SEPTEMBER 17, 2009 ISSUE
Live United Role Models: The Hearns
Dick and Joan Hearn are involved in numerous local organizations and programs that strive to protect the environment, children, the elderly and the community at large. The Hearns are prime examples of Live United: “Because I don’t just wear the shirt, I live it.” Photo by Corinne Saunders
United Way of America is focusing this year on Live United, a strategy for improving communities that involves three components—give, advocate and volunteer.
The High Country United Way is promoting the focus with a visual aid, giving white Live United t-shirts to those embodying Live United principles, such as Joan and Dick Hearn.
The Hearns are not only united by marriage, easily completing each other’s sentences after 55 years together, but they have served on the High Country United Way’s board for three years and have also involved themselves in many other facets of the community.
“It is incredible what they do for the community outside of United Way,” said High Country United Way Executive Director Linda Slade. “It’s clear they love the environment, they love children and they love the community. We think they certainly exemplify the Live United spirit.”
“We originally came down in the late 1970s to run the Grandfather Mountain Marathon,” said Dick Hearn, adding that he ran the marathon 11 times and Joan ran it seven times.
Both Joan and Dick are from Washington, D.C., and they worked for the same insurance company in the Maryland-Washington, D.C. area until the company transferred them to New Jersey.
“We just love this area,” Joan said. “We’d always enjoyed the people we met here. They’re good, down-to-earth people…people you’d really like to be around; quite different than where we were.”
The couple purchased land in the High Country in the early 1980s, and after Dick retired in 1995 and Joan retired in 1996, they moved into their new passive-solar house and began a new phase in their lives, dedicated to giving back to the community.
“Time is one of the big things we can offer, now that we’re not working,” Joan said.
“When we came up in 1996, we got involved with the Hospice Foundation,” Dick said. “We worked with them for 10 years until it dissolved. Right at that time we got an offer to go to the United Way board, so we switched over.”
The people at the United Way impressed the couple, Joan said. “When they talk about it, they really mean it.”
The United Way fulfills a need and helps people in a broader way than did the Hospice Foundation, she added.
Immediately after moving to the area, the Hearns joined the Adopt-A-Highway program and, soon thereafter, became involved in water testing through the Watauga County Cooperative Extension office. They test water in several area creeks and in the Watauga River.
Additionally they work with Wendy Patoprsty, the national resources extension agent at the cooperative extension office, and the Watauga County Conservation Partners to protect the Watauga River—“the last clean river in North Carolina,” Joan said.
Also, along with Patoprsty, the couple developed a “kids-in-the-creek” program.
“We’ve given presentations on the value of clean water at all the fourth grade classes [in the county and] at Montessori schools,” Dick said, adding that they gave presentations to adults one time and in Banner Elk a couple times.
With Joan dressed as Mandy the Mayfly and Dick as the Stream Doctor, the couple uses humor to stress the need to keep local waterways clean. Patoprsty then brings in live waterbugs for students to see firsthand, Dick added.
As an offshoot of their other projects with the cooperative extension, the Hearns became involved in Farm City and were event chairs this year, Joan said.
The Hearns are also on the Middle Fork Greenway Association, which is working on a project to connect Boone and Blowing Rock with a walking and biking trail that will run along the Middle Fork of the New River. The Watauga County Tourism Development Authority (WCTDA) is also advocating for the project, which is part of their master plan for the county, Dick said.
Part of the plan is to have mini-parks along the trail in which people can relax and picnic, either after driving there or after stopping during their walk or bike ride. The trail will also connect with the Mountains to Sea Trail, Dick added.
The Hearns have also been on the Friends of the Library board for about six years, and Joan also serves on the New River Behavioral Healthcare’s resident selection committee.
The Hearns are involved with the Guardian ad Litem program, serving as the voice of the children in broken family situations, which they find one of their most rewarding activities.
Additionally, Joan volunteers with the Watauga Literary Association, which provides tutors to those who don’t know how to read and additional help for children who need it, she said.
“It’s surprising in this day and age [that some] adults can’t read,” Joan said. “A lot quit school to work in a furniture factory. They’re the nicest people, hardworking, [but] all their lives they’ve had to finesse how to get through.”
Joan became involved with the Watauga Literary Association through a friend, and often sees many of the same people helping with various groups and organizations in the community, she said.
For the Hearns, volunteering for one organization has often led to becoming involved with another, and they enjoy every minute of it—from positively impacting the local community to meeting others with the same passion, of whom there are many, Dick said.
“I see so many people with needs,” Joan said. “It’s so good to do what little you can to help.”
Joan has also worked 10 years with SHIIP (Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program), which is run by the N.C. Department of Insurance and provides information about Medicare and Medicaid to those who potentially qualify.
Additionally, the couple started the Watauga-Avery End of Life Coalition six or seven years ago, even before the hospital started a program to solicit advance directives.
“We felt even before the Terri Schiavo catastrophe…there was a need to sign advance directives,” Dick said.
“The emotions of a loved one dying is bad enough,” Joan added. “And if they don’t die, but are in kind of limbo-land, this is an opportunity for them to review all the options and say what they want [before anything like that happens.]”
The couple is involved in the Adult Services Coalition. which raised money for Project Lifesaver—bracelets are now available through the sheriff’s office for those prone to wandering. Children, adults, the mentally ill or those with Alzheimer’s or dementia benefit from the bracelets, which allow them to be easily located if they wander, Dick said.
The Hearns are on the Elderly and Disabled Adult Abuse Prevention Team, which targets prevention of and calling attention to physical, mental and financial abuse of adults.
They have been members of the Institute for Senior Scholars at ASU, which provides programs to those ages 50 and up, for about 12 years; they regularly participate in Christmas and in Fourth of July parades; and they have participated in the polar plunges at ASU’s Duck Pond and at Chetola Resort for the past eight years.
“It just goes to show you that anyone can do it,” Joan said, about getting involved in the local community.
The Hearns hope to serve as role models, encouraging everyone to volunteer their time whenever, and in whatever capacity, that they can, Dick added.
For more information about the High Country United Way, click to www.highcountryunitedway.org or call 828-265-2111.
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