In the 1980s, when Jo Boone and her late mother left work at Broughton Hospital in Morganton, they felt for the homeless people they encountered on the dark streets. So the women began crocheting hats in bright oranges, yellows, and greens — colors that would be most visible at night. They hung some from trees where they could be easily grabbed, and took others to shelters. Friends joined the cause, and now, every Friday at lunchtime, you’ll find the “Catawba Crafters” around the community table at Lowes Foods in Hickory, crocheting things like medical bags for people in Haiti, and wheelchair shawls — shorter, with no fringe to catch in wheels. The group still makes hats, which Jo sometimes delivers directly to the homeless themselves. “They trust me,” she says of the people she still helps after all these years.
Why does this Haywood County town have some of the cleanest water in the state? It’s the result of the community’s efforts to keep the forests in its watershed pristine.
The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.
The sprawling vineyards and wide-open skies that stretch for miles across seven North Carolina counties offer relaxing getaways — not to mention some of the state’s finest wines — for Sunday drivers aching to escape the rush of city life.
Nothing lasts forever — and that’s what makes many of our cherished moments so special.
