Henderson County News
Don and Connie Cooper have been leadership donors to United Way of Henderson County since 2001.
“I like United Way because it supports a host of organizations in the community and does a good job of establishing needs and then allocations to each,” Don said. He trusts United Way because of its vetting of the organizations’ funding requests and for its “responsible stewardship of dollars.”Both 66, the Coopers are retired after careers of more than 30 years – Connie was an elementary school teacher and Don a financial adviser – and their children are grown. They feel in a position now to donate more generously to causes they believe in. “Ten years ago, we couldn’t have done it,” Connie said.They moved from Dalton, Georgia, to Hendersonville in the 1980s. Don served on the United Way board in the 1990s. Connie gave to United Way through workplace campaigns.The Coopers give to 12 local organizations, many of them with a focus on children. “When you impact a child, you impact a lifetime,” Connie said.“I like giving to local charities rather than national or international. I’d rather give the money right here,” Don said.“It’s part of our charitable thinking,” Connie said. “We’re so blessed, we should be able to help others. We are too blessed to be stressed. (We believe) those who can give should.”The Coopers “are quiet, generous supporters whose loyal and consistent support makes a critical difference to our campaign each year,” said Denise Cumbee Long, executive director of the United Way of Henderson County. “Although they may prefer to stay behind the scenes, it has been incredibly helpful to know that we can count on their generosity each year as we raise funds to invest in the community programs and initiatives that make Henderson County a better place.“Don and Connie are great examples of donors who may not be as involved in volunteer activities but believe in our mission and work and quietly give to United Way year after year because they trust us to use their dollars wisely and well.”
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Henderson County News
According to a recent article from the Journals of Gerontology, written by associate professor and researcher Christine Proulx, older adults who are concerned about losing brain function may do well to include volunteer activities in their lives. Associations between volunteering and better physical health are well known, but now a link between volunteering and higher cognitive functioning has also been found.
In order for a person to live an independent life, the brain uses tools such as memory, working memory and processing. It turns out that volunteering, especially for older adults and women, significantly improves these cognitive functions. Proulx suggests that stimulation of the brain is probably the primary reason for the increase in function. When volunteering, a person must follow directions, solve problems and be active. All of these requirements engage working memory and processing. Working memory is what the brain needs to temporarily store and manage information.
That’s good news for 4-H volunteers and others who invest hours of service in their communities. Not only do they develop meaningful relationships and help youth grow, learn and achieve more, their engagement and activity gives their own minds a powerful boost! We are very thankful for the positive influence of 4-H volunteers! Without them, the program would not be as effective and wide-reaching.
4-H volunteers enhance our local program in so many ways! They assist with office support, work as 4-H club leaders, and serve as mentors with sewing, cooking and other classes. 4-H volunteers serve on the 4-H Advisory Committee to help support the overall program and give it direction. Public school teachers see the benefits of 4-H and offer to sponsor after-school clubs at their schools. Children and teens learn the importance of community service through their 4-H clubs, and by participating in programs such as FRESH. (Flat Rock’s Exceptional Sandburg Helpers). Many people work behind the scenes to help events happen and give children the best experience they can have. Read Story »
Henderson County News
Giving to a charitable cause is one way to make a difference in the community, McCray Benson will give you that. But as the president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Henderson County, he would ask: How would YOU like to make a personal difference in the world?
It’s a legacy question and it gets to the heart of what he considers philanthropy.“Charity is an impulse donation, an in-the-moment decision,” Benson said. “Philanthropy is planned and thought-out values and deeper, longer-term intent. It’s investing in a vision. It’s something you start so other generations can finish.”He finds that baby boomers are “late coming to the table” to consider how they want to become philanthropic with their giving. “I say it takes 17 conversations” before potential donors make a decision. “They need to hear it from a lot of people — their friends, their attorney, their doctor, their barber. They have to hear it from other people to believe it’s a good idea. They need confirmation. The more conversations in the community that they have, the more it reinforces philanthropy.”The Community Foundation, established in 1982, had 580 funds with more than $101.3 million in assets as of the end of September 2017. Most of those are endowed funds. Others are donor-advised. In fiscal year 2016-2017, the foundation awarded more than $3 million in grants in nine program areas, with 90 percent distributed within the county.“There is a healing element to giving philanthropically,” Benson said. A fund can be set up with as little as $5,000 in memory of a loved one or to champion a personal cause. Among the community causes that have funds with the foundation are animal care, arts and culture, civic and community, conservation, human services, health, education, religious/faith-based and scholarships for higher education.“Philanthropy sounds like a big word, but anyone can participate in philanthropy. The time to explore is now,” he said. “Boomers believe that they have made it on their own. They made it on their own, but they had an environment that made that possible.”He encourages boomers — or anyone at any age — to talk about what they want to do in philanthropy at important times of change in their lives — when they marry, when they have children, when parents die, when grandchildren are born.“The same time when you would review your will,” he said. “Boomers are not there yet. They think they are bullet-proof. They say ‘some day’ …. They are procrastinators. It’s a back-burner issue, but when they are ready, they are happy to do it.”Benson said he understands boomers’ caution as they look to the future and worry about their finances and health and family issues. He suggests at least continuing to think about being philanthropic and perhaps starting incrementally, with a small amount of money in a fund, to build toward a vision. “It’s most rewarding to see how it works even if its proportional,” he said. “You can look at the results and tweak it.”Although government and the private business sector have a large influence on how a community develops, “the most impact is from the independent sector through philanthropy and that requires getting involved in the community to know what the needs and dreams are,” he said. Read Story »
Henderson County News
For causes they are passionate about, baby boomers in Henderson County are generous not only with their time but also with their money, to the extent their pocketbook allows.
“Boomers – that’s what carried us,” said Jeff Miller, remembering back to 2006 when he founded Blue Ridge Honor Flight. The flights to Washington, D.C. honored the Greatest Generation – veterans of World War II – but it was their boomer-aged children and friends who donated the money to make it happen.
Either “they have a passion” for helping veterans, Miller said, or they are military veterans themselves. “They very often merge. It’s a commitment to honor those that did serve in the military.”
Most of the money raised for the first flight “came from individuals and families in the baby boomer generation. Lots of checks” and cash in small amounts, Miller said. “We raised $133,000 in the first six weeks of forming Honor Flight – none of it was corporate money. You can sponsor a vet for $300.”
“Boomers have always been a very generous generation,” Miller said. “They always figure out a way to give a little bit.”
Between the years 1946 and 1964, 76 million babies were born, creating the population surge that has had a major impact on society, the economy and culture. In Henderson County, more than 40 percent of the population is boomer age. And while the leading edge of boomers has turned 71 and have passed what is considered the common retirement age in the United States – 67 – many are still working, part-time if not fulltime.
In a presentation to the Association of Fundraising Professionals of WNC this fall, First Citizens Wealth Management noted that in 2005, there were more than 80 million boomers in the workforce. If they had plans to retire by 65, those plans changed in 2007 with the Great Recession.
In 2011, an Associated Press survey showed that more than 60 percent of boomers lost value in investments because of the economic crisis, 42 percent had decided to delay retirement and 25 percent thought they would never retire.
“They have a very different income stream than our parents,” said Kimerly Hinkelman, executive director of the Pardee Hospital Foundation. “Boomers are more cautious. There is uncertainty with Social Security and Medicare. There are no givens. How to outlive their expenses is their biggest worry. Boomers moved around a lot in jobs and there are no pensions. The financial resources that they have to give charitably are quite different. They are not in a position at age 65 or 55 to be making large charitable donations.”
But that doesn’t mean boomers are stingy.
“Our donors are baby boomer and older,” said Lutrelle O’Cain, executive director of the Blue Ridge Humane Society. “It’s across the board in donations. They are very consistent donors. (Some) have been giving $20 a month for years. And then there are large one-time gifts that come out of the blue.”
“I am consistently amazed at the generosity of people – their extreme generosity, not the size of the gift,” O’Cain said. “We get the sweetest, most caring notes from people. Lots of times the gifts are anonymous … Every single penny adds up. This is a very generous community, from the corporate side, too.”
She said greatest number of donations comes in to the Humane Society in the last two months of the year, which has helped the agency meet its budget every year. This year’s budget is $1.160 million, she said. She also noted the effect of a better economy – more adoptions. This year the Humane Society has had 1,200 successful adoptions – 100 more than in 2016, she said.
Cultivating relationships with donors is crucial, nonprofit leaders know, and they develop those relationships through special events, volunteer opportunities and delivering on their mission.
Alice and Bob Betts began donating to the Park Ridge Health Foundation several years ago because of their personal experience with the hospital.
“Park Ridge Hospital is a special place,” Alice said. “They were so, so kind” to family members who were patients. “Park Ridge has always been there when we needed them. Its deeply religious beliefs and practices are not what you find in many hospitals.”
Park Ridge is one of 45 hospitals in the Adventist Health System, one of the largest, not-for-profit Protestant health care systems in the country.
The donations that she and Bob have made to the hospital’s foundation reflect their appreciation of the hospital’s caring medical staff and its focus on all her family’s needs.
“Park Ridge Hospital is an exceptional hospital for this community,” she said.
United Way of Henderson County finds that “many of the younger boomers are still working and still choose to give to United Way through payroll deduction if their workplace offers that opportunity,” said Denise Cumbee Long, executive director.
“Retired boomers tend to make one-time gifts on an annual basis, and some contribute stock or solicit matching funds from their former companies. We focus on retaining our boomer donors after they retire and keeping them engaged as contributors and volunteers.”
“Many boomers are not only generous but also want to know their contributions are being used wisely and well, so they appreciate our model of careful vetting of the programs and partner agencies that receive United Way support,” she said. “Some also tell us they like the option to designate to community causes that are particularly close to their hearts. We find boomers to be thoughtful and strategic about their philanthropy.”
“Many of our leadership donors ($1,000 or more annually) fit in the Baby boomer and the older retiree generations. Our leadership donors contribute over $522,000 each year to United Way and their donations make up about one-third of our total campaign revenue,” Long said.
In 2016, United Way raised $1.46 million that it distributed into the community, including funding grants to 39 community service programs.
How to honor donors is a challenge for nonprofits.
“Recognition? They don’t necessarily want that,” said Sherri Holbert, director of the Park Ridge Health Foundation. “It’s just about generosity and giving. They don’t want us to spend a ton on recognition. But we want to be good stewards and we feel that they must be thanked for their generosity.”
“They want to know … how they can make an impact,” she said. “They want to feel valued and good. They want to feel like they make a difference.”
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Henderson County News
Here’s what Henderson County’s nonprofit leaders say about volunteers from the Baby Boom generation: They are loyal, passionate and hardworking — and they want to do volunteering their way.
“They are incredibly busy,” said Kimerly Hinkelman, executive director of the Pardee Hospital Foundation. “To volunteer, it has to be something very defined and something that makes a difference. They are into teamwork, group activities.”The Pardee Hospital Foundation thinks strategically about how to engage its 100 volunteers, which includes the board of directors and everyone involved in its fundraising events. “We offer specific time-limited activities,” Hinkelman said. Volunteers might be appointed to serve on a committee to organize an event, but their commitment is over after that, she said.Hinkelman, like many nonprofit leaders in the county, is herself a Baby boomer. “I’m in the middle of the boomers,” she said. She grew up in Ohio and moved to Hendersonville from Philadelphia. Like many boomer women, she has built a career, married, raised a family and is still working fulltime at age 63.In fact, about 40 percent the county’s population is made up of boomers, born during the post-World War II baby boom from 1946 to 1964. The early boomers hit retirement age about six years ago. Some did retire, some continue to work because they need to or because they want to. The Great Recession of 2007 reduced many boomers’ retirement investments, changing their dreams of a life of leisure and travel. While the economy has improved over the last 10 years, some boomers remain financially pinched – or they just want to keep working.Hinkelman recalled a recent meeting of the Association of Fundraising Professionals – WNC, at which one of the speakers talked about generational differences in philanthropy, focusing on the boomers ages 53 to 71.“They are still working, they have might have adult children, they are beginning to have grandchildren. They might still have kids in college. They might still be paying off college for their children. They have very busy lives. They are trying to do a lot of things.”For that reason, recruiting volunteers and staying connected with current ones means “personal connections,” Hinkelman said. “It is critical to understand these (connections) and leverage word of mouth. It’s all about personal relationships.”While their children and grandchildren are growing up with computers and instant-messaging and Internet connections, “You have to reach out to boomers through a variety of means because they are the generation that bridges the ‘paper’ and Internet age,” she said. “They embraced it and transitioned to technology in their work life.” And it’s Facebook, not Twitter, for the boomer audience that the foundation wants to reach, she said.
‘An invaluable source of volunteers’
The United Way of Henderson County finds boomers to be “critical to our work, both as volunteers and donors,” said executive director Denise Cumbee Long. “We see them highly involved in supporting United Way initiatives. We feel lucky that Henderson County has many residents in this age demographic.”“Boomers are an invaluable source of volunteers for United Way,” she said. “Last year, United Way mobilized over 1,500 volunteers to provide approximately 8,000 hours or over $188,000 worth of volunteer hour value to improve our community. Many of these volunteers were boomers. Some use our online Volunteer Matching Program to find volunteer opportunities at local nonprofits that fit their interests and schedules. We have heard several stories about recent retirees who moved to our area, discovered the online matching program and found truly satisfying volunteer opportunities where they could lend their considerable skills and expertise. Our local nonprofits tell us they love their boomer volunteers!“We also see boomers highly involved in hands-on projects at our Days of Caring or Action. They also serve on our volunteer funding panels and our board. Female boomers have become quite engaged with Women United, our new initiative for women leadership donors who want to connect their philanthropy with volunteerism. Members of Women United make up all age demographics, but boomers ae highly represented. They contribute to United Way at a leadership level and enjoy volunteering with an after-school program for at risk fifth grade girls.“Finally, we have also been intrigued by the trend of older participants signing up for our Rising Leaders program. We initially thought that Rising Leaders would mostly appeal to younger professionals who wanted to learn leadership skills and receiving training for future roles on nonprofit boards. We have found, however, that this program also appeals to recent retirees who want to get more connected to our county’s nonprofit community.“Our biggest challenge with our boomers is that they are so busy, even in retirement,” Long said. These are active, engaged people who are giving their time and resources to many causes that they care about deeply. We feel lucky when we are one of their choices,” Long said.
‘Boomers do the heavy lifting’
Jeff Miller, who founded Blue Ridge Honor Flight in 2006 to honor military veterans by providing them a chance to visit the war memorials in Washington, D.C., said boomers are a “huge part” of the success of the organization. “Baby boomers are on our board. Boomers do the heavy lifting.”At least 60 volunteers fly with 100 veterans on each of the two Honor Flights that leave from Asheville Regional Airport each year. The trips are up and back in a day, he said, “not immensely time consuming but immensely gratifying.” Everyone is welcome to participate in making the day memorable for a veteran of a military conflict, now mainly Vietnam and Korean war vets. “Be a guardian (on a flight), welcome them home (at the airport)” or provide help before the flight. “Help with a fundraiser or in general volunteer work.”When “vets tell you it’s the greatest day of their entire lives, you know you’ve done something right. I truly believe it’s a flawless mission that we do,” Miller said.Boomers are “pretty major” for the Blue Ridge Humane Society, said Lutrelle O’Cain, executive director. “They are very valued as volunteers at the shelter and the thrift store and in fundraisers and special events. They bring a variety of talents and life experience to the table.” At last count in August, the Humane Society had 365 volunteers – “one for every day of the year,” O’Cain said – many of them boomers who are retired and want to stay active. Many are seasonal volunteers, and “we really miss them when they are gone. They help in the shelter and the thrift store. We rely on volunteers every day of the week and on holidays.“They feel satisfaction in being involved. They feel needed and appreciated to see the results” of their work, when a shelter dog gets adopted, for example.“Many of them come in to spend time with the animals. Many don’t have pets any more so they get their ‘pet fix’ at the shelter. They get a lot of pleasure from that.”
Matching interests and tasks
At Pardee Hospital, boomers are among the volunteers who help in departments throughout the hospital, said Karla Reese, director of volunteer services. The hospital counts on its 200 volunteers to help keep things running smoothly.“Some volunteers have three or four different jobs,” she said. In the application process, volunteers are asked about their backgrounds and interests so they can get matched appropriately to positions available. Some people have volunteered for years, accumulating hundreds of hours of volunteer time – one volunteer was honored for her 17,000 hours of service, Reese said.Retired teachers tend to find their way to the Blue Ridge Literacy Council, said Autumn Weil, executive director. “We have about 150 volunteers a year, with 80 percent remaining year over year,” she said. “The majority of our volunteers are Baby boomers. We reach them through direct marketing, flyers in places of worship, word of mouth. Primarily they seek us out because of their love for literacy. They generally are retired educators. They are at a place in their lives where they can volunteer – it takes a commitment of five hours per week. They seek us out.”
'Have a passion for the mission'
The Literacy Council provides tutoringfor adults in one-on-one or small group settings. “We have 218 adults and 194 are matched with tutors, individuals or small groups that meet once or twice per week. We find that younger boomers are still working – fulltime or part-time because they need to or because they want to. Group sessions are now the rule rather than the exception because of volunteer scheduling and preferences.“No matter where you volunteer,” Weil said, “have a passion for the mission. It will make a difference. I appreciate the loyalty of our Baby boomer volunteers.”Some nonprofit leaders plant the seed of volunteerism early by reaching out to school-aged children and young adults. Carolyn Justus, board chair of the Heritage Museum, is one of them. She hosts Tarheel Junior Historians once a month at the Historic Courthouse. “These are third to eighth graders, homeschooled mostly. They come with their parents … You have to plant seed with younger generations” to get them interested in history and getting involved. Most of the current 30 volunteers are 70 or older, she said. She is seeking boomer-aged volunteers to continue the museum’s mission.The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Volunteers in Partnership (VIP) program has 76 volunteers between the ages of 20 and 90. VIP volunteers are members of the Sheriff’s Office but are not sworn officers. They assist in 13 areas including traffic control, security at the Historic Courthouse and the Judicial Courthouse, funeral escorts and civil fingerprinting.“Last year we had 25,000 hours in volunteer time which is worth about half-a-million dollars” for Henderson County, said Dale Coerver, director of the program. Coerver retired in 2010 after a career as a corporate executive and a small business owner. “I needed something to do and I was impressed with the Sheriff’s Office, so I volunteered.” In 2011 he became director.“We constantly need new people” to volunteer, he said. Turnover every year means he is always recruiting. “The bulk (of volunteers) are not boomers,” he said. “Some are still working fulltime.”
Park Ridge Health Foundation recruits volunteers by encouraging current volunteers to bring friends. “We just developed a new brochure about volunteer opportunities,” said Sherri Holbert, foundation director. “We had a special meeting in November at the Flat Rock Playhouse” for a performance of “Pinkalicious,” which runs through Nov. 19. Park Ridge Health is executive producer of the musical. “We used it to invite volunteers to come and enjoy the show and as a recruiting idea for new volunteers. We said, ‘Come and hear the Park Ridge story’ and connect with the team.”
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Henderson County News
Henderson County deputies charged a Pisgah Forest man with a string of home break-ins and other thefts dating back to Oct. 1.
Investigators residences, a business, a shed and the larceny of a motor vehicle.
Charged was McArthur Blake Thomas, 23. Investigators linked Thomas to eight different incidents. Since the beginning of the investigation, Thomas has been charged with 26 different offenses, including:
Eight counts of possession of stolen propertyFour counts of obtaining property by false pretenseTwo counts of breaking and enteringTwo counts of larceny after breaking and enteringTwo counts of possession of a stolen firearmTwo counts of possession of a firearm by felonTwo counts of altering or removing a gun serial numberLarceny of a firearmFelony larcenyPossession of a stolen motor vehicleResisting a public officer
Thomas is being held at the Henderson County Jail on a $368,000 bond. Detectives continue to investigate Thomas’ involvement in any additional crimes.
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Henderson County News
A Hendersonville man was sentenced to 14 years in prison after he was convicted of trafficking in methamphetamine, District Attorney Greg Newman announced.
Judge Tommy Davis sentenced Alvin Miller of 307 Substation Street in Hendersonville during a recent term of Superior Court in Henderson County. The sentence was enhanced based on three prior felony drug convictions in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Judge Davis also imposed a $50,000 fine.
On Feb. 9, Miller’s probation officer and members of Henderson County’s Direct Enforcement Team (DET) performed an unannounced search of Miller’s home. DET officers located at least 35 grams of methamphetamine on Miller’s person. Also, Miller had 3 wallets in different pockets with $1,328 in cash. Inside the defendant’s bedroom, the officers discovered digital scales, plastic bags, glass pipes, syringes, as well as pills and weight scale calibrators. Miller was immediately arrested and taken to the Henderson County jail.
Once in custody, Miller admitted to officers that he was a consumer of methamphetamine and had been selling the illegal drug “on and off for about 10 years.” Miller said that he obtained an ounce every other day to sell.
Following an evidentiary hearing where Miller’s lawyer unsuccessfully challenged the legality of the search, Miller plead guilty and was sentenced. “Miller is the kind of person that needs to be out of our community," Newman said. "Miller and people like him who sell methamphetamine are only concerned about the money and have no regard for the ruined lives resulting from their actions. I have no patience for those supplying drugs in our area."
In addition to Miller, the following people were convicted in Henderson County Superior Court within the last two weeks:
-- Edward Dornan, 125 Greenfield Lane, Hendersonville, 57 months active for Third Degree Exploitation of a Minor (Possession of Child Pornography);
-- Alexis Alvarez, 806 7th Avenue East, Hendersonville, 17 months active for Breaking and Entering and Larceny of a Firearm;
-- Scott Brown, 908 Magnolia Spring Place, Hendersonville, 150 days active for Assault;
-- Philip Estes, 278 Duncan Creek Road, Fletcher, 60 months active for Breaking and Entering and Larceny;
-- Karina Ferrera, 1093 Holly Circle, Forest Park, GA, 17 months active for Possession with the Intent to Sell or Deliver Methamphetamine;
-- Henry Hutchinson, no known address, 105 months active for Attempted Common Law Robbery;
-- Edward Russell, 32 Knox Road, Ridgecrest, NC, 136 months active for Larceny, Obtaining Property by a False Pretense, Habitual Felon;
-- Courtney Smith, 110 London Berry Lane, Lake Lure, NC, 99 months active for Possession with the Intent to Sell of Deliver Methamphetamine and Habitual Felon;
-- John Stinson, 39 Logan Lane, Fletcher, NC, 19 months active for Conspiracy to Commit Common Law Robbery and Resisting a Police Officer;
-- Jessica Vasquez, 742 N. Grove Street, Hendersonville 19 months active for Felony Larceny.
In Polk County, Dan Brady, of 567 Will Green Road, Tryon, was sentenced to five years in prison active for taking indecent liberties with a minor.
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Henderson County News
The main Hendersonville post office will move next spring to the Blue Ridge Mall, a U.S. Postal Service official confirmed.
The postal service will occupy the Sears space, offering post office box holders and other customers access from inside and outside the mall. Sears plans to move within the mall to a different location.“The Postal Service is excited to have secured a new location for the Hendersonville Post Office,” Phillip J. Bogenberger, the Postal Service’s spokesman for North Carolina, said in a statement. “The 10-year lease to occupy the former Sears space with approximately 7,000 square feet will meet the needs of our customers and accommodate the growth of the community. We plan to move into the new location in 2018 and offer the same services that were available at the former location on Fifth Avenue West. There will be entrances to the Post Office from the mall and the parking lot.”Hendersonville’s main postal facility has been in its current building since it was built in 1966. In July of 2016, the First Baptist Church of Hendersonville purchased the property from owners Larry and Elizabeth Hinkle for additional church parking. The church then leased the property back to the post office to allow the postal service time to secure another site. The search took longer than anticipated and the lease was extended through the end of March 2018, church officials said.It is unknown at this time if the contract post office at Four Seasons Mall across U.S. 64 from the Blue Ridge Mall will close or possibly relocate to a more central downtown location.Last year, Hendersonville officials urged the postal service to keep the post office downtown and, barring that, to open a small retail office in the central business district.“We have many citizens who walk, bicycle, or use public transportation for work or to run errands, including to the current post office,” Mayor Barbara Volk said in a letter to Richard Hancock, the postal service real estate specialist from Greensboro who was assigned to find the new site. “Moving the facility to the outskirts of town would place a heavy burden on these citizens as well as those who wish to drive only short distances.”
Many post office box holders who visit the facility daily had feared a move to an even more out-of-the-way location — the post office annex on Lakewood Road near the Sam's Club.
On Monday City Manager John Connet issued a glass-half-full reaction to the move, which keeps the facility on the city side of I-26.
“The City of Henderson appreciates the U.S. Postal Service’s deliberate and thoughtful process in finding a new location for the Hendersonville Post Office," he said. "While a downtown location was preferred, we are happy that the Postal Service will utilize available space at the Blue Ridge Mall. This location will provide adequate parking for Post Office customers and bring potential new customers to the variety of retail stores at the mall."The rear access to the post office would need to be renovated to provide a public entrance. U.S. Postal Service officials have not provided details of that work.The early reaction about the move from postal facility users was mixed.“That’s ridiculous,” said Marilyn Bliss, who lives in Hendersonville. “They’ve had plenty of time to find a better location and there are a lot of elderly people who won’t go to the mall. Why not build a new building?”Ben Balentine, who lives in Hendersonville, said he will probably give up his P.O. box rather than drive further into heavy traffic. “It’s a matter of convenience,” he said.“People don’t want to get into high volume commercial traffic,” added Lori Fothergill. “I’ll go to the post office in East Flat Rock where it’s less congested.”Steve Franks, whose law office is across the street from the Fifth Avenue West facility, is unwilling to make a daily trek to the mall.“I might just give up my P.O. box and have my mail delivered to my front door,” he said. “I can save some money.”One Hendersonville native didn’t like the idea of the mall location for another reason.“I just don’t associate the post office with a mall,” said Charlene Varnes. “It should be a stand-alone building.” Also a post office box holder, Varnes had concerns about accessing the facility after dark.Mary Stroman said the new location would be an improvement over the 51-year-old building the postal service currently occupies.“Anything is better than this,” said Stroman, adding that “the mall needs a shot in the arm.”Her friend Kathy Papes agreed. “Yes, parking is probably better at the mall,” she said.Pam Hedstrom, who operates the Flower Market a block east of the Fifth Avenue facility, thinks the new location is a good choice.“It will encourage more people to go to the mall and they don’t need to build a new building,” she said.Mall walker Vann Trapp said he had heard about the move because he attends First Baptist Church.“The (mall) parking lot is filled up only around Christmas,” Trapp said. In the six years he’s been doing laps at the mall, he said, he’s observed a drop in the number of shoppers. The increased foot traffic should help the mall stores, he said.Another mall walker, Kim Corn, said as a driver she’d welcome the move.“I never did go down to the one in that neighborhood because it’s so hard to get in and out,” she said. “I think it’s good to have the (mall) spaces occupied for sure.”The Hull Property Group, the Augusta, Ga.-based mall owner, has not disclosed where the Sears store will relocate. Marketing officials at Hull did not respond to the Lightning’s request for comment.A Sears employee said store workers were told they’d find out on Monday evening where the store would move. Sears moved to its present location several years ago after many years occupying the storefront next to the old K-Mart store.Trapp and Corn said they had heard on Monday that Sears would relocate to the space next to Belk last occupied by the Pardee Signature Care Center.
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Editor Bill Moss contributed reporting. Read Story »
Laurel Park News
Businesses and residents along U.S. 64 are increasing the visibility of their opposition to a widening plan that includes a divided highway with roundabouts.
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