of the four cycling disciplines in a calendar year.

Read more about the Bobcat cycling team:

Lees-McWho? Lees-McRae College receives national attention for its many cycling successes. Click here to read an AP article about Lees-McRae and other small schools that rule collegiate cycling.

Are you curious about collegiate cycling and want to learn more? Click here to find out what it’s all about.

Are you seeking a unique way to experience the wonders of Appalachia this summer? Take a look at Lees-McRae College where the Stephenson Center for Appalachia offers a series of four courses that explore ecology, photography and writing, Appalachian women, and documentary production.

Beginning May 24 and running through mid-August, you can study with Lees-McRae professors for college credit or for enrichment. Four courses offered sequentially will provide an in-depth look at the diverse wonders of the region.

Dr. Stewart Skeate, author of A Nature Guide to Northwest North Carolina, will offer a course on Appalachian Ecology from May 24 to June 4 for four hours credit. He will take students on hikes, some strenuous, into natural areas to experience and study the different habitats that make this area of Southern Appalachia one of the most biologically rich regions of the planet.

Combining education about various aspects of local culture with developing photography and writing skills, Dr. Michael Joslin will offer his Integrating Photography with Writing in Appalachian Features from June 7 to June 11 for three hours credit. Author of five books on Appalachia as well as hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, Joslin will take students to natural heritage areas, historical sites, and craft studios to provide students opportunities to practice integrating feature writing and photography. The course will require some moderately strenuous hiking, reading before the course meets, and a final project to be completed after the course meets.

Kathy Olson will present her class on Appalachian Women from June 14 to July 2. The class meets from 9:30-12:00 Monday through Friday for three hours credit. Olson received her Master’s degree in English from East Tennessee State University and has edited books on Appalachian authors as well as a number of essays on issues facing Appalachia. Women in Appalachia have drawn from traditional cultural values and generated innovative ideas in their roles within the home, the community and the world. Taking a multimedia approach, students will actively explore women’s roles as artists, activists and purveyors of cultural traditions. Literature, music and film serve as the foundation for providing students with a range of interpretations of women’s historical and socio-economic impact on the Appalachian region.

Jesse Knight will focus on documentary video production in his class from June 14-August 12. Students will meet with him each Monday and Wednesday from 12:00-2:50 p.m. for three-hours credit. Knight received his MFA in filmmaking from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and has taught media arts at the Art Institute of Las Vegas and now teaches in the Communication Arts and Art and Design majors at Lees-McRae. He has been making fictional films and documentaries since 1995.

For information contact the Academic Affairs Office at Lees-McRae College at 898-8856. You can register up to the starting date for each course.

Photo caption: Students in Michael Joslin’s Integrating Photography with Writing in Appalachian Features test their photography skills on top of Mount Mitchell.

Lees-McRae College Commencement will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 22 at the Williams Physical Education Complex on the Banner Elk campus. Degrees will be conferred upon approximately 228 students, the largest graduating class in the history of the four-year, liberal arts college. Incoming president Dr. Barry M. Buxton will deliver the commencement address called “Fulfilling the Promise”.

Commencement ceremonies will be held outdoors on the Ried M. Estus Practice Fields, weather permitting. The rain location is inside the Williams Gymnasium. Designated parking for individuals with disabilities will be available at the Williams Physical Education Complex. Shuttles will run from all main campus parking lots to the site of Commencement as parking at the Complex is limited.

On Friday evening, the annual Baccalaureate Service and hooding ceremony for graduates and their families will be held at 7 p.m. in Hayes Auditorium. Baccalaureate Dinner will be held prior to the service at 5:30 p.m. in MacDonald Dining Hall.

During the ceremony, one 2010 graduate will receive the H.C. Evans Fidelity Award, an award named for the College’s ninth president that recognizes academic excellence, campus citizenship, friendliness and service to the College. The recipient is selected by the graduates themselves, approved by the faculty and represents the highest ideals of the graduating class.

About the Speaker

Dr. Barry M. Buxton will become fifteenth president of Lees-McRae College on June 1. A native of Blowing Rock, North Carolina, Dr. Buxton has a long history of involvement with institutions of higher education in Appalachia. During the decade of the 1980s, he served as Executive Director of the sixteen-member Appalachian Consortium. In this capacity, he worked with faculty on research projects, scholarly conferences, and publications related to Appalachia. In 1987, he received a distinguished service award from the Blue Ridge Parkway in recognition of the historic studies he conducted of Mabry Mill, Moses H. Cone Estate, Davey Farm, and Brinegar Cabin.

Most recently Dr. Buxton served as Vice President for Special Projects at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he was responsible for major gift solicitation, leadership development, and foundation relations. He also served as executive liaison to the Savannah, Atlanta, and European Boards of Visitors.

Prior to his position at the Savannah College of Art and Design, Dr. Buxton has served as president of science and history museums in North Carolina, Texas, and Georgia. In Houston, he worked with former President and First Lady George and Barbara Bush and the Harris County Medical Society to establish the Museum of Health and Medical Science. He was vice president of the North Carolina Grass Roots Science Museums and a co-founder of the Houston Museum District Association.

An award-winning author who has written and edited over a dozen books, his centennial history of Blowing Rock, A Village Tapestry, was recognized as the best local history in North Carolina in 1989.

In a diverse career spanning 35 years, he has been a teacher, researcher, publisher, editor, and community leader with extensive international experience. He has served as a consultant to such diverse organizations as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Tennessee State Board of Regents, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Texas A&M University. Dr. Buxton is a past member of the North Carolina Humanities Council and the Nebraska Humanities Council.

Buxton holds two degrees from Appalachian State University, where he received his teacher certification and was an E.F. Lovill Fellow. His Ph.D. is from the University of Nebraska, and his dissertation was titled “Job Satisfaction of College and University Presidents.”

For more information, contact Meghan Wright at wrightm@lmc.edu or (828) 898-8729 or visit www.lmc.edu.

Lees-McRae College celebrated the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day with the annual Mountain Day of Service April 22, a day that included 31 service projects on and off campus. Over 400 faculty, staff and students volunteered more than 2,000 hours to better the campus and Banner Elk community.

“Mountain Day of Service shows that the students, faculty and staff of Lees-McRae are thankful for the good fortune bestowed upon us, and in return, we share that with others. There is an importance of providing direct service to our fellow women and men, as well as all living things and this idea is the motive behind the annual Mountain Day of Service,” said Charlie Herron, a senior who works in the office of community outreach.

On-campus projects included flower planting in the Peace Garden, bike trail clean-up, construction of a wheel chair ramp for the Whitesell Art Studio, floor replacement in the Chafee Administration Building and landscaping in Swank Park.

Off-campus projects ranged from trail maintenance at Buckeye Recreation Center on Beech Mountain, to land clearing and site preparation for Habitat for Humanity and electronics recycling at the Banner Elk Town Hall.

After a hard day’s work the volunteers relaxed at a celebration on Tate Lawn, which included a “bring your own blanket” barbeque picnic dinner and three live bands – Augustine, City of God and Matt Corey.

“Mountain Day of Service is a hallmark program at Lees-McRae College and serves as an incredible example of our commitment to serve the community,” said Selena Hilemon, director of community outreach and coordinator of Mountain Day of Service.

The tradition of Mountain Day at Lees-McRae goes back to the school’s founder, the Rev. Edgar Tufts. Each fall, Tufts would surprise the school during chapel by announcing, “it was a good day to climb Beech.” Following the proclamation, the entire school would set off up the mountain. When they reached the end of the five-mile climb, a feast of potatoes and corn and sandwiches would be waiting on the group.

Mountain Day was renewed during the early years of the 21^st century, more than 100 years after Tufts founded the school. It became a fall and spring tradition, though the hike was limited to Wildcat Lake via the Hemlock Trail. In 2005, former Lees-McRae President David Bushman began a new tradition making the spring Mountain Day a day of service, and leaving fall Mountain Day a day of rest and fun.

“Mountain Day of Service is a way of celebrating community, responsibility to the surrounding mountains, as well as responsibility to the people of the community. It serves as a reminder that we have an obligation to share whatever we have - talents, the ability to work, harmony in the home, health, whatever it may be,” said Herron.

For more information on opportunities to give back to the community, contact Selena Hilemon, director of community outreach at hilemons@lmc.edu or 828.898.3318.

What is Appalachia? Who are Appalachians? Dr. Mark Banker will address these questions in the program “Appalachians All: East Tennesseans and the Elusive History of an American Region” based on his recently published book by the same name. Presented by the Stephenson Center for Appalachia at Lees-McRae College, Banker’s lecture will be held in the Stafford Room of the Carson Library on Thursday, May 6, at 7:00 p.m.

Banker’s ground-breaking history, published by the University of Tennessee Press, explores the diverse histories of urban Knoxville, rural Cades Cove, and coal-producing Clearfork Valley. These three East Tennessee communities have completely different ways of life and sets of problems, yet each is part of the region. Is one more Appalachian than the others? Is any one of them Appalachian, or are all of them Appalachian? These are questions that led Banker to write his book.

Born and raised in Kingston, Tennessee, Banker left the area to spend 11 years in New Mexico, where he received his doctorate in history. He returned home to the family farm with the death of his father, and has lived there ever since, commuting to teach at the Webb School in Knoxville. Banker’s years of teaching Appalachian studies at the school has led to his book, which through history and memoir examines the meaning of “Appalachia” and “Appalachian.”

“Lees-McRae is fortunate to host Dr. Banker to discuss his recently released book. Appalachians All looks at the region, and regional identity, in a fascinating new way,” said Dr. Michael Joslin, director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia. “We look forward to his talk and the discussion it is sure to provoke. We invite everyone interested in area history and heritage to attend.”

Stephenson Center lectures are free and open to the public. Dr. Banker’s program will be held on Thursday, May 6, at 7:00 p.m. in the Stafford Room of the Carson Library on the Lees-McRae campus. For information call Meghan Wright at 898-8729.

The annual Lees-McRae College Relay for Life event is just around the corner on April 30 and the campus is coming out in full force to raise money for cancer research.

Lees-McRae started off strong with an event appropriately called “Shreddin’ the Love” which was held on February 20 at Ski Beech. This partnership between Boarding for Breast Cancer, SkiNC.com, Beech Mountain and Lees-McRae College raised an incredible $4,735 in just one day!

With the help of Talia Freeman, a Lees-McRae alumna, Beech Mountain Resort invited Lees-McRae students, faculty, and staff to enjoy discounted all day lift passes, followed by a benefit concert featuring Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band and Native Sway. There were also “Fight Like a Girl” t-shirts and sweatshirts for sale.

Following that event was the spaghetti dinner hosted by Delta Omicron Theta, a service sorority. This dinner that took place Friday, April 16, fed the Lees-McRae Track and Field team along with visiting track and field athletes traveling to Lees-McRae for a conference track meet.

The athletes were fed a meal of spaghetti, salad, bread and dessert cooked by the sisters of Delta Omicron Theta. This event, in its second year, proved to be another successful fundraiser.

The next fundraiser promises to be an evening of fun and excitement as junior Dante Treggs presents a Lees-McRae Fashion Show on Wednesday, April 21 at 7 p.m. in the Arthur Student Recreation Complex.

The event will include four collections - formal wear, casual wear, swimsuit and club scene – with Lydia Price, a Lees-McRae student, designing original pieces for both the formal and casual collections.

Comedian Ronnie Jordin will host the event, and Jeremy Evans, a Lees-McRae student, will give a vogue performance. There will also be a bake sale. Tickets are $3 for pre-sale and $5 at the door. So bring your friends and give your support to this fantastic event!

The Lees-McRae College Relay for Life will take place on April 30 from 6 p.m. to midnight in the Cannon Student Center. It will feature a mock rock, food and games, and promises to be a fun-filled night of education, fundraising, memories and fun. It’s a great way to support cancer research!

The Lees-McRae College Relay for Life event is part of the Avery County Relay for Life. For more information please contact Megan Walters, director of campus life, at 828.898.8753 or waltersm@lmc.edu.

On Tuesday, April 27, Lees-McRae College’s prize-winning historian will provide a glimpse into his creative process. Dr. Allen Speer will present his program My Little Postage Stamp of Native Soil in the Stafford Room of the Carson Library at 3:30 p.m. as part of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia Lecture Series.

Based on the three volumes of his survey of his family heritage, his presentation will focus on the final volume recently published by Overmountain Press, From Boonville to Banner Elk. Speer’s personal memoir draws together his heritage and his life in a moving account of his growing up surrounded by physical and emotional monuments to the past in his family’s homeplace in Boonville, NC.

Speer’s trilogy has won a total of eight awards, including the prestigious American Association for State and Local History Award. His final volume before publication had received the Robert Bruce Cooke Award for an unpublished manuscript.

Allen Speer’s concluding volume to his Voices trilogy ties the past to the present in a convincing and moving fashion. In From Banner Elk to Boonville, Speer recounts the story of his growth and development by vividly narrating his personal history as well as by retelling tales told by his forebears, the Speers whose voices continue to speak from Cemetery Hill. He shows how genetics, family and community mythology, and his own experiences have created the Allen Speer whose voice joins those of his ancestors to create a poignant portrait of a Southern family and their culture.

“Allen Speer’s Voices from Cemetery Hill trilogy presents a unique look at our mountain culture from before the Civil War to the present, showing how the threads from the past form an important part of the cloth of today,” said Dr. Michael Joslin, director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia at Lees-McRae College. “We are proud to host his program on this significant body of work.”

A reception and book signing will begin at 3:00, with Speer’s presentation at 3:30. The event is open to the public and free of charge. For information contact Meghan Wright at 898-8729.

Lees-McRae College will host the second annual Run for the Fiesta May 1, a charity race to benefit programming at the Carol and Glenn Arthur Student Recreation Complex at Lees-McRae. The race begins at 12:30 p.m. at the Lees-McRae William’s Gymnasium parking lot.

We will run, walk, jog or stroll through Lees-McRae College’s campus and on the Banner Elk Greenway to get to Mexicano for fantastic Mexican food.  All participants will get a sombrero, chances at great prizes, free tacos and great drink specials, all while supporting a good cause.

“The Arthur Student Recreation Complex has become a staple in the Banner Elk community, offering programs to the local community, families and, of course, Lees-McRae College students.  We’d love to be able to offer even more activities to the community and continue to keep the events at the lowest possible cost… which is usually free!” said Dani Usedom, Director of Campus Recreation at Lees-McRae.

Registration will run from 11:45 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. The entry fee for the race is $20 on the day of the race. Preregistration by April 28 costs $15 and can be done online or in person at the Arthur Student Recreation Complex. Those that preregister must have their money mailed in or taken to the Arthur Student Recreation Complex by April 28 to get the preregistration fee.  Click here for online registration.

Kidz Zone is a free program for local children to come and get active in the Carol and Glenn Arthur Student Recreation Complex on Mondays and Fridays from 3-5 p.m.  Kidz Zone is just one of the many programs that will benefit from the proceeds of the race.

Extra raffle tickets may be purchased to have a chance at winning prizes.  Prizes include gift certificates to local businesses, an entry into ‘A Cool 5′ race at Beech Mountain, a massage, a private Pilates Reformer Session, and more!

“This event should be a total blast and is a great way to do something active, make a difference in a community and meet some new people,” said Usedom.

Lees-McRae Summer Theatre is gearing up for another exciting season with Ragtime: The Musical opening July 28 in Hayes Auditorium.

Under the direction of Dr. Janet Speer, the show will run from July 28 to August 6, with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. and a select number of matinees at 2:00 p.m.

Ragtime: The Musical intertwines the stories of three extraordinary families as they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair and what it means to live in America.

Ragtime: The Musical was written by the award-winning composer/lyricist team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, noted playwright Terrence McNally and based on E.L. Doctorow’s distinguished novel.

Tickets are $24 for adults and $13 for children and students. Tickets may be purchased from the box office, located in the lobby of Hayes Auditorium, beginning July 6. There is no reserved seating, and all tickets are general admission. House will open one hour prior to show time.

Box office hours are Tues.-Thurs. 12-5 p.m. from July 6-22 and 12-5 p.m. daily July 27-Aug. 6.

For more information on Lees-McRae Summer Theatre, please call 828.898.8709 or visit www.lmst.lmc.edu.

In addition to exciting performances, Lees-McRae will host the annual Creative and Performing Arts Camp for children with two sessions, June 21-25 and June 28 - July 2. This summer’s theme is “Appalachia and the Arts”.

Camp hours are 9 a.m. - 3p.m. daily. This fun and educational camp will allow students entering 1^st through 12^th grades explore the surrounding Appalachian mountain culture through drama, dance, music, film, costuming, technical theatre, creative writing, design and visual art.

The cost is $220 per camper per week and includes a t-shirt, lunch and field trips. As an added bonus campers who attend both weeks and families with more than one child will receive a $50 discount!

For more information please contact Stacey Trivett, Camp Director, at trivetts@lmc.edu or 828.898.3372.

Two exciting speakers will be gracing the campus of Lees-McRae College in the coming weeks, including one of our own – Humanities Professor Dr. Allen Speer.

On April 27, Dr. Speer will present his program My Little Postage Stamp of Native Soil in the Stafford Room of the Carson Library as part of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia Lecture Series.

Based on the three volumes of his survey of his family heritage, his presentation will focus on the final volume recently published by Overmountain Press, From Boonville to Banner Elk, Speer’s personal memoir that draws together his heritage and his life.

A reception and book signing will begin at 3:00 p.m., with a presentation at 3:30. The event is open to the public and free of charge.

Continuing the Stephenson Center for Appalachia Lecture Series will be Dr. Mark Banker, a history professor at the Webb School of Knoxville.

On May 6, Dr. Banker will present a lecture based on his recently published book, Appalachians All: East Tennesseans and the Elusive History of an American Region, in the Stafford Room of the Carson Library at 7:00 p.m.

Banker will focus on the process of creating this important contribution to the study of Appalachia, discussing how his personal history, the courses he teaches, and the research he followed combined to produce a study that challenges stereotypes of Appalachia and Appalachians.

Whether you have a video camera and feel the itch to create a documentary about some aspect of your mountain heritage or are simply intrigued by the documentary process, come to Lees-McRae College on Thursday, April 15, for a program by videographer Jesse Knight. At 7 p.m. in Evans Auditorium, he will discuss his work in documentary filmmaking while showing portions of a documentary he is producing on timber frame construction at the John C. Campbell Folk School.

Presented by the John B. Stephenson Center for Appalachia, Knight’s program will cover all aspects of documentary filmmaking, using his experience and work. Knight received his MFA in filmmaking from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and has taught media arts at the Art Institute of Las Vegas and now teaches in the Communication Arts, and Art and Design majors at Lees-McRae.

In addition to producing his own documentary on timber frame construction at the Campbell Folk School, he is employed by the school to create a promotional video for its world-renowned programs.

“We are privileged to have a practicing filmmaker like Jesse Knight on our faculty, and I anticipate a fascinating evening highlighting his own work, as he discusses the business and artistic challenges of documentary filmmaking,” said Dr. Michael Joslin, Director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia at Lees-McRae College. “Our students look forward to previewing his work, and I think that the local community will also benefit from his firsthand experience in the field.”

Jesse Knight’s program is free and open to the public. You are invited to attend at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 15, in the Evans Auditorium of the Cannon Student Center of Lees-McRae College. For more information, call Meghan Wright at 898-8729.

Beginning on Earth Day, April 22, S.A.V.E., a student club at Lees-McRae, will host an electronics recycling three-day event at the Banner Elk Town Hall. Dispose of your old electronics in a responsible way with the help of S.A.V.E. and Synergy Recycling, LLC.

S.A.V.E. is sponsoring the electronics recycling event in collaboration with the Town of Banner Elk, Avery County Department of Solid Waste and Synergy Recycling, LLC of Madison, NC. The event will take place April 22-24 at the Banner Elk Town Hall. The hours are: Thursday-Friday, April 22-23 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, April 24 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Please bring the following items to be recycled: computers, laptops, servers, keyboards, mice, speakers, monitors (flat panel and CRT) with no broken glass, printers, scanners, fax machines, copiers, routers and wireless routers, other computer peripherals and parts (disassembled computer parts, boards), external hard drives, backups, TVs, DVD or VHS players and old stereo equipment.

“Electronics are disposed of daily throughout the state, so S.A.V.E. would like to offer our assistance with being proactive to upcoming laws by making the surrounding area aware of these new laws and allowing everyone to dispose of these materials in a responsible manner,” said Lori Pitts, president of Students Against a Vanishing Environment

On January 1, 2011, these electronic items will be banned from North Carolina landfill sites. The current statewide ban of aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and wooden pallets proves North Carolina’s recognition of the waste disposal problem facing many states around the country and shows the state’s willingness to dispose of products that can be reused, reduced, or recycled.

Being an active participant in our waste disposal allows North Carolina residents to take control of a matter that will not go away on its own. Our landfills are filling up at an alarming rate and without the help of all citizens, the problem will continue to grow.

To volunteer and help with collection or for more information, please contact Lori Pitts at 828-898-8724 or fionaworkstudy@lmc.edu.

Author, poet and environmental activist Thomas Rain Crowe will visit Lees-McRae College on Tuesday, April 13 and Wednesday, April 14. A native North Carolinian, Mr. Crowe was a member of the Baby Beat Generation, during which he participated in the San Francisco poetry renaissance and served as editor for Beatitude magazine before returning to North Carolina to live a sustainable lifestyle in a mountain cabin outside of Cullowhee—an experience he recounts in his book Zoro’s Field: My Life in the Appalachian Woods.

The schedule of events is as follows: On Tuesday, April 13, Crowe will headline a poetry reading in Evans Auditorium in the Canon Student Center on Lees-McRae’s campus. The poetry reading starts at 8 p.m. and will also include an “open mic” session following Crowe’s performance. Students and community members are encouraged to attend and participate.

On Wednesday, April 14, Crowe will speak on local living and sustainable lifestyles in Appalachia, paying special attention to the importance of the local food movement. His address will begin at 3:30 p.m. in Evans Auditorium and will be followed by a light reception and book signing.

Crowe’s visit is being sponsored by Lees-McRae College’s Global Community Center as part of its Social Justice Series programming. All events are free and open to the general public.

Learn more about Thomas Rain Crowe’s exceptional life by visiting the following link: http://wnc.us/newnativepress/about_trc.html.

Vic Almeyda ‘08 and Chris Lyerly ‘06 have been making impressive use of their time and education since graduation. The two entrepreneurs began Ladder Nine Innovations while still enrolled at Lees-McRae.

“Ladder Nine Innovations is a company of firefighters for firefighters. Working to make quality tools for our brethren has been and will continue to be a great honor and a privilege,” said Almeyda.

“Being firefighters ourselves, we are well aware of the challenges we all face on the fire ground or rescue scene, we are here to help you overcome your challenges. We thoroughly test our products in these real scenarios personally, if it doesn’t work for us, we will not sell it to you,” said Lyerly.

In 2007, Almeyda invented The Florian, a tool specific to firefighters and emergency crews that has proven to be very useful on the fire scene.

This unique design combines five tools into one without utilizing moving parts or hinges; thus making a stronger, longer lasting tool.

The Florian features a hydrant wrench, rough tooth saw, pry bar, gas/o2 wrench, and a spanner wrench, topped off with a generous five inch textured handle for a confident grip.

The company recently celebrated its greatest success yet – the placement of a deal with EJ Reynolds Company for the production of the Florian Fire Tool.

“We are very happy to work with such a reputable, all-American company,” said Almeyda.

In addition, the dynamic duo has been traveling to fire colleges in western North Carolina to promote the tool and further their education.

Both Almeyda and Lyerly live in the Banner Elk area and are active firefighters.

Almeyda is a professional firefighter in Newland, a volunteer firefighter on Beech Mountain and the assistant chief for Banner Elk Fire Rescue.

Lyerly owns and operates his own construction business, Lyerly Remodeling and Renovations, and is a captain of Banner Elk Fire Rescue.

For more information, please visit www.laddernineinnovations.com

By David Carter, Chair of Lees-McRae College Board of Visitors

On January 29, a medical mission team of 14 people flew from Raleigh bound for Port-au-Prince, Haiti, including Nancy and Wally Fox, my wife, Melissa, and myself. We were answering a call from Family Health Ministries (FHM) after the devastating earthquake in Haiti on January 12. FHM had called me to ask if I could assemble a few people from our church to go help provide aid.

I did so willingly because I had been to Haiti for the first time just months before with the FHM mission team that traveled to the Caribbean nation in October. My experience there and Melissa’s as well had moved us deeply, and Haiti had our hearts. Nancy and Wally, who had been to Haiti in October 2008 and October 2009 with mission trips, were also most willing to be part of the earthquake relief team.

The airport in Port-au-Prince was still closed to commercial flights so we flew into Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. We left the city the next day for a car and van trip across the border and into Haiti that, thankfully, occurred without incident, but not without its impact on each of us: Destruction, devastation, and despair are not adequate words to describe Haiti today.

We arrived in the area of Port-au-Prince called Blanchard and set up for the clinic. Our intention was to see people from the Blanchard area, attending to many of the primary care issues we had seen in October. We were also prepared for trauma- and quake- related issues and injuries.

We attended church in Blanchard on Sunday. When the service ended about 9:30am, everyone on the team went to change into scrubs. We opened the clinic’s doors by about 10am. From that point on Sunday until about 5:30pm on Friday, our FHM medical team saw and treated 1,508 Haitian people – young, old, men, women, children, quake victims and more.

These 1,508 people endured 90-degree heat, humidity, backless concrete benches, little to no food, little to no water, pain and the relentless fear of another quake or aftershock. Still they came, everyday, waiting in line sometimes for hours.

So much of the earthquake’s effects and impact have been documented in the media. And from what we saw and experienced, much, if not all, of it is true. On the best of days, Haiti is difficult. Since January 12, it is very easy to make the case that Haiti is hopeless. Yet, what has not drawn equal billing, at least in my opinion, is the grace, dignity and endless courage that emanate from the Haitian people. At no time did I see tempers flare. I did not hear one voice raised in anger or frustration. I did not encounter a single episode of selfishness or “poor me” syndrome.

Our Haitian brothers and sisters actually told us how blessed and lucky they are and continue to be!

They shared with us how God is looking over them, blessing them, keeping them in his care. They said God is present and in their lives – after all, God worked to help send us there.

How can such a marginalized people possibly maintain such character, and such hope? I believe we were indeed privileged to see and be part of 1,508 God moments.

I will leave you with the following: Our clinic took place on the second floor of the building, so we had a view of several adjacent buildings. One was a home with a roof caved in by the quake.

On Monday morning a solitary figure appeared on that roof. Carefully picking his way across the debris, this young man eventually stopped. In his hand was a short-handled sledgehammer. He selected a spot on the roof and began to swing that sledgehammer. On and on he worked, chipping away at the collapsed roof. Monday became Tuesday, and Tuesday became Wednesday, and so on.

At some point, someone asked, “What is he doing? What can he possibly hope to do with that little hammer?”

One of our Haitian interpreters said, “He’s started to rebuild.”This is the enduring hope and character of Haiti and her people.

The Lees-McRae College Athletic Department has taken another step towards enhancing their new website with the addition of YouTube videos and a YouTube channel called Lees-McRae College’s Bobcat Sports Live. The channel will be used for a variety of things including highlights and Bobcat Athletics’ own YouTube sports show called a “Minute with Mac.”

“The viral promotion of our coaches, teams, and student-athletes helps us promote our athletic department to the fullest,” Athletic Director Craig McPhail said. “I am very pleased with this addition to our website and look forward to watching it evolve more.”

The first installment of a “A Minute with Mac” features McPhail and Sports Information Director Kevin Young discussing the fall season at Lees-McRae and other hot Lees-McRae athletics’ news.

The athletic department has launched two more installations of a “Minute with Mac” since the first one aired: indoor track and field and indoor athletic facilities at Lees-McRae.

Lees-McRae will also use the YouTube channel for game highlights and to give video tours of Bobcat Athletics facilities.

“With this capability, we are able to showcase Lees-McRae College athletics in a great light,” McPhail said. “This gives us the opportunity to reach homes globally with our product — this generation of student-athletes lives in a computer world. With the work of our Sports Information Director, Kevin Young, I believe this is a way to enhance our department while giving everyone a chance to see who we really are.”

“A Minute with Mac” will feature a new topic/sport throughout the remainder of the school year with videos on www.lmcbobcats.com under the Athletic News tab and on YouTube.

Nina Fischesser, director of the Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute and professor of wildlife rehabilitation at Lees-McRae, was recently honored by the Wildlife Rehabilitators of North Carolina (WRNC) for her generosity and hard-work.

Fischesser was the first president of the WRNC, serving from 2001-2002. Since then three additional presidents have helped the organization grow and prosper, each serving two year terms.

Each year the WRNC awards four $300 grants to North Carolina residents to help them build Chimney Swift Towers on their property. Three of these four grants were named for the three of the past presidents of the WRNC: Nina Fischesser, Linda Bergman and Elizabeth Hanrahan.

To accompany this honor, the WRNC recognized each individual with an inscribed MovaGlobe. The inscription on the base includes their name and years of service along with the phrase, “You make the world a better place.”

“Because we work with so many swifts every year, and they are so labor intensive and challenging, I have always felt very close to that species. Naming the chimney swift grant after me is one of the highest honors I could ever receive!” said Fischesser.

Having one of the WRNC Chimney Swift Tower Grant’s is a special honor for Fischesser since a Chimney Swift Tower was recently erected on top of Tufts Tower, the Lees-McRae College Bell Tower.

The tower was erected to allow the numerous chimney swifts found on Lees-McRae’s campus a nesting ground where they could safely raise their young.

Wildlife Rehabilitators of North Carolina is a nonprofit, membership organization committed to sharing information and knowledge about wildlife rehabilitation for the benefit of native wildlife.

The purpose of WRNC is to provide educational opportunities for rehabilitators and educators at all skill levels. Activities of WRNC include compiling a statewide listing of active rehabilitators, sending out a quarterly newsletter, producing resource lists, assisting rehabilitators with public education efforts and assisting with training classes and procedure materials.

Lees-McRae College Athletic Director, Craig McPhail, has announced that former Slippery Rock coach, Matt Thompson, has been named to take the helm of the Bobcats men’s soccer program which is currently ranked No. 2 in the NCAA after falling in the championship game in 2009.

“We conducted a national search, made many phone calls, and brought several coaches to our campus and everything led us to Coach Thompson,” McPhail said.  “His abilities to teach, recruit, retain and develop student-athletes at a national level is what we were looking for in our men’s soccer coach search.”

“I am excited to be given the opportunity to coach at Lees-McRae in an already prestigious program,” Thompson said.  “It is going to be a challenge to fill the void Coach Whalley has left, but I am confident I can come in and have a positive influence on the players.  The foundations are set to challenge for conference and national honors again this coming year.”

“I have a fantastic assistant coach in Jay Benfield, a former goalkeeper at UNC-Greensboro, who knows the players and the program,”  Thompson said.  “It will make the transition easier both for myself and the players.   We already have a high caliber of players, but I hope to add a couple of fresh faces into the mix for the fall of 2010.”

Thompson led Slippery Rock to an 18-4-1 record, a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship and an appearance in the Sweet Sixteen in 2009, it was the team’s third NCAA appearance after making it in 2008 and 2005.  In 2008, Thompson led his team to a 14-7-1, and in 2005, his team captured the PSAC title with a 12-8-2 record.

In eight seasons at Slippery Rock, Thompson compiled a 84-67-11 record which is a .552 winning percentage.  In the past six season at The Rock, Thompson’s team turned in six consecutive winning seasons and his 2009 team snapped the school’s single-season win mark with 18 wins.

“What he accomplished at Slippery Rock is amazing, and I feel very confident he will be able to continue our proud tradition of men’s soccer here at Lees-McRae as he becomes part of the Bobcat family,” McPhail said.

Prior to coaching at Slippery Rock Thompson was an assistant coach at Division I Robert Morris for three seasons.

As a player, Thompson earned two All-PSAC Conference Honors and three Western Pennsylvania All-Star honors while at Slippery Rock.  He was the team’s MVP in 1997, earned four varsity letters and was named team captain for two seasons.

Thompson and his wife, Danielle, have two sons, Liam, who is seven, and Joshua, who is two.

“My wife fell in love with the area on a recent visit, and the move will be great for our family,” Thompson said. We are looking forward to living in the community and getting to know community in Banner Elk, who I hope will continue to support the men’s soccer program at Lees-McRae.”