By
Ralph Grizzle
As
a North Carolinian, what are you thankful for? Is it the diversity
of our vast stretch of state, from the mountains to the sea? Is
it our moderate climate, our marked change of seasons or our towering
clusters of trees that brush against Carolina blue skies?
Maybe
what you're thankful for has nothing to do with the physical aspects
of our state--your gratitude goes toward good neighbors, caring
communities, the strong support of the arts and the opportunities
that your children or grandchildren have to attend some of the
country's best universities, without leaving their home state.
As
citizens of the Old North State, we have much for which to give
thanks. This month, we talk with some old friends about the reasons
they're proud to claim North Carolina as their home.
Beauty--As
an artist, I am thankful for the abundance of subject matter right
here in my own backyard. To use a golf analogy, people wonder
how anyone could play the same golf course over and over again.
But the truth is that you never hit your ball from the same spot.
That's how it is with my paintings. The seasons and atmospheres
are so different that I'm never painting the same scene. Early
on in my career, I wondered if I would ever grow tired of painting
in this state. The answer is, No, I never will.--Bill Mangum,
Artist, Greensboro
Progress--I'm
grateful to live in a state that has made so much progress in
the fields of technology, medicine, education, highways and social
services. Our progress has just been outstanding. It's true that
the whole nation has moved ahead in many of these areas, but North
Carolina lagged behind for many years. It couldn't be helped,
of course, because we were still nursing the wounds of the Civil
War and the Great Depression, but we've truly moved forward in
the last 30 years.--Carol Bessent Hayman, Poet Laureate of
Beaufort and Carteret County, Beaufort
Sanctuary--Having
worked for the National Park Service for 25 years, I'm grateful
for the protected areas we have in North Carolina. I don't think
a lot of people realize how many of those areas we have here in
this state. Even natives to the state are sometimes surprised
when they look down the list of protected areas. You may even
be living near one and kind of take it for granted, not realizing
what it represents, until you begin to explore it. There's great
variety, whether you enjoy hiking, fishing, trail riding, car
camping, backpacking or watching our wildlife. We're very blessed
with our national forests, state forests, state historic sites
and national parks.--Tom Robbins, Park Ranger, Great Smoky
Mountains National Park
Small
towns--I'm grateful to have the comfort and security of living
in a quaint North Carolina town. I can still enjoy the convenience
of the surrounding Piedmont Triad area, but after a hectic day
at work in the city, I look forward to heading home to "K"-ville
with the prospect of sitting with my husband and son on a porch
surrounded by woods.--Kathleen Ingram, Trade Show Manager,
RF Micro Devices (Greensboro), Kernersville
Beaches--I
originally came from West Virginia, and as most kids who grew
up in West Virginia, I grew up thinking the southernmost city
in the state was Myrtle Beach. But then I discovered Ocracoke
and knew I had to live here. Living here is like living in a little
slice of heaven, and I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful for the
16 miles of undeveloped beachfront here on this island. I'm grateful
for the pace of life. It's only 15 miles between here and Hatteras,
yet it takes more than an hour to traverse those miles. That isolation
could be frightening if it weren't for the quality of people we
have here.--Buffy Warner, Owner, Howard's Pub, Ocracoke
Beacons--I'm
grateful that North Carolina saw the wisdom of putting the money
and effort toward saving some original history (the Cape Hatteras
Lighthouse. Not building a replica, not tearing down and building
a new building, but preserving what was there.--Cheryl Shelton
Roberts, Writer, Morehead City
Goodwill--I'm
grateful for our good economy. Unemployment has been down, even
though minimum wages still need to come up. We're serving as many
people as we used to [through the food bank] but we're serving
more of the working poor than in the past. Here in the Triad,
we are blessed with services for the needy.--Faye Ellison,
Director of Food Distribution, Greensboro Urban Ministry, Greensboro
Resources--I
am thankful for North Carolina's rich diversity of its cultural,
natural and historic resources, These resources offer such vast
potential for rural economic development as long as we give equal
attention to the protection and preservation of these assets.
We truly are blessed.--Gordon Clapp, Executive Director, NC
Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development, Raleigh
Hospitality--I'm
thankful that we live in a state where so many people choose to
retire to. I think that says a lot about our quality of life.
We're blessed with very little of the extremes, not only with
the weather but also in what people do and enjoy. We are congenial
and hospitable people, and we love to meet strangers and welcome
them in. People can come here and fit in right away. I feel blessed
to have been able to have lived here all my life.--Max Meeks,
NC Radio Hall of Famer and host of WMFR's "Max in the Morning"
since 1947, High Point
Harvest--I've
only been here a year, but I'm grateful for the growing season
and for the beauty. I moved from Texas, where the weather can
be extreme. The growing season here is shorter than in Texas but
much more conducive to good gardens. I'm also grateful for the
dogwood trees and the distinct change of seasons.--Susan Albert,
Community Relations, Weatherspoon Art Gallery, Greensboro
Neighbors--I'm
thankful to live in a place where I can call the general store
across the street and they'll bring over my groceries and put
them away from me (Delores is disabled by Progressive Post Polio
Muscle Atrophy). We have so many small towns in this state where
there are caring people. Somebody dies, the neighbors bring food,
somebody's sick, the neighbors come and sit. You tend to put in
a little more effort when you're in a place where you know you're
going to turn up your toes at the end of your life.--Delores
C. Emory, Proprietor, Cutrell Inn Bed and Breakfast, Swan Quarter
People--In
my line of work, I've had the privilege of living in 10 different
cities in our state over the past 44 years. There have been beautiful
people everywhere I've lived, kind and friendly and generous.
It makes me grateful to be a North Carolinian.--Tom Cassidy,
Reverend, Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church, Greensboro
Heritage--I'm
thankful for the traditions and the heritage that I still sense
here. I have such a long history of my family in North Carolina
that I have this sense of being here forever. I have this sense
of being truly North Carolinian. It's very powerful to me to have
that sense of belonging.--Bob Timberlake, Artist, Lexington
Spirit--I'm
thankful for the opportunity to work in North Carolina, and I
don't think I would have felt that way a year and half ago when
I started working for World Summer Games. That was when I started
traveling across the state, and I realized that there are people
in this state who have great spirit for coming out to support
good causes. I got a taste of North Carolina and determined that
this was the place that I wanted to stay. --Todd Felts, Director
of Statewide Communications for the 1999 Special Olympics World
Summer Games, Raleigh
People--I
travel all 100 counties in North Carolina. We have friends all
over the state, and it has been really rewarding meeting the people
like the decoy carvers down at Harker's Island or the potters
whose work we carry in our gallery. Making friends with all these
people has been a real treasure. I enjoy the fellowship with those
people. That's what keeps me going.--"Cotton" Ketchie, Artist
and Owner of Landmark Galleries, Mooresville
