Connect Etowah NC

A Piece of Etowah’s History — and an Invitation to Preserve More One of the things I have been thinking about through Connect Etowah NC is how much of Etowah’s history still lives in people’s homes—in old photographs, family papers, church records, and stories that may never have been formally recorded. Patricia Gash recently shared something that seems like a wonderful place to begin. Her mother wrote this history of Etowah Presbyterian Church , and Patricia also shared drawings showing the church at different points in its history. This is not only the history of a church. It is part of the history of Etowah itself. In Her Own Words The following history was written by Patricia Gash’s mother. I am sharing her words as they were written, without rewriting or modernizing the account. This history of the Etowah Presbyterian Church dates back to the latter part of the nineteenth century. A commission was appointed to organize a church at Holly Springs at the Spring meeting of Mecklenbur...

Growing Together Project Update #1: Healthy Soil Begins Here The Growing Together project officially got its hands dirty this week. If you haven’t read the original Growing Together post, that’s the best place to learn what this project is all about. Think of this as our first field report. This week, Clayton, Izzy, and I started working on one of the most important—and least visible—parts of the project: the soil. After talking with the North Carolina Extension Service and doing a lot of reading, we began tackling years of soil compaction around some of the trees. Instead of hauling away leaves, branches, and other natural materials, we’re putting them back to work. Cardboard, woody debris, leaves, and organic matter will slowly break down and help rebuild healthy soil beneath the surface. We also planted the first young native tulip poplars . These won’t be the last. The woods behind the parsonage are full of volunteer seedlings, and over time we’ll carefully transplant many of the...

Growing Together: An Invitation to Care for a Place Over the past few years, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what builds community. At first, I thought it was organizing events. Then I realized it was really about creating places where people feel comfortable showing up, contributing something small, and getting to know one another. That idea has slowly grown into something new. It started with a few beautiful old trees on the grounds of Etowah Presbyterian Church and the adjoining parsonage. When I moved here, I discovered the soil beneath those trees had become badly compacted after years of mowing and heavy equipment. The roots couldn’t breathe the way they should. With advice from experienced gardeners and the North Carolina Extension Service, I began drilling hundreds of holes beneath the trees, adding organic matter, compost, mulch, and anything else I could do to help rebuild healthy soil. Around the same time, my friend Dean helped save the largest evergreen by cutting ...

  Free Community Meals are held on the fourth Saturday of every month at 12:00 noon at Etowah Presbyterian Church. These meals are open to everyone. There is no cost, no sign-up, and no expectation — just a shared table and a welcoming space. The meals are designed to be simple and relaxed, especially for seniors, individuals living alone, caregivers, and anyone who would enjoy eating with others. Free Community Meals are about more than food. They are about slowing down, being seen, and staying connected in our community. Location: Etowah Presbyterian Church 41 Presbyterian Place Etowah, NC 28729 — Karen Ponder, Program Director for Connect Etowah NC

  Connect Etowah NC exists to help neighbors reconnect — gently, creatively, and in real life. Based at Etowah Presbyterian Church, we host free, welcoming gatherings that bring people together around shared meals and creative time. Our programs are open to everyone and designed to be low-pressure, inclusive, and community-centered. After years of isolation and change, many people are looking for simple ways to feel connected again. Connect Etowah NC offers spaces where neighbors can sit together, talk, create, and share time — without expectations or requirements. Two of our ongoing programs include: • Free Community Meals — shared meals open to all • Neighbors Create Together — a relaxed creative gathering for adults All programs take place at: Etowah Presbyterian Church 41 Presbyterian Place Etowah, North Carolina 28729 — Karen Ponder, Program Director for Connect Etowah NC