Andrews – The Andrews Chamber of Commerce showed off during its annual awards dinner June 10 on the lawn of the newly opened and renovated Walker Inn.
The event showcased this year’s new direction, with Executive Director Shanna Kelly and Events Coordinator Alaina Trull – along with several new board members and local businesses – featured at the historic venue.
Showcasing the grounds of the historic Walker Inn, decked with tables full of floral arrangements of yellow and light blue playing off recent spring blooms, owners Jessica and Phillip Rickett also offered tours before and after the outdoor event for those interested in the recently opened and refurbished establishment.
The meal was provided by Valley Smoke BBQ & Catering, giving the new business a chance to debut its “Bar-B-Cuterie,” which entails a large smoker with a variety of meats – pulled pork and pork loins, smoked turkey, brisket and a savory smoked sausage blended with vegetables, including pickled okra and onions and peppers – as well as a buffet of side dishes, including baked beans, spiced and smothered potatoes alongside Southern-style seasoned greens.
While eschewing a traditional emcee this year to let attendees mingle and network, Kelly and Trull offered remarks between speakers and mealtime.
In her welcome comments, Trull recounted some of the history of the Walker Inn, including the time Chief Junaluska spent there in both his life and the retelling of the removal of the Cherokee people from the surrounding land. Trull also recounted the myriad uses of the property as an overnight way-station for early travelers from Franklin before paved roads, the general store once on site and the post office that served the town in its nascent beginnings.
The first featured speaker was Pam Hartley from myFutureNC, which aims to propel the community into utilizing both the “possibility and opportunity” of Andrews. She recognized the town’s history as “a crossroads for differing industries from logging in the early parts of the 20th century to a current trend of recreational tourism” to capitalize upon Andrews’ unique placement within western North Carolina.
She went on to emphasize a broader program to both find and retain workforce employees, as well as young families who want to stay in this area. Providing the resources to help students earn degrees specializing in the area’s most beneficial industries, and helping ensure the workforce is able to obtain needed licensures and other credentials, is needed to stabilize both economic and social infrastructures.
Following Hartley, Mici Canales of Visit Smokies spoke as a complement to the previous speech. She shared a history of how Visit Smokies was born from the Smoky Mountain Host, which when founded in 1987 provided a base of resources for both the business and tourism sectors that have grown exponentially in the North Carolina portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Canales pointed out how Andrews’ identity is vastly different from many of the Smokies’ other attractions, cities and towns – and that’s a good thing.
“We’re not Asheville or Gatlinburg, and we don’t want or need to be like them,” she said. With that the crowd broke into applause.
Canales went on to describe how to maximize the things Andrews is known for both geographically and historically to capitalize upon its unique identity to draw in both potential residents and tourists by identifying the changing “chapters of Andrews’ story.” She likened the story to the Bible’s structure, with the chamber being the glue that holds together both local businesses and residents, who act as the “binding and the whole of the book to create Andrews’ unique story,” and to lift every voice of those chapters to “become a unified voice west of Asheville” and bring to life the varied experiences available in Valleytown.
Annual awards included three special volunteer mentions to Andrews Postmistress Cheryl Stewart, for her unwavering commitment to and support of the community; along with former chamber board president Gayle Horton, for her same support of community events and planning. Horton and Stewart were both unable to attend.
Another special volunteer award went to Barbara El-Khouri for her dedication to almost every civic group or town function. All three received nice applause.
The Joe El-Khouri Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Beth Hay of the Andrews Garden Club, for the group’s dedication to the town’s beautification projects. That includes a recent overhaul of garden areas in front of the Valleytown Cultural Arts Center.
Morning Fog Coffee & Eats took the Business of Year Award. Owner and chamber board President Curt Steinlage – alongside his wife, Leslie, and daughter, Sydney, as co-owners – thanked the community for embracing the family’s business, along with welcoming the family when they decided 16 years ago that someday Andrews would become their “forever home.”
The annual Beautification Project of the Year award was presented to Lynnie Anderson and Nancy Purser, who was unable to attend, for their commitment to beautifying downtown Andrews. The pair have even used their own money to purchase materials and help keep things looking lovely during every season.
Retired executive director Nola Cooper, who was also unable to attend, was thanked by Kelly and Trull for her years of service to the chamber and promotion of everything Andrews.
This year’s new board members include Raymond Miller of Virtual Storefronts, in a rejoining position; AP Patel of Quality Inn; Corey Thompson of Hoppy Trout Brewing Co.; Eric West of The Tattered Tartan Pub; and Megan Wooten of Pop’s Big Cheese Wagon.
Details: See visitandrewsnc.com.