After a fire destroyed an apartment building that was home to three Roan Mountain families, members of the community banded together to help those families out.
This weekend, “Care Fest” will come to Triple J. Farm and Event Center in the Heaton Creek Community. The event is the brain child of several community members who got together to try to come up with a way to help the families displaced by the fire earlier this month.
“Care Fest” will be a festival-style concert featuring musicians from the Roan Mountain community and beyond, coupled with an old-fashioned community potluck social.
“When I realized how many families were affected by the apartment fire, especially this close to the Holidays, I felt like I needed to try to do something for them,” said Mike Hill, a Roan Mountain District County Commissioner and one of the event’s organizers. “So I got in touch with RhodyJane Meadow and Tim Decker (of Thistle Dew and Roan Crows), who had hosted a similar benefit for a community member almost two years ago.”
“Next thing I knew, pretty much every artist in the district had jumped in to support these members of our community,” he added. “We even had to back the start time up an hour to 3 p.m. to accommodate all those who wanted to participate.”
Hill then approached the Jamison family about the possibility of using their event facility, which they happily donated, and the event was off the blocks and running.
The performances will range from Appalachian, Celtic, Bluegrass and Americana acts starting at 3pm, and will carry into the evening when the Roan Crows will rock the barn until closing.
“Folks are encouraged to come and go as they please throughout the evening, enjoying the music and fellowship,” Hill said.
So far, confirmed to appear at the event are TV Barnett and his Roan Mountain Moonshiners, Thistle Dew, The Roan Crows, The Repossessed, Art Lang & Friends, Jim & Cheri Miller, Michael Puckett, and The Croonin’ CREAKers. The following acts are tentative for the event and awaiting confirmation according to Hill: members of Reel Steel with Lauren Turbyfill , Mountain Rose, and The Heaton Creek Ridge Runners.
In addition to the musical performances and potluck supper, the event will also feature a silent auction to help raise money to assist the displaced families.
Admission to the event will be a suggested donation of $5 per person and a covered dish to share, or a donation of $10 for folks who arrive without a covered dish. Individuals and businesses who wish to provide silent auction items are encouraged to contact Mike Hill at (828) 265-9974 to schedule pickup.