art...beauty...theatre...poetry...life | |
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Honoring Mrs. Gillespie
By Jeanne Ferran
We all know that Saluda School is special. The school itself is an anchor in our community, and our students grow and prosper with creativity and critical thinking and confidence. And today, we are honoring Mrs. Melissa Gillespie, one of Saluda’s finest, who will be retiring after thirty one years of teaching kindergarten through third grade at Saluda Elementary.
Mrs.Gillespie earned a Bachelor of Arts in education from Mars Hill, then a Masters degree in reading at Furman. She has been married to her husband Eric for 29 years, and both of her daughters attended Saluda. Currently, Meredith is enrolled in Western Carolina’s DPT graduate program, and Julia will begin her junior year at Eastern Carolina, studying hospitality management and business. As a family, they enjoy traveling and cheering on the UGA Bulldogs!
While we are excited for Mrs. Gillespie to begin a new chapter in her life, let’s pause and reflect on her influence and legacy.
“I remember that in our free time we would play 3 second hangman with the nicest teacher ever. I am glad my sister got to be taught by you before you retire.” -Simon Lebude, 6th grade
You were our teacher during Covid, and to keep us in touch you had us take pictures of “flat Miss Gillespie” in places that we traveled. I have pictures of Miss Gillespie camping and canoeing. It was fun. You were always nice and funny. -Ben Burgin, 8th grade
“What I always loved about your class was how whenever I walked in, there were flamingos everywhere. You never let a single one go to waste.” -Drew Young, 7th grade
“You were a great teacher and it’s sad that you are leaving Saluda. I loved having you and Mrs. Drake as teachers in 3rd grade. Have a great day!” -Emma Hayford, 8th grade
“Mrs. Gillespie was definitely one of my favorite teachers. Even though I was not in her class for very long, she made 3rd grade very fun and happy. When I came to Saluda she made me feel very welcome and it was a great experience. I am sad she is retiring, but I am glad she got to teach me and 4 of my siblings. I am so grateful to have been her student. I hope she has a great rest of her year!” -McKaylah McGeary, 6th grade
“Thank you for being the best 3rd grade teacher. I hope you have a great retirement.” -Megan Trumann, 8th grade
My favorite memory was when I gave her like 3 different flamingo drawings and she always hung them up on her wall. - Beija Olivari, 9th grade
“You are an amazing hugger! I always feel loved when I see you.” -Grace Baglia, 8th grade
“Hey Miss Gillespie, you are a wonderful teacher. I remember playing hangman and having a great time in your classes, especially social studies. Hope you have a great retirement.” -Bret Burgin, 6th grade
“You were the best to have for ELA and Social Studies. Your room was always so minty!”-Daniel Griffin, 8th grade
I miss your class and elementary so much I remember how much you loved flamingos so now every time I see one I think of you, I hope you are doing well!!! - Virginia Then
Kids describe Mrs. Gillespie as nice and caring. Cool and funny. Sweet and nice. She has made a tremendous impact on students, teachers, and the community. We wish her the best of luck in her retirement!
I am blessed to have been a part of Saluda Elementary for the past 31 years. There truly is no other place quite like Saluda. I cherish the time spent with my Saluda School “family.” -Mrs. Gillespie
Do you have a topic you want to highlight or learn about relating to our flora and fauna? Do you have a person you would like to spotlight who has a tremendous impact in our community? If so, please email jmferran1@gmail.com
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Join us for a free, family-friendly, one-of-a-kind musical extravaganza featuring reviews of our last three productions: Mary Poppins, Wizard of Oz, and The Sound of Music. The evening will also feature previews of our next three productions, but you'll have to wait until the show to learn what productions we will be doing next, because it's a surprise. We will transport you to a world of music, dance, and pure entertainment and you will be the first to find out about our next three major productions (our very first official season) at this free show - we can't wait to finally share it with you!
Enjoy free light appetizers and indulge in beer and wine, available for donation. Bring cash.
Whether you're a seasoned theatergoer or looking for a new date night experience, our welcoming and cozy atmosphere, and diverse range of performances are sure to entertain and inspire.
Don't wait to reserve your seat as this show will sell out
Go to www.mountainpage.theater/upnext to register.
See you in less than 2 weeks!
1303 Mountain Page Rd, Saluda, NC 28773, USA
Friday, June 21, 2024
5:30 - 7:00 PM
RSVP
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Here and There
by Chelsea Harlan
The clouds move in
like quiet neighbors.
The wind
walks down the hill.
The cover crop
has gotten really tall
and I love you.
And the seas are rising
and the meteors
are showering abstractly.
And there are too many guns
and I love you.
I wish I knew what calls
the Devil from the pits—
I have a few theories
scattered though they are
like wildflowers
in the marbleyard.
And I have held a mare
by her matted mane
and clucked my tongue
to summon spring.
And the azaleas
mirror the godlight
and the dogwoods
really do glow in the dark
like the meteors
aforementioned.
I love you
and the horses idle
like old cars
in the shaggy field.
Everyone is poor
but somehow has horses.
I can't explain it
but I wish I could
or how it is a horse is
ever a breakable thing.
from the book BRIGHT SHADE / American Poetry Review
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Featured Poet
Chelsea Harlan was born and raised in Appalachian Virginia. She holds a BA in Literature and Visual Art from Bennington College, as well as an MFA in Poetry from Brooklyn College, where she was a Truman Capote Fellow and a Rose Goldstein Scholar. She is the author of a chapbook, Mummy, written in collaboration with London-based painter Daisy Parris, which was released by Montez Press in 2019, and her chapbook Country Music was released from Two Plum Press in 2021. She lives in upstate New York, where she works at a small public library.
Featured book
"Chelsea Harlan's Bright Shade is always playful in a way that asks the reader to join in with the play, to fully participate in a poetry that enjoys language enough to arrive at the most serious of realizations. This beautiful debut seems to ask not just what poetry is but what it can be. And each poem answers, 'Every raindrop / a little bell, / every switchback / and holler baptized.'"
-Jericho Brown, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for The Tradition
"'We all have our preferred side of the outhouse'" one of Chelsea Harlan's poems says. Her poems make me want to write. Which is another way of saying these poems make me feel writing is possible. The diction crackles. The range of velocities (speed is not necessarily fast) is shapely. And the rates of speed of thoughts—a kind of consciousness without shades—are attuned to nature in ways that make sure the emphasis falls on reality, and keeps moving. The book spins with strength and fragility on that curious internal/external axis we juggle constantly as humans."
-Anselm Berrigan
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SLIP COMMUNITY EDUCATION PRESENTS
KAY HARKINS, BSN, MPH, PhD
June 19, 10 a.m.
Saluda Center
To discuss mental health issues impacted by our aging brains. (Or is it vice versa?)
Kay writes: As a nursing student I observed that the physical health care at the University Hospital was quite good but the mental health care at the state hospital was abysmal. So this led me to become a mental health professional. Returning to school to get a PhD in clinical psychology, I have worked as a psychologist for more than thirty years and still work on a part-time basis.
Come join our SLIP community to learn more about the mental health issues that might impact our quality of life as we age (and what we can do to assure a happier aging process)
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Saluda Community Table Supports Farming, Education
Published Tryon Daily Bulletin May 30, 2024 By Storme Smith
Saluda Community Table recently announced its support for local farming and education initiatives with a scholarship donation to the Foothills Farm to Fork Scholarship Program.
In July, Saluda Community Table held its first Farm to Table dinner, featuring a spread of Polk County’s finest summer produce. By sourcing all ingredients locally, it injected approximately $350 into the local farm economy. The event drew enthusiastic praise from attendees, including farmers and Polk Agricultural Economic Development representatives, leading Saluda Community Table to plan another dinner performance this summer.
The dinner also gave SCT members Elizabeth Hyland and Charlotte Lovett the idea of making a donation scholarship after discovering the Foothills Farm to Fork Scholarship, which went to Jeffrey Gray of Polk County High School this year.
Building on its growing ties to the agriculture community, SCT donated $1,000 to the Scholarship Program in honor of local artist and quilt maker Verlie Murphy, whose quilt was raffled to help raise funds. The donation was formally presented to Kelly Elliott and Carole Gassaway, Farm to Fork Board members, on Tuesday, May 28.
Murphy expressed her excitement about having the money donated in her name. She described how education was dearly important to her since she went back to school and graduated at age 25, along with her mother, who was 45 at the time. She then went to art school and is well-known in the community for donating her time, energy, and hand-made quilts.
In its eighth year, the Saluda Community Table allows attendees to donate what they can for a home-cooked meal at the Saluda Senior Center on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. It is open to all and is a fantastic way for locals and visitors to engage with fellow community members. The main meal service commences at 5:30p.m.
The Foothills Farm to Fork Scholarship program supports the educational aspirations of Polk County High School students pursuing studies in hospitality, agriculture, or sustainability. For more information on the program, visit foothillsfarmtoforktrail.org.
Saluda Community Table members Charlotte Lovett, Verlie Murphy, and Elizabeth Hyland present a donation to the Farm to Forks Trail scholarship program represented by Kelly Elliot, Carole Gassaway, and Atley Elliot.
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Saluda Sister City Presents...
Family Secrets Italian Style
Wednesday, July 17 | 4 PM Saluda Outfitters
A Lie Will Suffice: A DiGiovanni Family History
“One day, you’re gonna write a book about my family, and it won’t be so pretty. Why all the secrets? Why all the lies?”
These words were spoken to Jay Wilkinson by his mother, who had discovered a small piece of the secret history of their Italian family. After 12 years of extensive research, Jay disentangles the complex history of his family in New Orleans and Sicily in the book “A Lie Will Suffice: A DiGiovanni Family History”. Jay’s family had strong links to organized crime and all the drama that goes with it: Atlantic Ocean crossings, murder, extortion, vendetta, bootlegging, labor influence on the New Orleans banana docks, two criminal trials, and a secret interment in the family burial vault. Jay unravels and explains the sometimes difficult-to-discern, complex, but ultimately triumphant DiGiovanni-Guinta family history. Meet author Jay Wilkinson for a presentation and book signing of his dramatic family story.
This event is *FREE*; however, registration is required. Books will be available for purchase and signing by the author.
A specialty Italian cocktail and appetizer will be available for purchase during the event.
Register at www.saludasistercity.org
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Amazing Visit to Carunchio
Eighteen Saludians and friends spent the first week of June in our sister city, Carunchio, Italy. They participated in the annual Flower Festival and made two gorgeous designs. All the travelers brought art supplies for the Carunchio elementary school. They visited the school to deliver their gifts and Ken Miller, one of the Saluda Travelers, presented the children with handmade Japanese paper cranes and puzzles. The children were enthusiastic to receive the visitors and the gifts. This was the first time we have been in the school since Covid.
The flower festival was an opportunity for our visitors to work with the Carunchio community as everyone prepared flower designs to celebrate the festival of flowers. There was a church service and a parade with clergy, a band, the mayor and his wife, and the children of the village. We have the palazzo reserved for the flower festival in June 2025. If you are interested, contact Saluda Sister City before the rooms are gone.
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Greetings So Saluda Readers,
Happy National Homeowners Month! We are excited to provide monthly relevant real estate information to the residents of Saluda in the form of a mid-month market update. As you can see from the chart above, active listings are down 38% from this same time period last year and closed listings are down 37% year-to-date (YTD). This means inventory levels are very low in our town right now. Fortunately, this month we have had 11 new listings go active in the MLS! The average price per square foot (SF) of heated living area (HLA) in closed homes in Saluda in the last 3 months is still a whopping $297; down only 1% from last year's number. The YTD Henderson and Polk County average $/SF is $255.
Here's what's been happening in our town in the last 30 days.
HOMES SOLD
· 303 Winfield Cove Road, $715,000 - 87.76% of asking price
· 85 Waggoners Way, $667,500 - 100% of asking price
· 38 Poplar Street, $592,500 - 98.58% of asking price
· 20 Morrison Lane, $489,746 - 97.97% of asking price
HOMES LISTED FOR SALE
· 270 Ridge Drive, 3 Bed, 2.5 Bath, HLA 2122, $799,000
· 10305 Green River Cove Road, 3 Bed, 2 Bath, HLA 2177, $760,000
· 209, 235, and 259 Lake Hosea Drive, 3 Homes, 3 Bed, 3 Bath, HLA 1404, $699,000
· 664 Pacolet Street, 3 Bed, 2 Bath, HLA 1690, $695,000 (Down from $725,000)
· 14 Tanglewood Lane, 3 Bed, 3Bath, HLA 2004, $615,000
· 125 Cypress Lane, 1 Bed, 2 Bath, HLA 615, $575,000
· 691 Memory Lane, 3 Bed, 2 Bath, HLA 1221, $489,000 (Down from $495,000)
· 44 Orchard Mountain Road, 3 Bed, 3 Bath, HLA 1697, $469,000
· 109 Gaffney Street, 2 Bed, 1 Bath, HLA 1399, $385,000
· 218 Pacolet Street, 2 Bed, 1 Bath, HLA 998, $369,000
· 141 Frost Road #5, 3 Bed, 1.5 Bath, HLA 1336, $299,000 (Down from $310,000)
HOMES UNDER CONTRACT (DDP = Due Diligence Period)
· 300 Ivy Terrace Drive, Asking price $1,625,000, DDP ends 6/13
· 30 Miller Rhodes Lane, Asking price $999,000, DDP ends 6/29
· 339 Greenville Street, Asking price $875,000, DDP ended 5/25
· 48 Skyvue Court #B, Asking price $650,000, DDP ended 6/1
· 2761 Green River Cove Road, Asking price $475,000, DDP ends 6/20
RENTALS NEEDED
· Family of 6 with no pets looking for a 4+ bedroom home this fall in Saluda or the surrounding areas. Budget $2,200/month
· Family of 2 with 1 cat and 1 dog looking for a 2 bedroom home in Saluda. Budget $800/month
The market is still very favorable to sellers, however, we have seen 5 price decreases in the last 30 days. This just stresses the importance of pricing properly from the beginning. Statistics show that the longer a property is on the market, the less it sells for in the end. In fact, it will usually sell for less than what it would have fetched with a more realistic starting price.
This market has been challenging for first-time homebuyers in particular. During National Homeownership Month, it’s a good time for local home buyers to remember that it’ll all be worthwhile in the end. Homeownership has the power to change lives on a personal and financial level, so don’t give up if you are looking!
If you have any questions, know of someone looking for tenants, or would like more information on any of the homes for sale in our area please reach out to your real estate agent, or Ashley Sandahl at (828) 817-6515 or ashley@lookingglassrealty.com. If you are currently working with another agent, this market update is not intended to solicit your business.
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The Saluda Senior Center
“Your community center in Saluda!”
Pot Luck & Bingo
Join us on Monday June 24 at 6 p.m. for home cooking and free entertainment! Bring a side dish or salad if you can – main dish provided by the Center. Bingo (with prizes) following supper. Come on over and meet your neighbors!
Thrifty Barn Basement
Open Fridays and Saturdays: 11am-3pm
On the ground floor of our main building, the entrance faces Greenville street. Chock full of everyday household items from dishes to pots and pans, decorative items, framed pictures. Sofas, dining sets, Buffet cabinets, and much more. Fabulous bargains! New items every week. Accepting gently used (must be in working order) donations (sorry no electronics) during open hours or Call Cindy Keeter 828-551-1039.
Shop the Thrifty Barn
The Thrifty Barn offers gently used clothing, books and housewares at bargain prices. Proceeds support your Saluda Senior Center. Check out our ever-changing inventory Wednesdays through Fridays from 10 to 4 and Saturdays from 10 to 1. Donations accepted on Wednesdays. Volunteers wanted! Please stop by any Wednesday during shop hours to learn more. Call Arlene Kippel 828.243.4403
Can You Give An Hour Or Two Of Your Time?
Are you handy with a hammer? A devotee of Antiques Roadshow? Consider volunteering at the Basement to support your Saluda Senior Center. Call Cindy Keeter: 828-551-1039.
Community Table at the Center
Enjoy supper provided by the Community Table on Tuesday June 11 and June 25 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Plan to bring your own plate and utensils (and take them home again).
Do something great for your community, volunteer!
For info, call Cindy Keeter 828-551-1039.
Saturday Clean-up; we need your help!
Saturday June 15 from 9-12. Please join our board members and volunteers as we beautify the grounds surrounding our building.
Need a Room?
Are you planning a party, class or meeting? In the heart of Saluda, the Center has two large rooms, a cozy fireplace, a full catering kitchen, plenty of tables and chairs, and is accessible from the free town parking lot. Public and private functions can be accommodated at the Center -- priority is given to events serving the community. To reserve the Center call Louisa Williamson: 803 707-8747.
About The Saluda Senior Center…
The Center is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization that organizes activities and provides a gathering place to meet the needs of the Saluda community. Donations are cheerfully accepted and tax-deductible. Although “Senior” is in our name, events at the Center are open to all. Join us!
The Saluda Senior Center
64 Greenville Street
Saluda, NC 28773
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Some Things to Know About This Publication
It is what it is.
Saluda Lifestyles makes an effort to verify information and does its best to edit for spelling and grammatical errors but some just slip through.
If you know someone who would like to receive this e-version, have them send an email request to saludalifestyles@gmail.com
All material contained in Saluda Lifestyles is original work by Saluda residents and others with an interest in Saluda unless otherwise specified. None of the material may be reproduced in whole or in part except by written consent of the editor or by the originator of the material.
To submit articles to Saluda Lifestyles, please email greg @ saludalifestyles@gmail.com
Saluda Lifestyles is currently being published by
Greg Bryant, PO Box 48, Saluda, NC 28773
saludalifestyles@gmail.com
The paintings used to create the Saluda Lifestyles Masthead, are the work of local award-winning painter and painting teacher Jim Carson. Jim generously donated pictures of his work depicting Saluda for the masthead.
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Kaya - "summer is amazing" | | | | |
