RayLen Vineyards & Winery

3577 Highway 158 Mocksville, NC 27028 (336) 998-3100 http://www.raylenvineyards.com Monday-Saturday 11:00AM-6:00PM The first vines for RayLen Vineyards & Winery were planted in 1999 when Joe and Joyce Neely purchased the property. Until then, the property had functioned as a dairy farm for nearly a century. Today, the rolling hills and winding drive romance our guests as they drive through 35,000 European varietal grape vines. The distinctive cupola roof top of RayLen Vineyards & Winery is a beacon for the southern portion of the Yadkin Valley Appellation. Travelers from the highway and wanderers from the surrounding country roads are drawn to the Tasting Room to discover a new experience. Loyal customers return for the lush vista and a reliable favorite of RayLen’s award-winning wines. Vintner Steve Shepard has a long history in winemaking. His education and career began in Pennsylvania; since 1980, Shepard has been making wine commercially. Drawn south, Shepard’s North Carolina career began in 1989 at the first Yadkin Valley winery. The Yadkin Valley’s unique microclimate and soils have proven to be optimal for growing European varietals. From the date of RayLen’s purchase, Shepard helped design the vineyard for optimum growth for the 10 different European varietals grown. In its first three vintages, RayLen Vineyards & Winery won over 200 medals at various statewide, regional, and international competitions. Shepard has been recognized by Robert Parker for his 1991 vintage wines, while RayLen has been lauded by the Wine Spectator as one of the premier wineries in the Southeast.

Misty Creek Farm and Vineyards

710 Wyo Road Mocksville, North Carolina 27028 336.998.3303 http://www.mistycreekwines.com Friday:  4:00-8:00 PM Saturday:  10:00 AM-8:00 PM Sunday:  2:00-6:00 PM Misty Creek’s vineyards and tasting room lie between the communities of Huntsville and Farmington near the Shallow Ford of the Yadkin River, an area used for centuries by Native Americans as a meeting ground and natural fish trap.  Later the Shallow Ford served as a safe place for travelers, wagons and stagecoaches to cross the Yadkin River on the Great Wagon Road (known locally as the Colonial Pike) from Philadelphia to Augusta, Georgia. A thriving community developed at the ford to serve passing wagon trains, and the deep cut of the Great Wagon Road is still evident today on both sides of the Yadkin River.  By 1770, a road cut from this area to Mulberry Fields (near Wilkesboro) later became known as the Daniel Boone Trail, named after Daniel Boone who married and built a cabin on the Sugar Creek, approximately two miles east of Farmington, in 1756.   On October 14th, 1780 during the American Revolution a large group of Tories crossed the Shallow Ford to be defeated by Whig forces.  Fourteen Tories were buried in a small plot west of the crossing, and almost immediately the brash colonials built a pig lot over their final resting place to commemorate forever this event.  Later in 1781 Lord Cornwallis crossed the Shallow Ford in pursuit of General Nathaniel Green’s “Green Mountain Boys”, the two forces meeting at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in Greensboro. After the war in 1792, Charles Hunt purchased 250 acres and began to lay out 111 half-acre lots to establish the city of Huntsville.  Local history suggests that Huntsville narrowly missed being the state capital for North Carolina.  In April 1865 Union General George Stoneman’s cavalry crossed the Shallow Ford and routed the Confederacy’s Yadkin Home Guard, subsequently ransacking the town of Bethania and looting the town of Huntsville as one of the last acts of the Civil War. The Nichols family purchased this land in early 2001, naming it Misty Creek after the natural spring that bisects the property. They immediately began a series of improvements that included a lake, roads and irrigation, and planted the first four acres of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Chambourcin.  The following year an additional 10 acres were planted, and Syrah was added to the vineyard.  Finished in June 2009, the tasting room sits directly on the site of a pioneer cabin originally built in 1800 as a mule barn, and overlooks the old road bed.  The deep well and original entry road are very evident in the topography, and they continue to find hand made bricks, pottery shards, spear points and other evidence of long habitation. Misty Creek Vineyards are located in Davie County, named for William R. Davie who was a revolutionary war leader, minister to France and later governor of North Carolina.

Garden Gate Vineyards

261 Scenic Drive Mocksville, NC 27028 336 751-3794 or 336 941-7721 http://www.gardengatevineyards.com Wednesday through Saturday 12:00-5:00 PM Sunday 1:00-5:00 PM Garden Gate Vineyards, owned by Bob and Sonya Whitaker offers free tastings Wednesday through Saturday, 12:00 to 5:00 PM and Sundays from 1:00-5:00 PM.  A cozy and inviting winery, with exceptionally friendly hosts, Garden Gate produces home-style fruit wines including Scuppernog, Muscadine, Blackberry, Blueberry, Strawberry and other varieties including Sangria and “Jitter Bug.”  Garden Gate uses no pesticides on their grapes, relying instead on the large number of resident blue birds lured to their countryside setting.  In addition to the wines, Garden Gate also offers a fine selection of hand-made pottery created by the hosts. Davie County ~ Time Well Spent!  Use the map below to get driving directions.

A Brief History of Viticulture in North Carolina
Sir Walter Raleigh had no idea that the vine his sailors stumbled upon when they reached the Outer Banks would be so beneficial to North Carolinians. His men reported that the coast was “so full of grapes as the very beating and surge of the sea overflowed them.” Perhaps what his mates spotted was the MotherVine on Roanoke Island, still growing and producing scuppernong grapes since explorers first sighted it in 1584. The vine has a trunk two-feet-thick, and its tendrils stretch along wooden arbors that support their tremendous weight across almost an acre of land. The scuppernong is a type of muscadine grape. In the early 1800s, Thomas Jefferson noted North Carolina taking the lead with wine culture, estimating its “wine would be distinguished on the best tables in Europe, for its fine aroma, and chrystalline transparence.” The 1840 Federal Census listed the state as the number one wine producer in the U.S.; it remained one of the highest-ranked until Prohibition in the early 1900s. Today, the state’s industry is enjoying a vigorous resurgence, shared this time with the imported European-style vinifera.

Facts about North Carolina Wines
North Carolina is home to more than 80 wineries. The number of wineries has more than tripled since 2001. The industry has two focuses – native muscadine grapes and European-style vinifera grapes.

• Commonly planted vinifera grape varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Viognier. They are planted in the Western and Piedmont regions of the state.
• Plantings of native muscadine grapes, also known as Scuppernongs, are relatively pest resistant and thrive in the hot sandy conditions of the Coastal region. Muscadines contain high levels of Resveratrol and other health-enhancing antioxidants. Some wineries even sell grape skins to nutraceutical companies.
• Scuppernong is the first grape cultivated in the United States and is the official fruit of North Carolina. The Mothervine in Manteo on Roanoke Island, North Carolina is a 400-year old Scuppernong vine and is the oldest known cultivated grapevine in the nation.
• North Carolina ranks 10th for grape and wine production in the United States.
• More than 400 individually owned grape vineyards are spread across the state, covering 1,450 acres.
• According to a recent study, the annual economic impact of the North Carolina wine and grape industry is $813 million with 5,700 jobs created.
• The Yadkin Valley is North Carolina’s first federally recognized American Viticultural Area (AVA). It is located in northwestern North Carolina, and there are currently more than 20 wineries and 400 acres devoted to vineyards in the Yadkin Valley.
• Asheville is home to the Biltmore Estate Winery, which receives more than one million visitors annually and is the most visited winery in the United States.
• Medoc Vineyard in the town of Brinkleyville in Halifax County was the first commercial winery established in North Carolina and led the country’s wine production in 1835.
• At the turn of the century, 25 wineries operated in North Carolina, making it one of the most productive wine states in the U.S. The industry closed with the onset of Prohibition.
• A 2007 national survey sponsored by the Travel Industry Association (TIA) in partnership with Gourmet magazine and the International Culinary Tourism Association (ICTA), cited North Carolina as one of the top five state destinations for wine and culinary tourism activities in the United States.
• Duplin Winery, the largest and oldest winery in the state, is the world’s largest producer of Muscadine wine.

[The introduction and facts above are from www.visitncwines.com – Used with permission]

Remember, I-40 Westbound Traffic will be redirected to US 158 around 8:00 PM on Friday.  Come early, relax, and watch a great movie while everyone drives by watching US!  See you on Friday at Winmock!

Admission is free and there will be fresh hot popcorn and beverages available for purchase. A donation of canned goods for Storehouse for Jesus is encouraged.

Bring your chairs and blankets and come sit out on the lawn at WinMock.

This hit movie from Universal Pictures earned rave reivews.  three books, a video game and several other products based on the movie have also been released.  ”Despicable Me 2″ A sequel to the original is scheduled for theatrical release next month.

WInMock at Kinderton is located in the Town of Bermuda.  For more information, please visit WinMock at Kinderton.

Enjoy garden fresh produce all season long
People with their own vegetable gardens understand the delicious “snap” and outstanding flavor of fresh picked produce.

It’s called “Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) – and it links local residents to local farmers, eliminating “the middleman” and increasing the benefits to both the farmer and your family.Subscribing to shares of a local CSA farm make it easy to treat your family to those fresh-picked flavors and wholesome nutrition of days gone by.

There are two CSA farms right here in Davie County
In a CSA program, a farmer grows food for a group of local residents (called “shareholders” or “subscribers”) who commit at the beginning of each year to purchase part of that farm’s crop. The shareholders thus directly support a local farm and receive a low-cost weekly supply of fresh, high-quality produce. The farmers receive an initial cash investment to finance their operation and a higher percentage of each crop dollar because of direct delivery. Both parties jointly share the benefits and risks.

Have Fun, Save Money & Live Longer
Visit one of the two Davie County farmer’s markets regularly, and add a CSA subscription to your table from one of the two farms listed below. CSA subscriptions also make great gifts.  They will be delivered each week during the harvest season which generally runs from May through about September.

Calahaln Farm
Calahaln Farm, located at 510 Calahaln Road, Mocksville is a family run farm owned and operated by David, Gloria and Kim Anderson.  They Andersons have been farming the same land for generations and began offering CSA subscriptions in 2009.  The Calahaln family are generally at the farm from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday.

Galliher Farm ~ USDA Certified Organic
Galliher Farm, located at 183 Garwood Road, Mocksville is a family run farm owned and operated by Michel and Renee Galliher.  Michael and Renee are both form families who have been farming for generations and have been offering CSA subscriptions since 2008.  In addition to their CSA operation, Galliher Farm is also a US Department of Agriculture Certified Organic operation.

Participating in a CSA is a great way to develop a relationship with a local farmer and to guarantee that fresh, local produce will find its way to your kitchen each week.  CSAs often offer products not found in a supermarket, giving shareholders a chance to try new foods.

CSA Farms ~ Advantages for farmers:

• Farmers get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin
• Farmers receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm’s cash flow
• Farmers have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow
• CSA Farms  ~ Advantages for consumers:
  Consumers eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
• Consumers get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
• Consumers get to visit the farm where their food is grown
• Consumers get maximum nutritional value of fresh picked produce
• Consumers find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm – even veggies they’ve never been known to eat
• Consumers develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown

CSA Farms ~ Advantages for the Environment:

• The minimal transportation required to transport food locally is a significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
• CSA farmers produce their food with fewer pesticides or inorganic fertilizers, so they are as natural as possible, limiting their impact on the environment.  The Galiher farm is indeed  certified organic.

It’s not too late to enjoy garden fresh produce this year.  Simply contact one or both of the Davie County CSA farms.

Resources:
Calahaln Farm
Galliher Farm

A new concrete overlay is being placed on the riding surface of the I-40 bridge at the Forsyth/Davie County line at mile marker 181 approximately 1 mile west of the Harper Rd. interchange (Exit 182).  On weekends that the road construction occurs, a signed detour will run from the Harper Road exit to highway 158, then to highway 801, then back onto I-40 at Bermuda Run (see map).

Alternate Route

While traffic from the detour is manageable during non peak travel hours, the posted detour has resulted in significant delays during peak travel times.  An alternative route would be to head out of Winston Salem on Highway 421 North taking the Shallowford road exit to Farmington Road and then to Highway 801.   If you take this alternative route, please be especially careful as this route does have some significant bicycle traffic sharing the road.  The alternative route makes for a much more pleasant drive than the posted detour during peak travel hours.   The map below provides details on this alternative route.

The Farmington Farmer’s Market is open from 8 am to 1 pm at the Farmington Community Center located at 1723 Farmington Road.  This farmer’s market provides locally grown produce, honey, jellies and local homemade items.

Have fun shopping at Davie County farmer’s markets
The atmosphere at Peachtree and Farmington farmer’s markets is warm and inviting.   Farmer’s markets provide an opportunity for local farmers to get together in a social setting along with members of the local community.  These gatherings strengthen communities, create a sense of belonging and ownership, and often lead to greater involvement in local issues by those who share a common interest in healthy environments and healthy lifestyles.

Save money at Davie County farmer’s markets
One of the reasons to shop at a farmer’s market is to support the local economy.  Everyone benefits when dollars stay in the local community.  The farmers are supported and can continue to grow their crops, and the money spent stays in the community rather than being shipped elsewhere.  This helps the local economy thrive.

Farmer’s markets in North Carolina are not taxed which saves you money by making the products purchased a greater value.  In essence, a person is getting 6.5 percent more product for their money through the elimination of sales tax.

Live Longer Consuming Local Produce from Davie County farmer’s markets
There are distinct health benefits to eating local, fresh produce.  One of these benefits is that fresh produce is harvested when it is ripe.  The greatest amount of vitamins naturally found in produce is available ONLY when the crop is picked ripened.  Most chain stores purchase produce from other states, and therefore the crops are picked early and ripen off the vine in a truck.  This renders the vitamins much weaker to the consumer. 

Another health benefit is that because the produce is not shipped, it does not need to be waxed or treated.  This again gives the produce not only an excellent flavor, but also makes it a healthier choice.  Finally, most area farmer’s markets offer organic choices, eliminating pesticides from your diet.

Davie County farmers markets ~ admission is free, and the benefits are endless!

The Davie County YMCA – Helping people reach their God-given potential in spirit, mind and body.   

If you’re looking for a place that you know your child will love and be safe for before and after school care, the YMCA has you covered. They offer before and after school care for children in elementary school. The Davie Family Y also offers “Child Watching” a service for busy families; whether you’re trying to get in a quick work out or just need someone to watch your children for a few hours of free time.

Younger kids aren’t the only ones being looked after; the YCMA also offers teens a place to hang out and stay in shape, offering sports such as basketball, flag football and soccer.

For adults the facilities include various exercise classes, from water fitness to Zumba. These classes are offered throughout the week at different times in an effort to provide something to fit every schedule.  For complete details on these and other programs at the Y, please download the Davie Family YMCA Program Guide.

About the Davie Family YMCA
The YMCA is located on Cemetery Street just a mile from Mocksville’s town square, easy to get to but hard to leave.

The facility boasts a full size gymnasium, an aquatic center, a weight lifting room and a full outdoor quarter-mile track with soccer field. The basketball court comes complete with six hoops, hard wood floors, and even an indoor walking track overlooking the courts. The aquatic center includes a twenty-five yard swimming pool along with a hot tub, steam room, sauna and full size locker rooms with showers. The weight lifting room is state of the art, offering patrons both machine and free weights as well as elliptical walkers, treadmills, and exercise bikes.

The rest of the indoor facility includes various activity rooms, a child watch center, two racquetball courts and the welcome center. Outside, the grounds include a playground, a quarter-mile track and sports field.

The Davie Family YMCA has been part of our community for more than twenty years, serving families and providing a place for teens and adults alike to have fun while getting in shape. Its goals include youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

Hours of Operation
The Davie Family YMCA is open Monday through Thursday from 5:00 AM to – 9:00 PM.. Friday from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Saturday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM and Sunday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Resources:
Davie Family Y Program Guide
Davie Family YMCA
Davie Family YMCA on Facebook

Beginning at 8 PM tonight, May 31st, 2013 all lanes of westbound I-40 at the Yadkin River bridge will be closed weekends to place a new concrete overlay on the bridge surface.

A new concrete overlay will be placed on the riding surface of the bridge. The bridge is at the Forsyth/Davie County line at mile marker 181 approximately 1 mile west of the Harper Rd. interchange (Exit 182).  A signed detour will run from the Harper Road exit to highway 158, then to highway 801, then back onto I-40 at Bermuda Run (see map).

Closure Schedule – Weather Permitting 
The road closures will occur beginning on Fridays at 8:00 PM with the road reopening by 6:00 AM on Mondays. The road closures are anticipated for the following three weekends: May 31-June 3, June 7-10 and June 14-17.

Once westbound bridge work has been completed the eastbound lanes of the bridge will be closed for three consecutive weekends, weather permitting.  Keep an eye on this space for updates as work progresses.

These closures will be in effect pending good weather. There will be a signed off-site detour during the closure. Portable message boards or overhead message signs will be utilized during the weeks leading up to the closures advertising anticipated dates of closures. Motorists are advised to use other routes or avoid this area if possible during these times. Please use caution in this area and stay alert due to heavy congestion.

This “jog” is fit for EVERYONE! At 9:00 am, those who would like to compete in the “true and competitive” 5k race will begin. Following the racers, at approximately 9:05 am, the rest of the participants will begin. Feel free to walk, jog, run, or even bring your friendly dog to walk alongside you.

For more information, please click here to register for Josh’s Jog. All proceeds from registration fees will be donated in Josh’s honor to the American Cancer Society!

Your Chance to Remember Josh and Help Others still in the Battle
This is your chance to honor Josh while helping those still in the battle with cancer.  Approximately 300 runners participated in last year’s Josh’s Jog which was able to raise approximately $5,500 for the American Cancer Society. Enjoy the photographs below from the 2012 First Annual Josh’s Jog event.

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More pictures from last year’s event area available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshsjog/.

The Winston Salem Journal reports: “We still want to remember Josh, so I wanted to keep this race going,” said Jennifer Rominger, Josh’s sister. “The race was created to honor Josh and all others who have battled cancer. When Josh got sick, I knew I wanted to do something.”

The Josh’s Jog 5K Course
The course will start across from Mocksville Elementary School at Rich Park.  The course features several hills and winds through historic downtown Mocksville, passing the Davie County Public Library and the Brock Performing Arts Center on Main Street.  Participants will finish at the starting line in Rich Park.

There will be police escorts and volunteers directing runners to insure the safety of all participants.

Dogs Welcome to Run
The race will begin at 9 AM and dogs are welcome to run or walk with their owners. Medals will be awarded to the 1st Place male and female runners in the following age groups: 12 and under, 13-18, 19-35, 36-55, 56 and up. Plus, treats will be awarded to all grateful dogs that participate.

The American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society is a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the ACS has 12 chartered Divisions, more than 900 local offices nationwide, and a presence in more than 5,100 communities.

ACS strives to beat cancer by funding academic institutions and scientists to seek new knowledge about the causes, prevention, and cure of cancer, by providing support programs to assist cancer patients and their families, and by providing prevention programs to inform the public and health professionals with information and education to cancer occurrence and to reduce the risk of developing cancer.

If you drive by the SouthPoint Business Park during business hours and see the traffic flowing into and out of SouthPoint, you can appreciate the number of Davie County jobs that have been created there.  And the level of investment is not slowing down!

“Companies from larger cities and other regions are attracted by our pro-business government, labor-rich environment and proximity to several interstates.  Davie County is a place where businesses can lower their costs and prosper.” — Chip Sisk

The Hollingsworth Companies have completed a new, virtually complete industrial building in Mocksville. With a minimum clear height of 32’, wide column spacing and  green features  such as energy efficient fluorescent lighting, the structure is at a level of readiness for nearly immediate occupancy by any manufacturing or logistics company seeking to grow or expand into North Carolina.

The new 108,480 square foot industrial building is located at the SouthPoint Business Park just off of Interstate-40 in Mocksville.  For more information, contact Chip Sisk, Industrial Real Estate Developer for the Hollingsworth Companies at (336) 753-6927

South-Sourcing: The Southern Advantage by Joe Hollingsworth
For more insight into the doing business in Davie County and the Southern USA, see our article on the book by Joe Hollingsworth, “South-Sourcing: The Southern Advantage”.

The parking lot was packed with overflow parking on the lawn for the first night of the grand opening on Friday evening, May 23 with live music, hors d’oeuvres and refreshments from Nobles.  The grand opening continues throughout this Memorial Day weekend.

Bringing Furniture Jobs Back to NC
Mark Bannon, President of the new Boyles Brand Holdings company says, “We’re hiring back the very people who lost their jobs when this industry faltered, we are helping to put North Carolina back to work.”

After winding down their 13-store chain in early 2011, the 60-year old brand has been revived through the formation of a joint venture between the Boyles Furniture & Rugs brand owners and a group of furniture industry veterans.  Mr. Bannon states, “Our team has worked hard to develop a new retail business model that we feel will be very well received by our loyal Boyles customers.” Following the Mocksville, NC store launch, plans are in place for opening of another newly-purchased store in Connecticut, with additional retail locations in the works.

The new Boyles retail concept, being rolled out in Mocksville, is centered around three main ingredients; a 5,000 square foot, high-end Boutique shopping experience; an additional 35,000 square feet of mid- to high-end special order product and in stock goods available for immediate delivery; and 10,000 square feet of opportunity buys and closeouts of quality furniture at up to 80% off of suggested retail price, which changes on a daily basis.

New Store Layout is a Win-Win
Chad Hendricks, Executive Vice-President of Sales, explains, “This new layout is truly a win for the customer because in the past we only offered one shopping experience in our stores. Now we are able to offer sales on a daily basis, with truckloads of amazingly discounted furniture, while still serving our design clients through a broad selection of special order and showroom furniture along with the largest rug and mattress galleries we’ve ever had. We invite everyone to come and celebrate this great American comeback story with us this weekend.”

The Davie County Montage is now available through the Davie County Chamber of Commerce and Collette Art and Framing.  The highly detailed pen and ink drawing tells the story of Davie County and commemorates our past and present architecture as well as the sites, people and history of Davie County.   The Montage also includes several businesses, churches and nonprofit organizations who signed up as sponsors for the project.   It is the eclectic mix of old and new and the artist’s interpretation of familiar images that gives the Montage its unique and compelling character

While the signed and numbered originals are reserved for sponsors, unframed posters are available for $15.00 at the Davie County Chamber of Commerce.   The Davie Montage can also be purchased at Collette Art & Framing at 835 Yadkinville Road, Mocksville where several framed versions are on display.  Custom framing is available to create a beautiful work of art for every taste and budget.  With several posters already sold and framed, look for the Davie County Montage to be on display in homes and businesses throughout the county.

The Davie County Chamber of Commerce would like to thank all the participating sponsors and our special advisors who helped make the difficult decisions on what historic icons to  include on the montage.  A very special Thank You to chamber member Community Creations for bringing such a special project to Davie County.

Resources:
Collette Art anf Framing
Community Creations
Davie County chamber of Commerce

Tammy, John, Hannah and Benjamin Phillips (L to R) celebrating father John’s first solo flight

With his wife and children looking on with great pride, John Phillips became the fifth pilot to make their first solo flight at Sugar Valley Airport in the last two years. Phillips, who lives with his family in the William R. Davie School community of Davie County, started flying lessons at the airport last fall. On Saturday his instructor, Eddie White, determined that it was time for Phillips to fly alone.

Pilots “solo” after they achieve a level of proficiency which convinces their instructors that they can safely fly alone. Saturday morning Phillips made his three takeoffs and landings without incident. After his final landing, he taxied the Cessna 150 airplane to the aircraft parking ramp at Sugar Valley, to the cheers of his family and airport volunteers.

As he stepped from the plane, he thanked his instructor and others at the airport for their support. He then added about flying and this very special milestone, “This is a dream come true.” Earlier, Phillips, his children Benjamin and Hannah, and his wife Tammy, all took the free ground school course offered at the airport to persons interested in learning to fly. The whole family worked hard to support Phillips in his efforts.

Phillips will now complete his flight training working with his instructor and by practicing on his own and honing his skills so that he can take the final flight test with an examiner certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.  The Cessna 150 aircraft is made available to Mr. Phillips by a local aircraft owner.

In the last two years, five pilots have soloed at Sugar Valley and four of them have already received their pilot’s license. Other students at the airport are also nearing their time to solo.

The airport supports general aviation activities with educational and other aviation-related events. Over the last two years, over 80 students from across the region have attended the free aviation ground school held twice a year at the airport, and 40 have graduated.  Persons interested in learning to fly or in taking the free ground school course can call the airport at 336-998 – 3971, or write aviation@SugarValleyAirport.org.

Additional Resources:
Sugar Valley Airport Hosts 250 Scouts for Aviation Merit Badge Event
Davie County Civil Air Patrol Unit Established at Sugar Valley Airport
Meet Legendary Women in Aviation This Saturday at Sugar Valley Airport in Davie County
Sugar Valley Airport hosts aerospace education event in Davie County
HondaJet Presentation in Davie County ~ 400 New Jobs Coming to North Carolina!

The cruise-in draws participants from the surrounding areas stretching from the Virginia border to the Sandhills. If the weather is good, the cruise-in will draw as many as 250 cars.

Music and 50/50 Raffle
Music will be provided throughout the evening by DJ Barry Lentz and there will also be a 50/50 raffle.

First and Third Mondays
On the first and third Monday of each month evening from April through October the town square in Mocksville is transformed into a scene from the 40′s, 50′s and 60′s as beautiful classic cars, some sporting car-hop trays and fuzzy dice line the streets.

The cruise-ins also provide car owners the opportunity to get out and drive, which is the real fun of owning a classic car. Enthusiasts come together to share their love of cars with others and to answer questions about cars, the town of Mocksville and the cruise-ins.

With over 330 original mill houses, the Bullhole and dam at RiverPark and the old cotton mill still standing along the banks of the South Yadkin River, Cooleemee is perhaps the best preserved Southern mill village of the post civil-war industrial age.  Cooleemee’s mill, built in 1900 at the height of the South’s mill building era, closed in 1969.

This is your chance to help shape the future of Cooleemee
The Community Design Workshops will provide an opportunity for residents to share their ideas and dreams for the mill while learning what the redevelopment process will look like.  Every idea presented will be recorded and the collection of ideas will be used to pursue potential development strategies to remake the Cooleemee Mill into the economic engine that built this community.

Outstanding Resources Available Saturday
Mac Jordan the developer of Saxapahaw Rivermill and architect Andrew Idatridis will be at the workshop to explain the stages necessary to redevelop the mill – from design, marketing, finding investors and utilizing historic tax credits.

Local architect John Fuller and Cari Hopson, a community planning advisor from the North Carolina Department of Commerce will be there to help residents think about how to preserve the places and streetscapes that they most appreciate and cherish in Cooleemee.  Residents are asked to bring photographs of Cooleemee streetscapes, landscapes or vistas that are beautiful or unique.

Cooleemee Town Clerk John Chandler will be there to help residents discover how this project will affect their community and their families.

Lynn Rumley, Mayor of Cooleemee and the Mill Project Leader will be on hand to share the long term goals of the mill project and to discuss residents’ ideas and concerns in an effort to build consensus across the community.   A shared vision of what Cooleemee envisions for itself 20 years down the road will go a long way to helping turn that dream into a reality.

Please plan on attending one of the 2 hour sessions
If you are a resident of Cooleemee or the greater Cooleemee area, please plan to attend one of the Community Design Workshop session on Saturday, May 18^th to begin building the future of this wonderful community.

A new concrete overlay will be places on the riding surface of the bridge. The bridge is at the Forsyth/Davie County line at mile marker 181 approximately 1 mile west of the Harper Rd. interchange (Exit 182).

Highway to remain open Memorial Day weekend
The road closures will occur beginning on Fridays at 8:00 PM with the road reopening by 6:00 AM on Mondays. The road closures are anticipated for the following three weekends: May 17-19, May 31-June 3, June 14-17,  and June 21-24; with no work during the Memorial Day weekend.

These closures will be in effect pending good weather. There will be a signed off-site detour during the closure. Portable message boards or overhead message signs will be utilized during the weeks leading up to the closures advertising anticipated dates of closures. Motorists are advised to use other routes or avoid this area if possible during these times. Please use caution in this area and stay alert due to heavy congestion.

In a recent community event, over 250 Boy Scouts and Scout leaders from the Rowan District of the Central North Carolina Council held an aviation camporee at Sugar Valley Airport over the weekend of April 19 – 21.  The focus of the event was for the scouts to complete requirements for their aviation merit badges.

Stations were set up around the airport for each participant for learning about airplane instruments, pre-flighting an airplane, building a model airplane, learning about careers in aviation and working with a simulator.

Free Airplane Rides “Awesome”!
For 173 scouts, however, the main event was a free airplane ride provided by volunteers from Chapter 1083 of the Experimental Aircraft Association in Salisbury. The most common comment heard after the flights was: “It was awesome.” It was a perfect day for flying with visibility unlimited.

On Friday night the lake at Sugar Valley was used as a backdrop for an Order of the Arrow tapping ceremony. Saturday afternoon a local area remote control aircraft club put on quite a show for the scouts.  Saturday night, at the airport’s Friendship Fire Circle cadets participated in African drumming and were entertained by a live band. The night ended with a traditional flag ceremony.

Recent Sugar Valley Airport Stories:
Sugar Valley Airport Doubles as Community Park (Winston Salem Journal)
Davie County Civil Air Patrol Unit Established at Sugar Valley Airport
Legendary Women in Aviation Landing at Sugar Valley Airport
Sugar Valley Airport Hosts Aerospace Education Event
Honda Jet Presentation at Sugar – 400 New Jobs Coming to NC

The festival originated as a way to celebrate the wedding anniversary of Daniel and Rebecca Boone, and for its first two iterations it was held in August (the couple married on August 14, 1756). But the summer heat made for a long day so Historic Davie moved the celebration to May.

Retrace the Steps of Daniel Boone, the Revolutionary War, Historic Homes and More!
Daniel Boone spent nearly 25 years in the Yadkin Valley area, and two of the three tours revolve around landmarks associated with the Boone clan. The big attraction for Boone buffs are the tours that run at 10:15 AM, 12:30 PM, and again at 2:15 PM.  Tours are $5 and are provided by bus or van.

Tours include stops at historic Joppa Cemetery, where Daniel’s parents Squire and Sarah Boone and his brother Israel are buried (Israel’s grave is the oldest in the cemetery); the Boone Tract at Bear Creek, a 640-acre parcel of land granted to Squire Boone in 1753 and later sold to his son Daniel; the Daniel Boone Marker in Farmington; and nearby Pudding Ridge, where General Cornwallis crossed Dutchman Creek in pursuit of Nathanael Greene (Cornwallis named the area for the thick mud in the area his troops had to march through).

Another tour departing at 11:45 AM also visits Joppa Cemetery, Bear Creek, and the Boone Tract in addition to tours of the Jesse A. Clement House (built in 1828) and Historic Center Arbor, constructed as a site for “camp meetings” during the Third Great Awakening in 1876.

The last tour, which departs at 1:15 PM, takes visitors to the River Park at the Bull Hole, Veach’s Muster Ground, Revolutionary War hero Richmond Pearson‘s grave site, and the Historic Zachary Holt House and Village Museum of Cooleemee, both of which have exhibits centered around the area’s once-booming textile industry.

Rounding out the historic flavor of the festival will be the presence of Fort Dobbs re-enactors (Fort Dobbs was the site of a battle between settlers and Cherokee warriors in 1760.)

Music all day at Junker’s Mill Outdoor Theater – capped off by The Sleeping Booty Band at 6 PM
Music fans will want to head over to Junker’s Mill Outdoor Theatre to check out the Christian Rock of Caleb’s Bridge at noon, the rockin’ country sounds of Tony Bailey at 2:30 PM, and the funkalicious sounds of The Sleeping Booty Band at 6:00 PM. All of the performances are free of charge, but those wishing to enjoy an “adult beverage” will have to purchase a wristband for $5.00.

Vendor Applications and Additional Information
To learn more about the amenities and activities that will be on hand, head over to the official Daniel Boone Family Festival and Spring Auction web site, or call Tami Langdon at 336-909-2263 (you can also call the Davie County Chamber of Commerce at 336-751-3304.  If you’d like to participate as a vendor, you can download a vendor application here.

Mark Bannon, President of the new Boyles Brand Holdings company says, “We’re hiring back the very people who lost their jobs when this industry faltered, we are helping to put North Carolina back to work.”

After winding down their 13-store chain in early 2011, the 60-year old brand has been revived through the formation of a joint venture between the Boyles Furniture & Rugs brand owners and a group of furniture industry veterans.

Driving the jobs in this story are millions of dollars in private money currently being invested in the region by the new Boyles owners. Mr. Bannon states, “We believe the economy in this area is poised for rapid growth and there is a need to satisfy the unmet demand for quality mid- to high-end furniture offered at a value. Our team has worked hard to develop a new retail business model that we feel will be very well received by our loyal Boyles customers.” Following the Mocksville, NC store launch, plans are in place for opening of another newly-purchased store in Connecticut, with additional retail locations being actively explored.

“Along with the lease and renovation of 50,000 square feet of retail space in Mocksville, NC and the purchase of a retail facility in central Connecticut, we’ve opened two new corporate offices, hired over 25 former and new employees, and we’re in the process of hiring many additional employees ahead of the Grand Openings of the Mocksville and Connecticut stores,” says Bannon, who continued to remark on the warm reception Boyles has received since his group’s investment, “We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response from our customers, employees, and the industry as a whole. We encourage our customers to check our website, http://www.Boyles.com, on a regular basis or “like” us on Facebook to keep up to date on all that we have going on.”

The new Boyles retail concept, being rolled out in Mocksville, is centered around three main ingredients; a 5,000 square foot, high-end Boutique shopping experience; an additional 35,000 square feet of mid- to high-end special order product and in stock goods available for immediate delivery; and 10,000 square feet of opportunity buys and closeouts of quality furniture at up to 80% off of suggested retail price, which changes on a daily basis.

Grand Opening May 23
Chad Hendricks, Executive Vice-President of Sales, explains, “This new layout is truly a win for the customer because in the past we only offered one shopping experience in our stores. Now we are able to offer sales on a daily basis, with truckloads of amazingly discounted furniture, while still serving our design clients through a broad selection of special order and showroom furniture along with the largest rug and mattress galleries we’ve ever had. We invite everyone in North Carolina and the surrounding states to come and celebrate this great American comeback story with us on May 23.”

Plates will include chicken, baked beans, BBQ slaw, a roll and dessert for $8.50.  Plates will be available during the festival for pickup from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm at the port-a-pit tent located at the corner of Depot and Salisbury Streets .  Orders of 10 or more plates will be delivered to your location at no charge.

Tickets are being pre-sold through the Davie County Chamber of Commerce.  Please consider supporting the Daniel Boone Family Festival and the Davie County High School Lacrosse team by purchasing tickets.  Deadline for purchasing tickets is this Friday, April 26.  For more information, or to purchase tickets, please call the Chamber at 336 751-3304.

The four-story, 60,000 square foot building—visible from Interstate 40 at exit 180 in the Town of Bermuda Run —will house physician offices, physical therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, and a pharmacy.

Orthopaedics will be the primary specialty service offered at the West Campus along with cardiology, ophthalmology and neurology.  The research conducted by Wake Forest Baptist indicates that these services are needed by residents to enable them to have more convenient access to quality healthcare.

One of the four floors will be devoted to orthopaedics. Wake Forest Baptist physicians will provide diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical services for patients with knee, shoulder, hip and hand problems, as well as conditions related to sports medicine and podiatry.  Having physical therapy in the building will add convenience for patients.

For the first time, a cardiologist will have an office in Davie County.  In addition to the cardiologist, cardiac rehabilitation will be available in the building.

Also, an ophthalmologist and neurologist will have offices in the building. Our eye physician provides complete eye exams without a referral.

In October, Medical Plaza 2 will open, completing the first phase of the West Campus.  Medical Plaza 2 is a 101,000 square foot building that will offer 24/7 emergency services, outpatient surgery and diagnostic imaging.  Medical Plaza 2 will have a full service laboratory, pre-operative assessment clinic, diagnostic cardiology and neurology.

Diagnostic services including imaging, lab, cardiology and neurology, as well as physical therapy and cardiac rehabilitation services are available to any patients with a physician’s order.

With the $100 million investment and approximately 175 jobs, Wake Forest Baptist Health will be a catalyst for the economic growth of Davie County.

For more information, visit http://www.wakehealth.edu/west-campus/

Governor Pat McCrory recounts his first meeting with Ron Wanek, founder of Ashley Furniture and welcomes Ashley Furniture to North Carolina.

Dr. Qubein congratulates Davie County on a big WIN and celebrates American ingenuity and the American free enterprise system.

Davie County Economic Development Commission president Terry Bralley speaks about NC Governor McCrory’s mission to improve the state government’s customer service and about what it takes to bring manufacturing jobs back to North Carolina.  Mr. Bralley also thanks the Wanek family and Ashley Furniture for selecting Davie County as the site for the largest furniture manufacturing and distribution facility in the world.  Finally, Mr. Bralley thanks the RJR Tobacco Company for donating 360 acres in Advance, NC to make the Ashley Furniture expansion into North Carolina possible.

Ashley attorney Bill Coslo talks about his 50 years of experience with the Wanek family and congratulates Ron and Joyce Wanek on 52 years of marriage,  Mr. Coslo recounts his experience with NC Governor Pat McCrory and with the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary John E. Skvarla.  Mr. Coslo thanks the Golden Leaf Foundation and the North Carolina Rural Center for helping makethis groundbreaking a reality.  Mr. Coslo also thanked RJR for creating a legacy in Davie County with their donation of 360 acres to the Davie County Economic Development Commission for this project.  Mr. Coslo thanked Al Bolton of the Piedmont Triad Partnership, Duke Energy, and NC Representative Julia Howard and NC Senator Andrew Brock and the NC Department of Transportation.

Ron Wanek, founder of Ashley Furniture gives final remarks and the official groundbreaking ceremony is conducted.

Davie County in the Spotlight

• http://triad.news14.com/content/top_stories/693087/ashley-furniture-breaks-ground-on-distribution-center-in-advance
• http://www.journalnow.com/business/business_news/local/article_fa1ac1fc-a7d2-11e2-bf96-0019bb30f31a.html
• http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2013/04/17/ashley-furniture-breaks-ground-on.html
• http://www.furnituretoday.com/article/562233-Ashley_Furniture_breaks_ground_on_big_N_C_plant_expansion.php
• http://www.wral.com/ashley-furniture-plans-groundbreaking-at-nc-site/12348716/
• http://www.news-record.com/news/business/1036046-92/ashley-furniture-plans-april-17
• http://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/Ashley-Furniture-Gets-OK-for-Phase-2-of-80M-NC-Complex-202352831.html
• http://www.furnituretoday.com/article/561831-Ashley_plans_big_addition_to_N_C_plant.php
• http://myfox8.com/2013/04/09/ashley-furniture-plans-april-17-groundbreaking-on-davie-co-site/
• http://www.journalnow.com/business/business_news/local/article_2cb74c84-a12f-11e2-9a21-001a4bcf6878.html

Thankfully, those issues were largely resolved on March 28th of this year when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) gave Ashley a temporary permit to build on or near four acres it had deemed as “wetlands,” a finding that contradicted the conclusions of third-party experts hired by Ashley to do an environmental evaluation before purchasing the land.

An invitation-only groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 5 PM on Wednesday, April 17 in celebration of clearing this significant hurdle, one that could have delayed construction for many more months or even years.  Governor Pat McCrory will be in attendance along with other state and local dignitaries and business leaders.

While Ashley Furniture chairman Ron Wanek is understandably frustrated by the delays, he is still excited about the acquisition of the land for the company’s flagship facility. “This has to be the most perfect site I have ever seen,” Wanek said in a February, 2013 interview with Furniture Today. ”With all the sites we have that we have outgrown [in the past], this was a dream.”

The US Army Corps of Engineers permit clears the way for the construction of a a 1,040,000 square foot distribution center on Baltimore Road in Advance, NC which will be part of a complex that will eventually comprise 3.8 million square feet of building space dedicated to the company’s manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution divisions.

Ashley Furniture’s decision to make the Davie County facility the linchpin of its operations was just one of several wins for the county over the last 18 months.  Carolina Precision Plastics announced in March of last year that it would invest $5.3 million in the creation of a manufacturing facility that would lead to 140 new jobs with an average wage of $39,183 (the county average was $28,808 at the time of the announcement). Pro Refrigeration, Inc. said it will be creating an East Coast production facility in Mocksville that will entail a $4.9 million investment and the need for yet another 85 jobs.  Adding to the bright outlook is the slated completion of  the $100,00,000 Wake Forest Baptist-West Campus, bringing high-tech professionals and top-flight health care to Davie County.

A key player in helping match companies in search of new opportunities with critical infrastructure and land-related resources is the Davie County Economic Development Commission.  Visit the Davie County EDC web site to learn what Davie County has to offer for businesses of all sizes in one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing counties.

Tom Lewtak’s four year journey to Cooleemee
A native of Poland and a graduate of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, Lewtak was serving as church organist at St. Joseph’s Church in Camillus, New York when the priest decided to replace the electronic organ with a traditional pipe organ. When Lewtak was shown the replacement he would be playing, he saw that not only was it the wrong size for the church, but also that it had many parts that needed to be replaced.

The story might have ended with a simple case of buyer’s remorse on the priest’s part, but Lewtak had another idea: he’d use the skills he learned while minoring in organ building in Katowice to salvage all the usable parts and build a new organ more suited to the dimensions of St. Joseph’s. Helping him would be his brother Paul, an architect and interior designer who would create the façade, or outer casing, for the organ.

It was the start of a four-year journey that took Lewtak from New York to Denmark to Norway and back to New York — and eventually Cooleemee.

Organ Pipe Voicing
Though Lewtak had studied organ building, it was a far cry from actually crafting the pipes, each of which produces a unique timbre and sound (Mozart called the pipe organ the “king of instruments“). So he took a year’s sabbatical and traveled to Denmark, where he apprenticed at the world-renowned organ builder Carsten Lund Organ Builders in Copenhagen.  He learned the art of “voicing” pipes — hammering and shaping them to create their distinct tones and sounds — from Mogens Pedersen, who for over 20 years was the chief voicer of Frobenius Organ Builders, responsible for the largest church organ in Denmark.

A Very Big Deal
Lewtak returned to Camillus and completed the organ for St. Joseph’s, and by 2006 had given up his organist position to become a full-time organ builder (Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders had been incorporated five years earlier in 2001). It was in Camillus that Tom built an organ for First Presbyterian Church in Greenville, NC that caught the eye of the leaders of Østerhåb Kirke (church) in Horsens, Denmark. They were so impressed that they commissioned the Lewtaks to build an organ for its new church, a minimalist marvel of concrete and stone with fantastic acoustics. Given the fact that Denmark is home to the world’s most famed and respected organ builders, the selection of Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders for the project is, to put it mildly, a very big deal.

And now it’s a very big deal for Davie County. Though Tom had lived in the Empire State since arriving in the U.S. in 1993 with his wife Jola (a fellow organist he met while studying at the Academy of Music), the appeal of North Carolina’s warmer climate and business-friendly environment led them to contemplate moving here — a decision that was cemented when Jola landed a position at a church in Clemmons.

Recital at Cooleemee Mill
The Lewtaks acquired a log cabin home in Mocksville and built a workshop for Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders. But the workspace proved to be insufficient for the Østerhåb Kirke project, and Tom is now completing his work at the Cooleemee Mill, a cotton mill that employed nearly 2,000 workers until its closure in 1969.

A recent organ recital gave visitors a chance not only to hear the organ ( the finishing touches have yet to be completed), but also tour the Lewtaks’ work area and the Mill itself, which is being considered for renovation as a multi-purpose facility featuring shops, restaurants, light industrial work spaces, and apartments.

To learn more about the Østerhåb Kirke project and the Lewtaks’ other creations, visit the Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders Web site

Blue Dot “Booktique”
A highlight of this sale will be the “Blue Dot Booktique,” a special area with new and higher value books for only $2.00.  And, to encourage young readers to shop the book sale, children’s book prices start at $.25 each.

Members Only Preview this Thursday
Members only preview is Thursday, April 11, 5PM – 8PM.  For those who are not members but would still like to attend the preview sale, memberships will be available at the door.  The sale is open to the general public on Friday, April 12, from 9AM to 6PM and again on Saturday, April 13, from 9AM to 3PM. Book sale proceeds benefit Davie County Public Library.    Become a member of Friends of the Davie County Library for $5/year or less to be eligible for the preview sale.

About Friends of the Library
The purpose of the Friends of Davie County Public Library shall be to establish closer relations between Davie County Public Library and its patrons; to focus public attention on Davie County Public Library’s resources and services; foster appreciation of its value as a cultural and educational asset to the community; receive and encourage gifts to Davie County Public Library for use in developing library services for the community.

Friends of Davie County Public Library co-sponsor special speaker and visiting writers’ events that are free to the community.  They support the children’s summer reading program that encourages children to read while school is out, hosts library staff/volunteer appreciation luncheons, purchase resource materials and hold semi-annual used book sales.