In the Spotlight: How Older Adults in Western North Carolina Serve their Communities

July 1st - August 15th, 2022 | Alexander Community Gallery

This exhibition celebrates the stories of service from people who are 50+ in their communities in Western North Carolina.

At AARP, we believe that no one's possibilities should be limited by age, and that experience has value. Older adults are energized by contributing to their communities as caregivers, volunteers, and philanthropists. They are leaders in our communities, supporters of our churches and synagogues, and helping hands to our neighbors and friends. Come enjoy photos and stories of people like you!

The exhibit is made possible by financial support from AARP NC, the diligence of Rebecca Chaplin, Associate State Director, AARP NC, a dedicated team of AARP volunteers, and photographer Carrie Turner. The exhibit was developed with the guidance of Willard Watson, BRAHM's programs and outreach director.

Alan Briggs

If you look at the activities that I'm involved with now, with the town, the hospital, and AARP – I have a vision of what a community can look like to be desirable: diverse, inclusive, walkable, livable, for people 8 and 80. I see those threads all coming together, and I would say that if I’m looking at an impact that my volunteering with AARP has had—that would be it.

You don't burn bridges, you never sacrifice the war effort for one battle, always trying to remember: are we moving toward our goal? It’s kind of like sailing; it's never a straight line—you're always tacking, taking your best advantage of the wind.

That got me thinking about how our culture tends to kick us to the curb. Maybe that’s the grain of sand that is already rubbing me for some next work on changing that perception of elders. Because elder in a native sense comes with respect and doesn't necessarily even have anything to do with age.  So how do we bring that kind of concept into our culture of “respect your elders”, not just sounding like a direction, but that there's real value in that.

Ann Miller Woodford

I want to use my artwork to tell the story, as I have, in the exhibit in Asheville at the Craft Center. I want to support young readers. One Dozen Who Cares has a program now, a reading challenge, and we do it through the libraries, and we named the library collection of African American books after my dad, the Purel Miller African American Book Collection.

I realized that my people were mostly invisible in this area, so when I came back home, that was another part of what made me have the desire to do something special for young people, you know, as I told you about the jobs that I've had…I’ve been the first at a lot of things.

In our elementary school, the one thing that we missed with integration after segregation, is the fact that we no longer had an opportunity to stand up and be who we can possibly be. That was cut out because black people were just on the sidelines in integrated schools, but I've always wanted to do something that helps people.

Bob Scott

(I served) four terms as mayor…and eleven years on the town council before I ran for mayor. My wife served 11 years on the town council before I did. 

A favorite story working for the Asheville Citizen-Times as Western Bureau Chief: While I was writing stories about the religious snake handlers, the sheriff got bit by a rattlesnake trying to break it up, and then two people I had interviewed were bit and died.  It left a real impression on me of how dedicated these people were.  I can't explain it, I saw it, experienced it, I didn't pick up any snakes, but it was an amazing phenomenon, to me, to write about the snake handlers.

Hopes and Dreams for Macon County: The environment. We’ve got to protect our environment because our future rests with the National Forest…the fishing, the outdoor recreation, the hiking, the camping; those types of things…there's just no way to describe how important it’s going to be, because people have got to get out of these cities that are so torn and full of turmoil and traffic.  And we've got what they're looking for, but we're going to have to protect it.

Brenda Brewer

I belong to a sorority group that is based in Hickory. We are a civic organization based on Christian principles, and we do a lot of volunteering. We have a scholarship that we raise funds for.  We have food giveaways, and we do backpack giveaways. We partner with other organizations to do things that are needed throughout the community.  A lot of what the sorority gives focuses on young people and women that are going through domestic violence and that kind of thing.

At Gaston Chapel AME Church, we used to do just about anything that needs to be done down there, I was a trustee, and I was a steward, and my husband was a trustee so, in those roles, we did whatever we could to make things work.

It’s hard to say how other people feel, … are thinking. You would hope that other folks would be on the same page as you, but sometimes that's not the case.  As far as I see it, you just have to follow your own path and hope that other people will follow a similar path

Catherine Buttler

I volunteer at our library, the Ash County Library, twice a week, which I love, and then I also volunteer with Meals-on-Wheels… For me, trying to give hugs and get smiles and show love, is my way of giving.

There were some things that AARP was doing that I felt would be right for me - a pen pal program they wanted to start.  A couple other AARPs had been doing it in other states, so that sounded great to me, and I volunteered to lead it. Ever since, I've been involved; even remotely. I was able to meet some really cool people that said, yeah, they would be happy to write letters.  So, the pen pal program’s been out there for a little over a year … with older folks here in the West Jefferson area in retirement and assisted living communities.

I'm continually learning all that you can do as a volunteer with AARP.   It does not matter if you're a shut in, if you're the most bubbly outgoing person - neither extreme matters - there's something for everyone to offer.

Freeman Owle

I think that one of the greatest contributions that anyone can make is to devote their lives to working with young people, to improve the lives of those folks and the community itself, so I’ve done a lot. Also, with the history of the Cherokee people, making sure that folks who are exposed to it receive the truth of all the things that have happened in the past history of the Cherokee folks. And then we have a program on the reservation, and it is the word for God; ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ, in Cherokee, means those who are helpers, and they give their time and their efforts to working with the elders.

I still like the mountains of Western North Carolina and most of all, that's where home is. And that's where the dust of the bones of my ancestors are. The old Cherokee people, as the elders, no matter how old, are respected in their society. And so that's also another part of Community; once you are born into it you're always a part of it, and you can never deny it to them. Wherever they go, Cherokees always come back home.

Gretchen Batra

I didn't do a lot of volunteer work until after I stopped working for AARP. I became the first staff person to be a volunteer for AARP.  Now I do core projects, fraud prevention/education and HomeFit, which helps people with aging in place. I was on a national training facilitation team, and we worked all over the country. And I worked nationally on the volunteer recruitment and training for the Driver Safety Program. And then we just finished doing Powerful Tools for Caregivers. Currently I’m on the board of OnTrack Financial Education and Counseling, a non-profit that’s a partner with AARP. Besides AARP, because of my interest in housing, I built homes for Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build.

I live in a retirement community, so I do some work there.  I write articles about fraud and scam prevention for the weekly newsletter at Deerfield and I talk to people about that, help them when things come up. I also served on the library committee.  And I help in our thrift boutique. 

What I think is that I like to help people help themselves, so teach them things that they can use for themselves to help themselves.

Jean McLaughlin

When I came to Penland (as the former director of the Penland School of Craft), I…was pleased to be invited to serve on the boards of the Chamber of Commerce and the Foundation for Mitchell County. Those volunteer experiences helped me understand some of the needs of the community and to meet people whose family members had been part of Penland’s early years.

I was just at Penland last week, and some third graders came through. I got to see their lesson, drawing on the cycles of the moon. They had been observing our night sky over a month of the moon’s cycle.  A little girl talked about being on the phone with her father who was a truck driver working away from home; she would be outdoors looking at the moon and talking to him on the phone. They were both under the same moon but not in the same place. There were so many wonderful ways of connecting with the community through the programs that we evolved at Penland.

I think of craft as being a part of people's lives, wherever they live, but particularly in areas like the mountains,…where people have just been quite resourceful for generations.

Henry Belada

As an AARP advocacy volunteer, the issues we always advocate for are protecting and strengthening Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. We have also worked on Medicaid Expansion and reducing prescription drug costs. At the state level, we've been educating employers and employees about the Work and Save Program. For nursing home residents, we work to get the monthly allowance for personal care items increased.

We are a non-partisan, non-profit organization. We support issues and do not contribute to political campaigns or PACs. We are always getting issue updates plus learning about the progress of bills we support through the legislature. The tools of the trade I use include letters to the editor and going to public hearings that legislators in my area hold. I also send emails, make phone calls, talk to staff members, deliver boxes of petitions we have gathered and visit legislators when they are home from Raleigh. Sometimes it is really a challenge to get into see legislators. And of course, I try to educate voters about the issues, though with COVID and not being able to meet in person, it's been a real problem

Norma Duncan

We were and are, members of the First Baptist Church in Spruce Pine. I taught Sunday school with the high school age group, and we did summer activities that took us out of the state and re-did houses for, they call it “world changers,” something like Habitat for Humanity, but it was sponsored by the Baptist Church.

I serve on the board of Health for Mitchell County, and I am a delegate, as well as the present House Speaker for the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature.

I would like to be like the little pink bunny rabbit and just keep giving and keep going. The energizer. Be able to continue to be active in the community and help those that are in need.  We are getting some mental health for youth, and that was a great need. We just didn't have anywhere to send our youth, or adults as far as that goes. It was something you didn't talk about, but now we are able to be open and talk about mental health and be able to obtain it. It’s just awesome.

Ruth McConnell

My mother and father were both giving people; he was a physician and Mother was a social worker, so we grew up knowing that you were supposed to help people and care about people and give people a second chance.

(My husband, Charles,) started Jackson Neighbors in Need, a group that raised money so that people were warm in the wintertime.  When he died, I decided that I would…step up and, so…today, every year, we raise money through an event called Charlie's Challenge.

We've done a lot of good work. I love the people. I don't know all of them, but I know a bunch of them. And I've always tried to be nice to everybody.  I try to think about the Desiderata that Daddy had hanging on the wall, and now I have it hanging on my wall, that you can get along with kings and paupers, all at the same time, and I try to accomplish that.   And you know, I tried to teach my children, you might or might not like somebody, but you can always be polite and courteous to them.

Anita Harrison

As a child, I don't know if it's my generation, or if it's the fact that we were very active in church, but If I look back, I may not have categorized our activities then as volunteering, but certainly that's exactly what it was.

In my early thirties, I learned about an organization called EARTHWATCH.  While I cannot quote their mission, what they did was match civilians, laypersons with science expeditions around the world.  I applied for and was accepted to assist with ecological studies in Kenya, Africa. We assisted in the gathering of data for studies being conducted at the home of Joy Adamson – author of Born Free – now used as a nature center. 

At the moment, I am not involved with teaching adult learners.  However, I am still a strong believer in teaching reading skills to all adults – to help them complete job applications, to apply for driver’s licenses, medical benefits, housing and so much more!

If you're not engaged in your community, then you're not a part of your community.

Arthur Parks

I joined the military when I was 17 years old. I was a medical technician in the military. And cross trained as an EKG technician. And I worked at the VA in Asheville.

I'm on the board with the Chamber of Commerce. I’m also on the Advisory Board for the YMCA. And I’m a Rotary Club member.

I've always thought about community since I was a teenager, but when I moved back to Marion, one of the main things that got me involved in the community is awareness, especially in the black community. People just didn't seem to be aware of programs that may help the family or help them, and so being affiliated through an organization like the Chamber and like Rotary, I can bring awareness into the community of programs that people may not know about. And then there doesn't seem to be a lot of programs for teenagers, so I hope to bring some to the churches or even to some of the programs to start awareness to the teenagers that there’s something better out there.

Robert Tomasulo

I volunteer with a lot of groups.  Most of them are nonprofits like the Land of Sky Regional Council, AARP, Blue Ridge Pride. I've always been interested in social justice issues.  I grew up in a family that talked a lot about what was going on in the world and the state of things.

The gay rights issue was a big thing back in the 80s. I was given an assignment that had me train other employees in understanding the illness of HIV and AIDS, and how they could help individuals who were coming in to apply for disability benefits at that time.  There was a lot of misinformation and fear about it.

If you told me when I retired 15 years ago that I would still be doing this type of work, I would have been very skeptical. But I enjoy it, and it's been a whole new experience for me, because now, I do things because I want to do it. When you're working, you have to take the good with the bad, but now I focus on what I'm interested in. I focus on things I think I can contribute to.

Carol Banaitis

One of the things I volunteered with was an organization that I knew from my work life—I was a civilian employee of the Army Corps of Engineers most of my career—and that’s Friends of the Mountain to Sea Trail.  I’ve done some roadside cleanups with Keep Ashe Beautiful.  I think the natural environment has always been a concern and a driving force for me.

I am also interested in the welfare of the people in this part of North Carolina, as well as throughout the state. You just look around and there’s people in need everywhere. One of the things that I have done is donating to the food banks. I have some chickens here and we donate eggs. I worked with my church on a habitat house. There’s no end of needs to look around and volunteer for. It may just be that you have to travel a little further to find volunteer opportunities.

I’ve been a pretty fortunate person most of my life, so I feel the need to give back, particularly in my community.

Diane Mance

My interest in volunteering started when I was growing up. My mom did volunteer work at the school, even though she worked.

After I retired, my second job was volunteering. Until COVID, I volunteered at the front desk at Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministries for 15 years. I'm on the list to call certain people at my church at least once every couple of weeks to check on them and see how they are doing. I've had many roles at my church, Saint Matthias Episcopal Church, which is the oldest African American church in Asheville. I've served as president, vice president, secretary and for the last 15 years, I've been the treasurer of the Episcopal Church Women, and held office several times for Links in Asheville, which is an international women’s club, whose motto is about being connected in service and friendship. we are doing a number of projects with a grant from the Dogwood Trust.

I will continue to try to help to give back to the community, in one way or another. This is the year for making changes. Whatever opportunities come up and I think that I can do, I'll be there

Glenda McDowell

I'm the first African American female to be ordained a deacon in western North Carolina. There aren’t many Episcopalians here that are brown in color. To me, it was something missing. So, it's an honor…to be an African American female serving at the Cathedral.  You know, people say, is there a god? Yes, there is a God!

We are broken, as human beings, and we are broken as a civilization. I grew up in Jim Crow. I grew up in that period where they were killing leaders, presidents, and here I was this little brown girl and there didn't seem to be any safety valves. And yet there were still opportunities. There were still safe places. One was the church, being an Episcopalian, because we talk a lot, but we walk the walk— around justice and trying to be there for people.

I’m an advocate in the community, and that's why I wanted to make sure I was at the Women's March where we had about 8000 to 10,000 people; I was one of the speakers. I came from a struggle, and I need for people to understand the struggle that I came from, and that's what I'm still doing

Katherine Tinsley

It seems like what I’ve done just reflects my interests.  I was on the Historical Society Board–that was at a good time because we did the second Macon County History book.  The Planning Board—land and the importance of wise decision making, attracting people to Macon County because of its beauty, and making sure we have that as a goal. The Library Board because of my love of books and reading.  And on the Extension Advisory Board, that keeps me in touch with agriculture and home economics and programs in the schools.

I’m defensive for us all when we’re judged by outside sources. There’re good people here, and maybe some not so good, like everywhere (laughter), but when a whole region is judged, or an accent tends to make people feel like someone’s ignorant or not educated, you can’t help but get your hackles up a bit.

There’s a family background that roots you to a spot, gives you a way of being that’s confidence-building, it’s to know there are generations behind you.  One friend said, “I’ve tried to teach my boys to be ancestors, not descendants.”  And I think that’s a really powerful way to put it.

Judith Phoenix

I’m a Task Force member of the Middle Fort Greenway Association, which is part of the Blue Ridge Conservancy.  I've been a very active member with Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, with High Country Lifelong Learners, with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Blowing Rock Art and History Museum and St. Luke's Episcopal Church.  Those are ones that I have all been very active in—I don't just belong to them, I participate.

Doing good for the community—I’ve always been that way, even as a child.  And I ended up getting a master’s in social work, and I’ve done that my entire life. Primarily, my concerns are social justice…I have been interested in racial justice, economic justice…the last 20 years in food justice, environmental justice. 

I do a lot of networking I know a lot of people, and I also reach out to new people…I just talk to a lot of newcomers or people that may not be as aware of what the community is offering. I really like to bring other people on board to do things and then step back.

Kim Dickens

I had taken care of my mother who died of Alzheimer's in 1999. Then I took care of my mother-in-law who died of cancer. Next my father had lost his hearing and his sight before he died, so I had that background.

As a volunteer, the easiest thing for me was to stand behind the table and tell people about current events that AARP was working on. I learned by listening to what other volunteers said and reading brochures and getting involved little by little, you get layers of knowledge.

When you retire and move, all your networks fall apart. Volunteering is a way to rebuild a whole identity, and you don't have to worry about getting fired, so it's almost like you have a new name badge on, you're somebody! And you get to choose the perfect thing for you, so that's why volunteering is so cool.

As we find out in sales, it's more about people skills. I think the main thing is to believe in the service you are doing, and if you feel good about it, you are going to keep moving forward

Sara Knapp

I started with AARP which led to Land of Sky, which led to Area Agency on Aging, which led to the Western North Carolina Fall Prevention Coalition, so it has evolved in that way…I am willing to go with the flow on that; that's what keeps life interesting because you never know what's going to be thrown at you.

I also recognize that there are things that could happen in my life, that could impact my family, that will change what I see my role as. I don't know if at some point, I might end up being a caregiver to my husband or to other family members. But I can say that being part of AARP has made me better prepared for that if it should happen in my life.

You see, I know myself well enough that if I weren't doing something that I felt was at all useful and that helped me feel fulfilled, I would be vulnerable to depression and things like that, and I know that I'm not the only one...it's just very important to have that sense of purpose.

Steven Studebaker

I have always believed that our purpose in life is to help each other, that relationships are everything. Nothing grows without sharing ourselves in mutual vulnerability and unconditional love with others. Whether in Social Work and for the last 50 years in Accounting or Financial Planning, I have always pursued my vocations and avocations as Service to Others.  As a Rotarian I believe in the motto “Service Above Self”.  My education and participation with persons of many different religions has brought me to judge my activities and relationships by the standards defined by the sequence of the words “Agape, Namaste, Shalom”. 

Soon after arriving here…I became a founding member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Asheville, the UU Congregation of Hendersonville, and WNC Homes for Autistic Adults.

I say it comes naturally to all of us to volunteer to help each other.  I suppose I always believed that I was part of a larger living web of life in which I am but a vital and contributing part. Perhaps I have thought of all my life as giving and receiving from others, and that is our nature, the context of my very being