News

LOCAL BRIEFS: United Way, clean water partnership, Love Library week

By Lightning Reports, Published: January 31, 2021

The United Way announced six new members for its 2021 Board of Directors.

Joining the board, top row, from left, are Kristen Bunch, Pauline Carpenter and Pam Combs, and bottom row from left, Sonia Gironda, Kimbela McMinn and Carol Stefaniak. “We are thrilled to welcome these new members to the United Way Board,” Board Chair Sherri Holbert said. “Their expertise, community connections and passion for our community and United Way’s mission and work will make them real assets to our team. Our organization is fortunate to have a wise group of leaders serving on our board who are fighting for the education, financial stability and health of everyone in our community.”

Raflatac, MountainTrue collaborate for clean water

MountainTrue is partnering for water quality with label material manufacturer UPM Raflatac, which is sponsoring MountainTrue’s Volunteer Water Information Network through the company’s Bifore Share and Care grant program. MountainTrue’s volunteer-powered VWIN program features members of the public collecting water samples from over 30 sites throughout the French Broad River Water Basin every month. 

“UPM Raflatac is committed to labeling a smarter future beyond fossils and supporting a cleaner environment,” said Tyler Matusevich, sustainability manager for UPM Raflatac. “As part of that commitment, we support local organizations doing great work through our Biofore Share and Care grant program. With hundreds of our employees and their families in Western North Carolina, the preservation of our local waterways is of utmost importance and we are pleased to do our part.”

“This support is crucial to the work of MountainTrue,” said MountainTrue Southern Regional Director Gray Jernigan. “The VWIN program is the foundation of our work to protect the water quality of the French Broad River and other local watersheds.”

The laboratory results and data collected through the VWIN program are vital to water protection efforts in the area. They help MountainTrue track down and stop pollution at the source and inform the policy advocacy initiatives of MountainTrue’s I Love Rivers campaign (www.ILoveRivers.org). 

UPM Raflatac develops innovative and sustainable labeling solutions that help businesses move beyond fossil fuels. As one of the world’s leading producers of self-adhesive label materials, it maintains a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices, and operates two factories in Henderson County, North Carolina employing approximately 350 people.

MountainTrue’s VWIN program is administered by its Hendersonville-based Southern Regional Office. The water samples collected by volunteers are analyzed by a state certified lab for various chemical and physical parameters (ammonia-nitrogen, nitrate/nitrite-nitrogen, orthophosphate, turbidity, total suspended solids, conductivity, alkalinity, and pH).

One of the world’s leading producers of self-adhesive label materials, UPM Raflatac supplies high-quality paper and film label stock for consumer product and industrial labeling through a global network of factories, distribution terminals and sales offices. A part of the Finland-based UPM corporation, Raflatac employs approximately 350 people in Fletcher and Mills River.

StoryWalk celebrates Love My Library month

Henderson County Public Library, in collaboration with 14 Main Street Hendersonville businesses, announced the installation of a Downtown StoryWalk as part of Love My Library month during February.

Beginning Monday, families can start reading “Love Monster and the Last Chocolate” by Rachel Bright at the Main Library at 301 N. Washington Street, then pick up a list of participating locations to continue the story. Each location will have a portion of the story displayed in a window. The StoryWalk will be in place through the end of February.

“A StoryWalk is a wonderful way for families to safely enjoy a story outside while exploring Main Street” shared Caitlin Lindsey, Youth Services Coordinator. “We hope the StoryWalk® encourages families to have fun reading together while encouraging important early literacy skills for children.” 

Henderson County Public Library is celebrating Love My Library Month throughout the month of Feb. . For more information visitwww.hendersoncountync.gov/library or call the Main Library at 697-4725.

The StoryWalk Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.