The atmosphere inside the fellowship hall at Grove Stone Baptist Church, surrounded by sweeping vistas of the Black Mountains to the north and Swannanoa Mountains to the south, was welcoming and familiar, Sept. 28, as busy volunteers set out homemade dishes of meatloaf, ham, casseroles, potatoes au gratin. deviled eggs, cornbread and vegetables. Friendly chatter blended into an indistinct murmur around the tables, arranged to form a large rectangle in the center of the room.
The humble appearance of the Monday evening gathering, however, belied its significance, as Hand in Hand of the Swannanoa Valley celebrated its 20th anniversary, presenting all six schools in the Owen District with nearly $12,000, bringing the total contributions of the nonprofit organization to over $400,000.
A white and yellow frosted cake sat beneath an oversized check for $11,903 for “Swannanoa Valley Schools,” which include Black Mountain Primary and Elementary, W.D. Williams Elementary, Owen Middle, Owen High and Community High. The donations, collected through fundraising efforts of participating local churches, individuals and grant programs, are distributed to guidance counselors representing each school twice every year…