Editor’s note: This article features news and photos from past editions of the Ashe Post and Times (previously the Ashe Mountain Times).
April 14, 2011
Project Graduation gears up for 20th anniversary
As Ashe County’s Project Graduation (ACPG) inches closer to its 20th anniversary of safe guarding area seniors on commencement night, organizers are asking once again for continued community support during the April 15-16 fundraiser at Ashmont Drive in West Jefferson.
The annual fundraising event has switched locations from the Lowe’s Hardware parking lot, due to an anticipated higher traffic flow of Ingles and McDonald’s customers in the adjoining lot.
From 9 a.m. — 6 p.m. on both days, locals are invited to stop in for refreshments in exchange for donations that will go toward the June 3 celebration for seniors that will follow graduation at Mountain View Elementary School in Jefferson.
“The fundraiser is a good way to expose the events [of Project Graduation] and to raise extra money,” organizer Vickie Herman said.
In addition to the upcoming fun and games, tickets for three door prizes are available between now and the May 24 airing of the WKSK “Happy Time Show” when the winners will be announced.
Tickets are $50 and a package deal of seven tickets is available for $300. The first place drawing will be for an $800 value high definition television, donated by Modern Toyota. A second place drawing will be for a $200 gas grill from Sexton Tree Farms. Hart Power Equipment of West Jefferson will sponsor this year’s third place drawing; a Stihl hedge trimmer.
All funds generated through the fundraiser and ongoing door prizes’ drawing will go to paying for this year’s annual senior bash, which began in Ashe County in 1992.
“Some students, who were juniors and seniors had heard about surrounding counties hosting the events and they asked if we could do that in Ashe,” Herman said.
Since the event began with the class of 1992 (when the county had three high schools), no graduating seniors or students have been injured or required a trip to the local emergency room.
“Graduation night has the temptation of doing things that might end up hurting some of them, so we knew this was a good idea,” said Herman. “The rewards are worth it and it’s nice to see the kids have a safe night. By the time they do go home, they are exhausted and they are ready to sleep so they’re out of harm’s way.”
Herman believes the success of the event, year in and year out, can be credited to the community.
“I think Ashe County as a whole is very proud of this,” she said. “It is well supported by a broad base of people, organizations and individuals.”
Herman, who oversaw the inaugural ACPG, may have a feeling of deju vu for this year’s event as members of that first graduating class are now volunteering parents for the class of 2011.
“It makes you feel old,” Herman said jokingly. “Ashe takes a lot of pride that we have done this for our teens and continue to do so.”
April 12, 2012
Ashe inmate recaptured minutes after escape
An inmate at the Ashe County Detention was recaptured Thursday afternoon after escaping jailers following an appearance in district court, said Ashe Sheriff James Williams.
Dakota James Collins,18, managed to free himself from his chains and shackles while he was being escorted from the courthouse back to the detention center. Williams said Collins, who was chained with nine other inmates, broke away from the group and ran up the adjacent hillside behind the Ashe County Courthouse.
At that point, he then walked into a nearby subdivision, before coming down the hill and crossing U.S. Highway 221 and making his way toward the Dairy House, said Williams. Every available sheriff’s deputy and law enforcement officer was dispatched to the scene. A nearby motorist, who saw the chase unfolding a short distance up the road, stopped his vehicle and began to pursue Collins before tackling him.
Before escaping, Collins had appeared before a judge for felony probation violation and resisting a public officer. His bond on those charges was reduced from $25,000 to $20,000. He is now facing misdemeanor escape and faces an additional $50,000 secured bond.
Due to the recent escape, Williams said the ACSO has reevaluated its protocol for transporting inmates to and from the detention center. In the future, inmates will no longer travel the route by foot, but by a secured van.
April 18, 2013
Rotary Club celebrates 75 years of service
For 75 years, the Rotary Club of the Jeffersons has provided civic services to the communities it represents through countless programs and initiatives.
Rotarian President Owen Peeler said the local chapter has played a role in either assisting or leading the charge in developing longstanding key organizations in Ashe County.
“Since it formed, the Rotary Club was one of the key groups in getting Ashe Memorial Hospital started, as some of the charter members were physicians in the community,” said Peeler.
Some of the club’s members were also responsible for purchasing the land that would soon become Ashe County Park in Jefferson.
“I know that one of the members actually used his bulldozer to dig out the pond that is located in the center of the park,” said Peeler.
The Jefferson Rotarians have also made its mark in the community through local fundraising.
Peeler said the club’s annual August fiddler’s convention has raised more than $1 million for the scholarship needs of countless of Ashe County graduating seniors.
Additionally, the club has participated in international clean water projects, as well as donated funds to a local literacy project, Imagination Ashe.
Rotarians also spearheaded a program to donate dictionaries to third grade students in all three Ashe County elementary schools.
The club’s motto of “service above self” is not unique to the international organization.
“I think that crystallizes what Rotary has sought to do for communities, as well as globally,” said Peelr. “Rotary International is the oldest service club in the world and we have various projects that each local Rotary club engages in. But I guess the biggest project Rotary has been involved in is the eradication of polio and other childhood diseases that can be inoculated against. We’ve closed the gap to almost eliminate the virus in the entire world, but there are still pockets of the disease in Pakistan, Afghanistan and an African nation.”
While the worldwide organization has roots in Chicago, the Jeffersons club began with the support of a nearby chapter, said Peeler.
The local chapter of the international organization, which formed on April 20, 1938, started with the help of its parent club in Hickory.
Peeler added the local organization dons the namesake, “Jeffersons,” because the club represents the towns of West Jefferson and Jefferson.
On Saturday, April 20 the club will reflect on some of its accomplishments during the clubs 75th anniversary bash at the Club House at Jefferson Landing.
Although admission to the event is through invitation only, Peeler said prospective members and those curious about the club should not be discouraged from learning more about the Rotarians.
A social event for new members will be at 5:30 p.m. on April 25 at Boondocks restaurant on Jefferson Avenue.
Anyone interested in attending the event to learn more about the Rotary Club should contact Peeler at (704) 533-1396.
The club currently holds meetings on Thursdays at the Club House at Jefferson Landing. Membership to the club is done by invitation, said Peeler.
“If a business or professional person came to one of our meeting and learned something about Rotary and thought it was a good avenue to offer service and enrichment then we would certainly find them a sponsor,” said Peeler.
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