Western North Carolina Communities Honors Bethel Rural Community With Major Award
At the November 2007 Western North Carolina Annual Honors Program, WNC Communities recognized Bethel Rural Community Organization with the highest award they give: Community of Distinction, for the work the organization had done in 2007.
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" The Mountaineer, a Haywood County newspaper, took note of the award and wrote the following "Our Views" on Dec 3, 2007.")
Congratulations to both the Pigeon Community Club and the Bethel Rural Community Organization. Both were honored recently by the WNC Communities organization for their innovative and promising programs.
The award confirms what those closely tracking the organizations knew all along. Haywood County is filled with great ideas and people of vision who will help make them happen.
The Bethel leaders are practically rewriting the rules with their out-of-the box thinking and original programs to help preserve the rural nature of their community.
Bethel is one of the last vestiges for prime agriculture land in the county, and those who live there understand two truths. The farmland not only has a value for producing safe and tasty food items, but an intrinsic value that adds visually to the area. It is one thing to bemoan the loss of agriculture land, but another to form a plan to combat it. That's exactly what Bethel leaders have done, and others from across the state are taking notice.
In addition to the Buy Haywood marketing plan that has attracted state support, BRCO has developed an extensive network to help landowners make decisions about things such as conservation easements or farmland preservation efforts.
The Pigeon Community Club in Waynesville has used the former school in the community as a launching point to celebrate diversity within our community. Club efforts include after-school and summer camp programs that focus on both arts and education. The club shares its building with the Institute of Human Development, as well as with a church. Another club focus has been to help those in the area meet basic needs. The center has an emergency food pantry and also participates in a monthly food distribution program.
Both clubs perform valuable services in their communities and are setting the pace across the region with their vision.
Hats off to all involved. Your example is a shining one.
(copyright 12/03/07 The Mountaineer)
The Western North Carolina Communities is a group consisting of all the local community organizations in the 18 western counties of North Carolina fostering the preservation and improvement of these communities.