November is Nonprofit Awareness Month, "Many Missions, One Voice"

So many different organizations around North Carolina fall under the umbrella of “nonprofits” that it’s often easy to forget just how many of them are out there. If ever there was a time to remember, it will be November, when North Carolina holds its first-ever Nonprofit Awareness Month.

Last fall, North Carolina sent 13 delegates to the Nonprofit Congress in Washington, D.C. The Congress identified what it considered to be the nonprofit sector’s top priorities. Coming out of that convention, representatives of North Carolina decided they wanted to make public awareness and support of the nonprofit sector in the state their priority.

Even those who work within the sector might benefit from increased awareness. Perhaps because nonprofits are such diverse entities – representing everything from homeless shelters and environmental organizations to local theaters and animal protection – many in and out of the sector are unaware of the scope of North Carolina’s nonprofits.

In 2005, North Carolina had more than 8,500 charitable nonprofits with annual revenues above $25,000. About six percent of jobs in the state of North Carolina are in the nonprofit sector – more than 200,000 jobs in all. As a point of reference, this is the same number of jobs as provided by the state’s entire construction industry.

Nonprofits contributed $23.5 billion to North Carolina’s local economies in the year 2004. Nationwide, the nonprofit sector accounts for 5.2 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product and pays 8.3 percent of the nation’s wages and salaries.

Some of North Carolina’s nonprofits, such as hospitals and universities, are large and highly visible. Many, however, are not. Only a third have an annual budget of more than $25,000, and just 20 percent have budgets of $100,000 or more per year.

Regardless of size or visibility, the goal of Nonprofit Awareness Month is to help make North Carolinians more aware of the vital role nonprofits play in their community. This is reflected in the slogan that appears in the Nonprofit Awareness Month logo: “Many Missions, One Voice.”

Across the state, leaders at the local level are stepping forward and committing to help raise awareness of the nonprofit organizations in their region. And just as the missions of North Carolina’s nonprofits are wide and varied, so, too, are the ways in which volunteers are raising awareness.

Craven County leaders, for instance, piloted a “virtual nonprofit shutdown” in June to illustrate what their community would be like without nonprofits. Following a moment of silence, nonprofits of all types announced themselves in a roll call, powerfully bringing home the wide influence and scope of nonprofits in their region.

In Forsyth County, volunteers are planning a writing contest about the nonprofit sector. The Institute for Nonprofits at N.C. State University, the N.C. Center for Nonprofits, and the Philanthropy Journal are co-sponsoring a forum in Wake County to discuss how nonprofit board members can serve as ambassadors in their communities. NAM representatives in Cumberland County are working on obtaining a Nonprofit Awareness Month proclamation from local officials. And Western North Carolina Partners for Success is working to place stories about the nonprofit sector in media outlets throughout the 18 western counties they serve.

“This has been a genuine collaborative process where we’ve reached out far and wide,” said Trisha Lester, a member of the NAM Task Force and a delegate to the 2006 Nonprofit Congress. “Nonprofits from all corners of North Carolina have united behind this effort, and it’s brought to light the many different ways that nonprofits serve their communities. I hope it helps illustrate to North Carolinians how our state’s nonprofit sector contributes to solving problems, strengthening communities, and creating a strong quality of life where all of us live, work, and play.” 

Other methods of raising awareness could include obtaining proclamations from local officials, submitting op-eds to local newspapers, or inviting a reporter to a gathering of nonprofits to discuss their role in the community, but volunteers are encouraged to pursue any method of raising awareness that suits their community.

One of the major supporters of Nonprofit Awareness Month is NCGives, an emerging statewide initiative that is helping to expand and redefine the concept of philanthropy. NCGives’ involvement in the NAM effort reflects its belief that philanthropy represents the giving of time, talent and treasure and is an integral component of the nonprofit sector.

            “North Carolinians are giving people,” said Donna Chavis, executive director of NCGives. “People from Murphy to Manteo are engaged in these efforts every day.”

Chris Nida, a graduate student at the Terry Sanford Institute for Public Policy at Duke University is currently serving as an intern at the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits working on the Nonprofit Awareness Month effort. For questions relating to Nonprofit Awareness Month, please contact him at namintern@ncnonprofits.org.

N.C. Center for Nonprofits

NCGives

Western North Carolina Partners for Success

The Institute for Nonprofits at N.C. State University

The Philanthropy Journal

Head for the Hills and Visit the  “String of Pearls”

For a great weekend this October, head for the hills – the foothills of North Carolina.   Here, nestled against the Blue Ridge Mountains, you will find one charming town after another where you can get a taste of locally produced wine, nature, festivals, art galleries, crafts, antiques, shopping and, restaurants all in the ambiance of several small towns within a short drive from one another.

Reserve your accommodations at one of the beautiful Bed and Breakfasts in the area located in town or on a lake or picturesque creek.  For those outdoorsy people who want to camp, hike and fish there are many campgrounds in the area – be sure to call ahead for October is prime time for visiting North Carolina. (foothills-inns.com, nc-mountains.org, polknc.org or polkchamber.org).

Have you ever heard of the “String of Pearls?”  The pearls are the towns of Tryon, Saluda, Columbus in North Carolina and Landrum (across the border in South Carolina).   They are certainly “cultured” with art, drama and music and strung out along the southern portion of North Carolina.

Hendersonville, Rutherfordton, Flat Rock and Black Mountain are other interesting small towns located nearby to add to the selection of places to visit. The drive from one to another is a photographer’s dream, so don’t forget your camera. 

Stop for a shady picnic at Pearson’s Falls, located just 4 miles north of Tryon on Route 176.  At 90 feet high, the towering falls are well worth the admission price of $3.00 for adults – children 6 years and younger free.  It is a short hike with smooth pathways, handrails and picnic tables.  Pearson’s Falls is closed during the winter months (November- March) on Mondays and holidays. Check their web site at pearsonsfalls.com for particulars and restrictions.

In October, the scenery is spectacular in North Carolina. The rolling countryside unfolds with nature parks, golf courses and horse farms.  Right outside of Tryon, there is a very special place called FENCE which is an acronym for the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center located at 3381Hunting Country Road This is a non-profit nature and riding center of 390 acres with activities ranging from hiking trails (even some paved trails for the disabled), equestrian competitions, therapeutic horseback riding programs and seasonal events. Check their web site calendar of events at fence.org

If you love arts and crafts, you will find more galleries than you can visit in a year of weekend getaways. In Tryon, the Upstairs Artspace at 49 South Trade Street (upstairsartspace.org) features contemporary modern art in three large gallery spaces. The Green River Gallery located on Trade Street offers a selection of realistic wildlife and nature paintings and prints and a framing service.

A short detour off of Trade Street in Tryon, on Ola Mae Way, are two of the most unusual arts and crafts establishments you will find anywhere. Saluda Forge and Simply Irresistible Gallery are located a few yards from each other- owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Kathleen Carson and Bill Crowell.

The couple combines their talents by creating unique tables using her hand painted ceramic tiles for tabletops that are complemented by Bill’s hand wrought iron legs for the bases. 

The Saluda Forge is a working studio for Bill’s iron work and open to the public.  Kathleen reports that it is here men visitors gravitate while their wives enjoy browsing at her art gallery and studio Simply Irresistible. (simplyirresistiblegallery.com).

Last year, Kathleen painted her building the brightest shades of hot pink, lime green, turquoise and purple to create a gallery that is a work of art inside and out.  The spacious gallery also functions as Kathleen’s ceramic studio.  You will find a delightful display of every art form imaginable: paintings, stained glass, jewelry, furniture, pottery, painted silk clothing, sculpture, floor coverings, dolls and robots made from recycled items that are sure to amuse the children.  In fact, Katheen says, “children are welcome.  If they get too antsy, there is room for them on the large shady deck outside her gallery”.

Simply Irresistible is definitely a “must see” with over 50 local artists represented with one-of-a-kind work and is open every day but Sundays from 10-5 p.m.

Tryon has a choice of eateries from Elmos’ (a bar and grill). Kyoto’s Japanese Steak House, The Café Baking Co. (across from Morris the tin horse in the center of town) and for a quick lunch in a “cool” place try Simple Simon’s where they also make their own homemade ice cream. All these are located on the main street in Tryon called Trade Street.

Downtown Tryon has a few surprises like an alternate wellness center, a movie theater built in 1939 and still in operation, four independently owned bookstores and a Fine Art Center where theater and drama presentations and classes take place.  It is here also that local painters and sculptors teach and exhibit.

An exciting recent development for the Tryon community is the year old Tryon Arts and Crafts, Inc. (TAC) located just a few miles out of town at 373 Harmon Field Road. This fabulous studio/gallery space was once a middle school.  Now, the classrooms are studios for weaving, clay, lapidary, woodworking, stained glass, enameling and other craft classes.  Plans include a forge to be built outside and a heritage gallery of traditional crafts will be established inside the building.

The public is invited to come to the dedication of the forge on November 10^th 2007 with a whole day of festivities including food, music and craft demonstrations. Helen Gillespie, the President of TAC (Tryon Arts and Crafts), will make sure you get a tour of this facility that is gleaming with new equipment and opportunities of learning. The gift gallery will be open, also. Classes at TAC include knitting, felting, woodcarving, woodworking, spinning, basketry, silver jewelry, copper enameling, guitar lessons, saw blade painting, raku, scrollsaw and more are being added each month.  

TAC has another special event coming up this Fall. On exhibit from October 6 –November 3, 2007 is “Fiber in the Mountains” a Western North Carolina Fibers and Handweavers Guild Show. And on October 13^th and 14^th 2007, Harmon Field (outdoor athletic complex) will be having an anniversary celebration. Tryon Arts and Crafts will be open from 9-5 with a gallery show and working artists demonstrating in their studios. For more information check their web site at tryonartsandcrafts.org

The Fine Arts Center in Tryon at 34 Melrose Avenue (tryonfac.org) is the home of many theater events.  Established in 1968, the FAC is also the home of the Painters & Sculptors Organization. which offers classes in painting, sculpture, collage and drawing and exhibit each month at Gallery 1 at FAC.

The wineries in the area are a pleasant surprise, for who would think that grapes could be grown successfully in this area? This is possible because of the isothermal belt that tempers the weather in the foothills making it ten degrees warmer in the winter and ten degrees cooler in the summer. Two leading wineries to visit are Rockhouse Vineyards is at 1525 Turner Road, Tryon, NC

(rockhousevineyards.com) and Green Creek Winery is in Columbus, NC at 413 Gilbert Road (greencreekwinery.com).

Fall festivals, equestrian events, craft fairs, blue grass music, antique stores, interesting shops, art galleries, restaurants, waterfalls, wineries, spectacular natural beauty and mountain views –all in the same area – oh my! And October is the perfect month to go…the weather is usually in the low 60’s. and fall foliage is at its peak.  For more information be sure to check out the web sites mentioned above, make your reservations early and head for the hills!   

Kathleen Millat Johnson

August 1 - In late September, 1000 women from every state in the nation are expected to travel to the Triad to attend the American Business Women’s Association National Women'sLeadership Conference.  Hosts for the national event are members from 10 Triad Chapters of ABWA.

The event kick-off is September 20 at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro and will conclude on September 22.Attendees of the ABWA national conference can choose from more than 16 opportunities for professional development. The three key areas of business focus are leadership and management skills, marketing and communication skills and entrepreneurial skills. Additionally, attendees have an opportunity to learn more about employment opportunities with Prudential Financial at a special recruitment seminar.

		Keynote speakers include Sam Glenn and Susan Ershler. Glenn is a businessman, motivational speaker and author of 16 books on attitude, character and overcoming failure, including his latest book, A Kick in the Attitude.  He’s entertained well over 2 million people in audiences throughout the United States.
		Susan Ershler is the author of Together on Top of the World, an inspiring account of her incredible journey with her husband Phil. They were the first couple to successfully climb the Seven Summits, or the highest peak on each of the seven continents. Ershler will speak of her journey and share secrets for success, determination and achieving seemingly impossible goals.

Other highlights include a training session with Afterburner Business Training. Comprised of a group of fighter pilots, their presentation will focus on task saturation and how to stay focused on what is important vs. attending to every fire that surrounds you.

The conference will conclude with a gala dinner and entertainment by Judson Laipply, creator and performer of “Evolution of Dance”.

The leadership conference coincides with the annual, “American Business Women’s Day” on September 22, celebrating the contributions of more than 57 million American working women and 7.7 million women business owners.

The mission of ABWA is to bring together business women of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking, support and national recognition. Nationally there are 40,000 members, and more than 800 ABWA chapters.

North Carolina women have a long history of involvement in ABWA. The first North Carolina chapter was established in 1956 by a group of women in the Charlotte area. Today there are 1300 members and 47 chapters in the state.

 The current national president, Robin Necci, resides in Asheboro, North Carolina and has been involved for over 24 years in the organization. Terry Howard, the General Chair for the national conference, is a past national president and a former recipient of the Top Ten Business Women of ABWA award.

Since its inception, the association has had six national presidents from North Carolina – four besides Necci and Howard. Other past presidents from North Carolina include: Vivian Gardner, Wilmington, NC; Sylvia Jordon, Charlotte;  Becky Early Crisco, Charlotte; and Louise Walters, Greensboro. 

North Carolina has also produced five District IV Vice Presidents: Terry Howard, Greensboro; Nell Myers, Thomasville; Dee Ray, Fayetteville; Robin Necci, Asheboro; Donna Tipton, Newport.

Information about the American Business Women’s Association and the National Leadership Conference in Greensboro can be found on the national website, www.abwa.org.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to serve this wonderful association that I have been a member of for 24 years.  The current National Board of Directors and ABWA National have focused on leadership this year, and I feel we have made great strides toward achieving this goal.  We have communicated our message as well as working on some impressive resources for our members.  Working on our National Women's Leadership Conference right here in Greensboro during this time has added value to our goals.  It has helped me to mentor our national officers as much as possible during my one-year term in order that new leaders can continue to be strong, as our association continues to nurture and grow." Robin Necci 2006-07 National President www.robinnecci.com

August 1 - Recently Dr. Stephen Leatherman, otherwise known as “Dr. Beach” named Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach the number one beach in the nation, in his 17^th annual Top 10 Beaches ranking. Dr. Leatherman of the Laboratory for Coastal Research and of the National Healthy Beaches Campaign at the Florida International University in Miami, Florida has selected the “Top 10 Beaches” since 1991.  What makes Leatherman’s selections unique is his knowledge as a Ph.D. coastal scientist with 30 years of scientific experience studying storm impacts, erosion and ways to improve beach health and safety.

Nationally, North Carolina ranks 3^rd in number of “Certified Healthy Beaches”. Florida ranks 1^st followed by Hawaii in 2^nd place.  Beaches that have applied and received certification include: Bald Head Island; Cape Hatteras National Seashore - Cape Point and North Carolina Coast; Cape Lookout National Seashore- South Core Banks and Shackleford Banks; Holden Beach; Ocean Isle Beach; Ocracoke Island; and Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach.

The National Healthy Beaches Campaign, founded by Dr. Leatherman acknowledges the many beautiful and “healthy” beaches around the country from seaside and lakeshore destinations. Scientifically based, the “National Healthy Beaches Campaign” is a beach certification program administered by a professional group of coastal experts focused on U.S. beaches.

The NHBC provides the service free of charge. Beaches that meet the criteria are credited as “Recognized Healthy Beaches.”  Recognized Beaches join the campaign by committing to keeping the highest beach management standards, to assure beachgoers of their ongoing quality. They approach the task of beach ratings against 60 stringent environmental and service-based criteria. This Rating Criteria includes EPA water quality standards, beach cleanliness, safety, auxiliary services, environmental quality and management.

About Laboratory of Coastal Research - http://www.ihrc.fiu.edu/lcr/

About National Healthy Beach – www.nhbc.fiu.edu

About Dr. Beach – www.DrBeach.org