Letters

What a wonderful weekend.  The weather was perfect and the Grayson County Fiddlers’ Convention went off without a hitch.
The Elk Creek Fire Department does a great deal of planning, prior to the event, but it is all of our community volunteers that make it happen.  The Elk Creek Volunteer Fire Department is truly a community fire department.
We thank each person who helped in any way to make the fiddlers’ convention successful.

Adapted from lengthy remarks to Hillsville Town Council on June 25.

After reaching into my memory bank, conversing with friends, neighbors, and town employees, and perusing written material, I came up with a list of “changes” made by the Town of Hillsville since 1993.

This past Monday, I had the distinct privilege to meet a true Southern Gentleman, Mr. John B. Vaughan.
I do minor volunteer work at the emergency room at Twin County Regional Hospital a few days a week. I transferred Mr. Vaughan from the ER to his room on the floor. We had a very pleasant conversation.
He saw my volunteer ID and asked why I did it. I said, half jokingly, that it kept off the streets and that there were some bad people out there.
He smiled and said there were a lot more good people out there too. I said yes there were and wished him well.

Throughout my 40 years with the National Park Service, I have been grateful for mutual support provided by staff, visitors, and community members aligned with a common interest, such as the events held to celebrate the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th anniversary in 2010.
As superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway, I request your support and understanding of reasons for the unkempt appearance of the parkway.
Earlier this spring, the Blue Ridge Parkway family suffered a tragic loss as a mowing accident took the life of employee Dana Bruce.