The Nantahala Community Development Club is celebrating its 50th year in style, and local residents and visitors alike are all benefiting from it.
First, Macon County’s second broadband project this decade is finished. The Nantahala project connects fiber optic internet service to the Nantahala Recreation Center, Emergency Medical Services, Nantahala Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Nantahala Community Library and Nantahala VFR substation, along with Nantahala School.
In addition, a public WiFi project has been completed. In addition, a Completing Access to Broadband Grant will start immediately; that money will mostly finish broadband installation in the Nantahala area.
On July 20, the community celebrated the opening of the new Nantahala Community Library after months of construction and years of planning. The new library, at 36B White Oak Lane in Topton and open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, is 1,200 square feet. The Nantahala Community Development Club will operate in half of the building, with a shared bathroom.
All of that fun came to a head on July 27, when the club’s inaugural Arts & Crafts Festival was held on the banks of the Nantahala River Launch Site at the corner of U.S. 19/74 and Wayah Road. Most of the vendors reported a great day and said they will be back, while those attending loved the location and were happy to learn more about what makes the area a great place to live and visit.
Building committee member Randy Shook deserves a lot of credit for the opening of the new library, and he expressed thanks to the Macon County Board of Commissioners for their diligent efforts in obtaining a new building for the club to use as well. Club President Mikel
Morgan gave words of encouragement for the future, and librarian Abby Hardison was grateful for the new and improved facility, saying she looks forward to serving local residents.
When a representative from Veterans of Foreign Wars in Franklin raised the U.S. flag in front of the library on July 20, while those in attendance recited the pledge of allegiance, it seemed like Nantahala was also getting the salute it so richly deserves.
– Publisher David Brown