President Bailey Named Chair of WNC Communities

President K. Ray Bailey has been named the chairman of the Board of Directors of WNC Communities, a consolidated organization recently created from the merger of Western North Carolina Associated Communities (WNCAC) and Western North Carolina Development Association (WNCDA).

Serving 19 counties and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee, WNC Communities' mission is to create sustainable economic development opportunities that are unique to each community, while together developing strategies that improve community life.

"What we must do is proactively and purposefully create a systemic process for building communities from the inside out, connecting those communities to one another, and linking them to a regional vision," President Bailey said.

The first Regional Assembly meeting of WNC Communities was held Aug. 19 at the Enka Site. The members of the WNC Communities Board of Directors met with over 250 members of the Regional Assembly of WNC Communities. This Assembly was comprised of elected officials, business, industry, and local community leaders.

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Chappell To Brighten A Corner At A-B Tech

Author Fred Chappell will speak in Ferguson Auditorium Sept. 21 in conjunction with the"Together We Read" program. Chappell's novel, Brighten the Corner Where You Are is this year's selection.

Fred Chappell's novel, Brighten the Corner Where You Are, is this year's selection for the"Together We Read" program. This is a program in which participants in all 19 counties of Western North Carolina read the same book, followed by discussion groups, lectures and workshops.

Chappell, a native of Canton, is a creative writing professor at UNC-Greensboro. Along with his numerous awards and distinctions, he was named North Carolina's Poet Laureate in 1997. During this time, he wrote and presented a poem to President Clinton during a visit to North Carolina. He is the author of 14 books of verse, two volumes of stories, one of criticism, and eight novels.

Brighten the Corner Where You Are is one of four novels narrated by the character Jess Kirkman. The titles for the following three novels are taken from songs familiar with the Appalachian culture, which is a recurring theme in Chappell's work.

A-B Tech is sponsoring the"Together We Read" Kickoff Sunday, Sept. 21, at 2 p.m. in Ferguson Auditorium. The event will feature a performance by A-B Tech's Readers Theater of Chapter 4, a presentation by Chappell, and musical selections, followed by a reception and book signing.

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All The Buzz at Enka Site

Photo courtesy of Diane Hammar

There's so much going on at A-B Tech's Enka Site these days, you could say it's literally abuzz with activity. But the hum you hear isn't only coming from computer classes, conferences, or consultations with prospective small business owners.

Step off the elevator on the third floor of the Haynes Center, walk down the hall past the office of Vice President of Continuing Education Max Queen, and you'll find a nest of bald-faced hornets built against the glass wall at the building's western end, The gray, football-shaped nest has become an attraction for employees, as well as their families, students, and even campus visitors. (See related story below) Katie Myrick, 11-year-old daughter of Executive Director of Occupational Training and Public Safety Skye Myrick, was so intrigued that she researched the insect and discovered that it's not a hornet at all, but actually a large black and ivory yellow jacket that lives in a nest formed from chew wood which can house 400 to 700 workers.

Katie's research is posted above the nest, so next time you're on the third floor of the Haynes Center, "bee" sure to stop by and take a look.

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"Bee"ing Prepared

When avid nature photographer and A-B Tech student Diane Hammar discovered a hornet's nest built against a glass wall on the third floor of the Haynes Center at the college's Enka Site, she made a beeline for her camera.

A former special education teacher in Michigan, Diane wanted to pursue a different career after moving to Asheville so she decided to enroll in computer classes offered through the Division of Continuing Education.

Classes in PowerPoint, Word, Access, and Excel led her to the decision to open her own business. But it was courses in digital imaging that showed her how to combine her computer skills with her long-held love of photography. Her new business, DigiServices, offers photo slide shows on CDs or DVDs, PowerPoint presentations, photography, and photo editing.

Diane says A-B Tech offered not only the computer and photo editing classes she needed to begin her new career, but an online course called "Starting and Operating Your Own Home-Based Business" as well. It even provided subject matter for some of her photography when she discovered the hornet's nest one day while her Photoshop Elements II class was on a break.

Thanks to A-B Tech, she says, "I feel very comfortable with my camera ... and my new career path."

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A Point About PowerPoint

Bob Reuter, a student in the online Intro to PowerPoint class, wrote to Diana LaSpada, Online Coordinator, thanking instructor Kathy Van Pelt. He writes, "My objective for the PowerPoint Course was to learn how to create a portable, professional presentation....Thanks to A-B Tech and Kathy Van Pelt, mission accomplished!"

The State of Farmland in NC

In conjunction with the exhibit "Working the Land," the Smith-McDowell House will present a talk by John Ager of the Buncombe County Farmland Preservation Board Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. He will discuss farming in Buncombe County and the drastic loss of farmland in North Carolina.

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