Blue Ridge Parkway Journeys

Chris Austin Songwriting Finalists at MerleFest 2011

Entries will be accepted from November 1, 2011 until February 18, 2012.

MerleFest 25, presented by Lowe’s Home Improvement, is proud once again to host the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. Now in its 20th year, the contest is an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of this year’s volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy®-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale. MerleFest 25 takes place from April 26-29, 2012.

Contest entries for the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (CASC) will be accepted beginning November 1 via two methods:

1. U.S. Mail (P.O. Box 121855, Nashville, TN 37212)
2. The Sonicbids website

The deadline for submissions is February 18, 2012.

“The Chris Austin Songwriting Contest is an incredible opportunity for songwriters to get their works heard publicly and by professionals in the business,” says Laurie Brintle, CASC coordinator. “We encourage all amateur songsmiths to take advantage of this contest. Don’t miss this chance to compete at MerleFest 25 and be a part of this historic event!”

The contest recognizes winners in four categories—country, bluegrass, gospel/inspirational and general. To be eligible to enter, a songwriter must not derive more than 50 percent of his or her total income from songwriting or music publishing. Details about entry fees, eligibility and other requirements are available at the Chris Austin website.

Once submitted, songs are judged by a volunteer panel of Nashville songwriters, publishers and other music industry professionals. Judging is based on a song’s originality, lyrics, melody and overall commercial potential. Twelve finalists, three from each category, will be announced during the first week of April 2012. Each of the twelve finalists will enjoy admission and lodging for three nights at MerleFest, will receive a mentoring session with Jim Lauderdale, and will compete on the Austin Stage at MerleFest 25. In addition, the first place winners will receive a performance slot on the Cabin Stage on Friday of the festival.

Previous winners of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest include Gillian Welch, Tift Merritt, Michael Reno Harrell, Adrienne Young, Martha Scanlan, David Via and Johnny Williams.

Net proceeds from the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest support the Wilkes Community College Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship. Since its inception the scholarship has awarded over $35,000 to 73 deserving students.

For additional information about the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, call the contest hotline at 1-800-799-3838 or email Laurie Brintle, CASC coordinator.

About Chris Austin:

Chris Austin, from Boone, North Carolina, worked as a sideman for Ricky Skaggs for three years, singing and playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and fiddle. During that time he was discovered by executives at Warner Bros. Nashville, who offered him a recording contract. While releasing singles including “Blues Stay Away From Me,” “I Know There’s a Heart in There Somewhere” and “Out of Step,” Austin also developed his songwriting skills, as evidenced in “Same Ol’ Love,” recorded by Skaggs in 1991.

On March 16, 1991, Austin’s life was cut tragically short when the private plane carrying him and six other members of Reba McEntire’s band, as well as her tour manager, crashed in the mountains near San Diego.

Pete Fisher, then of Warnersongs and currently general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, and Kari Estrin, then MerleFest consultant and Pickin’ for Merle video associate producer, initiated the songwriting contest to honor Austin’s memory.

From Rich Campbell, Competition Director for the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition

Rich Campbell

The AMPC has grown into one of the most prestigious regional photography competitions and we aim to strengthen that position. We have developed a very strong partnership with local entities such as the Turchin Center, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Virtual Blue Ridge, Appalachian Voices, the Mast General Store, Bistro Roca, Footsloggers, Peabody’s, Stick Boy Bread Company, and others.

Connections in the community create so many opportunities for us as a competition. We really want this to continue to be a true community event. We want people who visit the exhibition in the Turchin Center between February and June to feel like they have just seen the best collection of images available that depict the unique character, people, places, and pursuits that distinguish the Southern Appalachians.

I have been Associate Director at ASU Outdoor Programs for 15 years, and am thrilled to be more closely linked to the competition. I have directed the Banff Film Festival every year since its inception and I am excited to work closely with both the photography competition and film festival this year. The two events complement one another so well that it is a natural progression.

2011 Banff Film Festival Audience

We have intentionally created the AMPC to be a part of the Banff Film Festival weekend. That weekend has really turned into a celebration of mountain culture. The Banff Film Festival brings films from all over the globe highlighting mountain culture. The AMPC is a way for our community to interact, in a very personal level through photography, with our own mountain region and community. We have Banff bring us films from all corners of the globe, and we have our own community showcasing new aspects of our beloved Southern Appalachian region through the AMPC. It is a great ‘local to global festival’ on mountain culture every spring, right here in Boone.

Our Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions (SOLE) are programs and trips that are longer and they travel to more diverse locations in North America and abroad. SOLE programs emphasize discovery of self and expedition team members – as well as discovery of the landscapes and cultures of the wilderness areas and countries we explore. We travel in regions of countries that are seldom visited, remote and exceptionally beautiful. Traveling in these settings through adventure education, students learn valuable skills in leadership, perseverance, group dynamics, teamwork, responsibility, wilderness ethics and global perspectives.

[Video for New Zealand SOLE Trip]

Proceeds from the Banff Film Festival and the AMPC make these experiences, that many students share with us as life changing, more accessible to more students.

We encourage photographers to enter this competition regardless of their previous experience. We do have professional photographers who enter, but we have also had plenty of success with amateur photographers in the past, including amateurs who have captured Best in Show. Photographers who capture a unique perspective of a familiar landscape or an interesting take on a familiar subject tend to do really well in this competition.

One of the primary goals of the AMPC is to encourage photographers to grab their camera and create their own story that they want to share with our community. When hundreds of people do this, the end result is a powerful exhibition and an important archive of what is so special to our own mountain community that we call home.

Deadline for submitting entries is Friday, November 18, 2011 at 5:00 pm. Follow Virtual Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition on Facebook for all the latest updates and news.

Celebrate Halloween with the creatures of the Grandfather Mountain Animal Habitats Saturday October 29. Join in the first ever “Beary Scary Halloween” festivities and help the Mountain raise funds for renovations on Grandfather’s eagle habitat.

“We wanted to create a fun event that would give kids a chance to be more involved in the animals’ day and provide us with the opportunity to raise awareness about the improvements that we hope to make to our eagle habitat,” said Christie Tipton, habitat manager.

Halloween activities take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are included with regular admission. Kids in costume will get in at half price.

The day begins at 10 a.m. with Halloween-themed crafts in the Nature Museum. At 10:30 a.m. kids can go trick or treating in the animal habitats, which will be decorated in mummy, werewolf, ghost and graveyard themes.

At 11 a.m. Naturalists will meet by the Mildred the Bear statue in the Nature Museum to lead an interactive program titled “Going Batty for Bats.” Participants will learn all about bats and their importance to the environment.

Prepare to be captivated by ghost stories at 11:30 a.m. in the Nature Museum Auditorium. Local storytellers Maggie Christenbury and Owen Gray will lead scary tales to thrill the whole family.

At 12:30 p.m. kids get a chance to compete in a costume contest and vote on their favorite costume worn by the animal habitat staff. Voting takes place in the Nature Museum lobby.

Immediately following the costume contest, guests have a unique opportunity to participate in the animal enrichments by decorating pumpkins and other treats that will later be given to the animals. An enrichment is anything different that can help to break up the animals’ day such as a scent, a new toy or a treat.

Join the Mountain’s Naturalists in the Nature Museum at 1 p.m. for the “Creepy, Crawly Critters!” program. Participants will learn about creatures of the night, creatures that bite and other spooky animals.

At 2 p.m. the Habitat Staff will begin the animal enrichments.  Meet at the deer overlook to watch the animals enjoy their decorated treats.

The last of the day’s programming will take place in front of the fudge shop at 2:45 p.m. An “Owl Encounter” allows guests to meet and learn about the spooky night prowlers that can be found in the High Country.

Throughout the day guests can learn more about the eagle habitat, special programs offered by habitat staff and additional opportunities to get involved on the Mountain. For more information, contact the habitat staff at 828-733-8715.

Grandfather Mountain is a globally recognized nature preserve famous for its 360-degree vistas, native wildlife habitats and Mile High Swinging Bridge. The attraction is located on US Highway 221, two miles north of Linville, NC, and one mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305.

The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established to preserve Grandfather Mountain, operate the nature park in the public interest and participate in educational research activities.

For more information phone 800-468-7325 or plan a trip at www.grandfather.com.

Make plans now to bring your colleagues and community leaders to downtown Galax, Virginia on Tuesday, November 15, 2011.

Gateway Community Reception
Chestnut Creek School of the Arts – 6:00 – 6:45  p.m.
100 N. Main Street – Galax

Ed McMahon “Protecting Community Character” Presentation
Rex Theater – 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
113 East Grayson Street – Galax

Held in conjunction with the 3-day “Taking the High Road Workshop”, we invite you and your community leaders to come hear Ed McMahon, noted author, attorney, lecturer and expert on creating and sustaining livable and prosperous communities. Asset based economic development, tourism promotion, and historic preservation are among the themes of Mr. McMahon’s publications and programs. He has been providing guidance to communities and local leaders on issues facing “gateway communities” for more than a decade in work with the National Park Service capturing this work in a book he co-author entitled, “Balancing Nature and Commerce in Gateway Communities.”

Attendees will learn about the economic, social and environmental benefits of protecting community character, and the value of open space and historic resources. Learn about major tools that can be used to protect community character, including education, voluntary initiatives and other non-regulatory action, as well as alternatives to conventional residential and commercial development. The session will address the challenges in preserving community character and ways to generate public support and the political will to use available tools.

Says McMahon, “The truth is that development is inevitable, but the destruction of community character and natural resources that too often accompany growth is not. Progress does not demand degraded surroundings.”

The evening events are free of charge, but please register here.

Announcing “Taking the High Road—Planning, Partners, and Place Based Prosperity in the Blue Ridge Parkway Region”

An action-planning workshop building on community input gathered during the Parkway’s 75th Anniversary.

November 15—17, 2011
Crossroads Institute
Galax, Virginia

Make plans now to participate in this 3-day workshop that will provide community and business leaders with an opportunity to turn ideas gathered during the Parkway’s 75th Anniversary into action and to explore significant issues facing the region. Through case studies, presentations, exercises and work sessions, participants will develop work plans for regional implementation. Based on the highly acclaimed Gateway Training Workshops and planned in conjunction with The Conservation Fund.

Workshop Highlights:

• Examine Case Studies of Innovative Partnerships between Public Lands and Partners
• Identify Regional Collaborative Strategies
• Introduction of New Economic Impact and Vitality Index Tools
• Protect Community Character (featuring public presentation by Ed McMahon)
• Access Information regarding Financing Strategies
• Explore Interdisciplinary Approach to Strategic Conservation Planning
• Participate in Action Planning Work with Parkway Staff
• Identify Regional Approaches to Wayfinding and Connectivity

Potential Participants Include:

• Community Leaders
• Engaged Citizens
• Elected Officials
• Business Owners
• Tourism Partners
• Planning Council Members
• Parks and Recreation Managers
• Land Managers
• Economic Development Professionals
• Anyone interested in Community Development

Important Dates to Remember:

September 30—Participant Applications Due
October 10—Confirmation of workshop acceptance

Direct Questions or Scholarship Inquiries to:
Leesa Brandon, Community & Partnerships Coordinator, Blue Ridge Parkway—828.348.3420 or send an email.