FEBRUARY 18, 2010 ISSUE
Banner Elk, Avery County Begin Planning Centennial Celebrations
A group of about 10 people braved the snow and wind to help kick off planning for Banner Elk’s Centennial in 2011.
About 10 people came to a planning meeting at the Banner Elk Town Hall February 16 with multiple ideas for how to celebrate the town’s 100th birthday in 2011—ranging from a gala to a scavenger hunt to charitable events.
Town Manager John Mejaski facilitated the meeting and said town staff would organize all of the input provided and present it for further discussion at the next Centennial planning meeting in March.
Mejaski said he hopes the town can provide about $10,000 in unappropriated funds for the yearlong Centennial celebration and that the town could request an additional $10,000 from the Banner Elk Tourism Development Authority. Other organizations, such as the Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce, could also contribute, he said.
Mejaski said he would like to see at least four signature events—one for each season—as part of the Centennial celebration. Attendees suggested a birthday party in the spring, a Fourth of July event in the summer, a coordinated event with the Woolly Worm Festival in the fall and a formal gala in the winter.
In addition, the town manager said he would like to see smaller charitable and historical events. One event, he said, could be canning 100 cans of food—a historical and educational event that could also benefit the hungry. Another idea is to plant 100 trees.
One woman suggested a scavenger hunt that would take visitors to Banner Elk’s restaurants and businesses.
Another attendee volunteered to spearhead an effort to collect stories as part of the Centennial. Jim Swinkola, executive director of Grandfather Home in Banner Elk, agreed to organize a Centennial event at the recently reopened Wildcat Lake.
“Absolutely Wildcat is a part of this,” Mejaski said.
Other suggestions included a cookbook, a time capsule, commemorative bricks, Centennial stamps, a mural and bringing live elk to town.
The next planning meeting for the Banner Elk Centennial will take place on Tuesday, March 16, at 4:30 p.m. at Banner Elk Town Hall. For more information, call 828-898-5398.
Avery County is also celebrating a Centennial in 2011. Susan Freeman of the Avery County Chamber of Commerce said a Centennial planning committee has been formed and has met a couple of times. The committee has begun meeting with several communities throughout the county and has started developing a calendar of events.
The Avery Chamber is planning an event called “100 Days of Summer” to celebrate the county’s Centennial, with “something to do every day,” Freeman said.
For more information about Avery County’s Centennial, call 828-898-5605 or click to www.averycounty.com.
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
