CEDAR MOUNTAIN NEWS FOR THURSDAY 8-7-25

THE SHERWOOD FOREST FRIENDS annual summer series will conclude on Saturday, August 9th when Chris Bainbridge presents Journeys through WNC.  Gather with friends and neighbors in the Robin Hood Barn at 7 p.m. for this free performance. 

As the host of Ingles weekly Open Road series on local TV and online, Chris and his trusty steed, a ’66 Mustang, travel country roads and share fun, educational, and unique adventures.  Chris’ lively and entertaining take on the region’s charming small towns, mountaintop experiences, fascinating museums, and interesting activities is sure to inspire a calendar full of awesome day trips. 

Chris Bainbridge the host of Ingles weekly Open Road series

This year, in addition to raffle baskets, there will be a silent auction for a variety of artwork and experiences.  Come prepared to bid!  Wine and water will be available for a donation beginning at 6:30 p.m.   Proceeds from beverage sales, the raffle, and auction benefit the Greg Allikas Scholarship.

FAITH MEMORIAL CHAPEL welcomes folks of all denominations to our services, held on Sundays at 11:00 AM.  We meet only in the summer and have no membership roll, so you won’t feel like a guest.  Each Sunday, we have clergy from different churches that visit us to lead the service and we are blessed to also have great music to accompany the great message!

On August 10th, we welcome Rev. John Hershman. John is the retired Senior Pastor of West End Assembly of God Church in Richmond, Virginia, where he served for 46 years. He and his wife, Helena, have been married for 56 years, and have three children and seven grandchildren.

This Sunday, we also welcome Mackenzie Douglas.  Mackenzie is a classical vocalist, percussionist, and educator originally from Raleigh, North Carolina. She is a recent graduate from Brevard College in Brevard, North Carolina. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, with K-12 Licensure in both Vocal and Instrumental ensembles.   Earle Oxner earleoxner@me.com.

CEDAR MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY CENTER POTLUCK

On Tuesday August 12^th the Cedar Mountain Community Center will host the Transylvania Habitat for Humanity as our presenter for our potluck.  Presenters will be Community Outreach Manager Adam Dewitte, Family Services Manager Jenni Kerr and Critical Home Repair Program Manager Cathy ood.  Transylvania Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1984 and has since grown into one of Western North Carolina's most impactful nonprofits. With a mission to eliminate poverty housing, they are committed to ensuring every family in Transylvania County has access to a safe, affordable place to call home. To date, they’ve closed on 84 homes, serving more than 270 individuals and families—bringing stability, dignity, and hope to our community. In 2023, they expanded their services with the launch of the Critical Repair Program, which addresses urgent repairs that pose threats to health and safety, helping underserved residents remain safely in their homes. In response to the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, they’ve also pivoted to include disaster relief, rebuilding damaged homes and strengthening community resilience. At the heart of all their efforts is a commitment to rebuilding hope and creating a better, more stable future for everyone in Transylvania County.

For the potluck please bring a dish to share by 6:15pm. So we can begin at 6:30pm.  Thanks a bunch. All are welcome.  See you there. 

COMING UP AT CMCC

Tuesday September 9th will be a Crock Pot Cook-off with no speaker.

 Tuesday October 14th will be a BBQ fundraiser.

November will be the annual Thanksgiving dinner and social hour.

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE 

The Cedar Mountain Fire Dept Auxiliary will host a blood drive at the station on the 16th of August from 8:30AM – 12:30PM.  Preregistration can be made at the Red Cross.  Make your appointment now at https://www.redcrossblood.org/or call 1-800-RED CROSS. 

Blood: The most common type of donation, during which approximately a pint of 'whole blood' is given. This type of blood donation usually takes about an hour.  Power Red: A Power Red donation collects the red cells but returns most of the plasma and platelets to the donor. These donors must meet specific eligibility requirements and have type A Neg, B Neg, or O blood.

ROCKY HILL BAPTIST CHURCH 150TH YEAR CELEBRATION

On Sunday, August 24th at 10:30am a Homecoming Worship Service and Celebration of 150 years will be held at Rocky Hill Baptist Church.

On March 11, 1875, ten years after the Civil War ended, land was given by William and Sarah Case for a church and burial ground near the Johnstone Turnpike in Cedar Mountain. Meetings were held on plank benches under the trees on the property and on May 2, 1875, Rocky Hill Baptist Church was officially organized. The foundation of the first church building was laid in September on the site of the present-day cemetery. More acreage was purchased from William’s son Samuel in 1883 with free access to a spring adjoining the property. The springhouse still stands today with the steps leading down to the spring.  E.E.

Stone and wife F.L. Stone deeded a third of an acre in 1896 to the members and trustees and construction of a new church building began on the hill overlooking the turnpike, the road now known as US Hwy

276. Members and friends built the church. The lumber for paneling and pews was obtained from huge virgin Poplar trees, sawed and planed at a local sawmill.

Renovations and additions began in 1953, including a parsonage and baptistry. An adjoining summer home and its surrounding stand of white pines were bought in the 1960s. Our Family Life Center was built on this land. Property near the cemetery was donated by Sam Hilemon to extend the burial grounds.

Work is going on in the cemetery to remove unsightly plants and faded arrangements. Please feel free to

visit and beautify your family graves before Homecoming. And join us on August 24th for this commemorative day of worship, fellowship, and food.

RENT THE CENTER

The Cedar Mountain Community Center has been beautifully restored and available for rental. The center now also meets ADA guidelines. Make your reservation now by calling Caroline Chambers at 828-290-9662 or at https://www.cedarmountaincommunitycenter.com/rental.

AROUND THE HOUSE by Linda Packer Young

Hello everyone, I'm excited to share that I'll be on the Cedar Mountain Canteen's TV show, "Community News with Tod Schmidt." Tod and I will be sharing the latest Cedar Mountain news. You can watch online at: https://cedarmountaincanteen.com/cmctv-cedar-mountain-canteen-tv/.For those unfamiliar, the Cedar Mountain Canteen is a community gathering place. It's a dog-friendly beer garden (leashed pets only) and near the DuPont State Recreational Forest. The canteen also has a bottle shop and live music. They are located at the corner of Highway 276 and Cascade Lake Road, and we hope to see you there!

Please note that the deadline to submit articles for the Cedar Mountain News is Monday night. Let me know if your contribution will be later.  Email cedarmountainnews@gmail.com with all news.  Photos are welcome and need to be 900kb or more to be used in the paper.