Rutherford Weekly

OUR 23 rd YEAR • ISSUE NO. 31 • AUGUST 6, 2015 RutherfordWeekly.com 828-248-1408 FREE FREE RUTHERFORD COUNTY'S FAVORITE NEWSPAPER! RUTHERFORD COUNTY'S FAVORITE NEWSPAPER! To fi nd a drive near you call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org The need for blood IS CONSTANT! Every 2 seconds someone in the US needs a blood transfusion! TRAIN MUSEUM TRAIN MUSEUM HELPS RAISE FUNDS HELPS RAISE FUNDS FOR PANCREATIC FOR PANCREATIC CANCER NETWORK CANCER NETWORK Articles By: Allison Flynn, editorial coordinator, Rutherford Weekly Articles By: Allison Flynn, editorial coordinator, Rutherford Weekly On what would've been her husband's 75th birthday, Peggy Keyes opened the doors for all to share in a passion he enjoyed so much. The Right Track To A Cure for Pancreatic Cancer, a toy train museum in Lake Lure, is now in its fourth year of operation. The non-profit museum (100 percent of proceeds made from admission and sales goes to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network) has been a labor of love for Keyes. "Larry was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2007, and died three months later," Keyes said of her late husband. "He had complained of not feeling well, and would just rub his stomach and say 'I just don't feel right.' Following his death, Keyes was left with boxes and boxes of her husband's toy train collection - so many boxes that it took three years of sorting and categorizing before she even thought about opening the museum. Keyes said her husband's love of trains developed after his mother, a United Nations employee, bought him a train set. From there his collection grew. "I knew he had a lot, but I didn't know the extent of what he had until he died," she said. The idea of opening a train museum was sparked after Keyes saw a piece on television where a man had built a building to house his wife's nutcrackers. I can do that, she thought, and so began the search for a building and help in setting up the museum. Trains, she added, are often nostalgic for people. Adults and children alike enjoy coming into the museum and running the trains along the tracks. "Larry had so many trains that he didn't have room for a layout for them," she said. "It was something he said he'd get around to, and of course he didn't." With the help of local train experts, Keyes set up a layout that allows visitors to push buttons to see the trains run and light up buildings and other aspects of the imaginary town. There's also a room for the youngest conductors - complete with Thomas the Tank Engine and other children's train toys. Before the end of the year Keyes plans to open a retail space dedicated to all things train. The Right Track To A Cure for Pancreatic Cancer, located at 2414 Memorial Highway, Lake Lure, is open Wednesday-Saturday from 1-5pm and Sundays from 2-5pm. Follow them on Facebook for upcoming events. A Rutherfordton couple is giving an old farmhouse a new beginning by restoring it to a working farm and event venue. John and Sheri Crenshaw purchased the Rucker-Biggerstaff House, which was built in 1910, two years ago and have been working to restore the property, now known as New Beginnings Historic Farm. Built by Guilford Nanney - who built the first steps from the parking lot to the top of Chimney Rock - the structure served as not only the private residence for a physician but was also home to his medical office. "We'll sometimes find some old medicine bottles and even found an inkwell," Sheri said. "We started renovating the day we walked in the door." The house had been a dream home for John, an EMT who lived in Hendersonville, for many years before the couple purchased it. "He used to go to Spindale once a week and he'd drive past and say 'I'd love to have that house,'" Sheri explained. Once married, the couple decided they wanted their children to experience farm life and began searching for property that would meet their needs. "It was a bit overwhelming at first," Sheri said. "I looked for about a year, but I think it was providential. We've become history buffs owning an old home. We've learned that in years past that having wooden wall slats and floors indicated you were more poor - that only those who were wealthy could afford carpet." Through research Sheri learned that the property was once a working farm, and the couple is working to restore it to its roots as such. "We've always wanted to have something that was self- supporting," John said. The farm is home not only to the couple and their children, but also George the donkey, goats, rabbits and chickens. Eventually, the couple would like to have goats for milking as well. The couple has begun hosting weddings on the property, a decision made in part by Sheri's own search for a wedding venue. There is ample space for outdoor weddings or intimate indoor gatherings. For those who'd like to tour the farm or plan an event there, a Vintage Fair is scheduled at the farm on Sunday, Sept. 20, from 1 to 5 p.m. The fair will include vintage-inspired suppliers, food samples, information from wedding professionals and tours of the farm. Admission is $5 per guest. For more information on the farm, visit newbeginningsfarm. com. RESTORING A FARM BACK TO ITS ROOTS 417 S. Broadway • Forest City • NC 828-245-2238 ©Community First Media Cash Discounts Any Price! • We Finance! Cash Discounts Any Price! • We Finance! Robbie Pruett 828-429-5858 • Frankie Mullinax 828-429-5202 Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm '10 Chevrolet '10 Chevrolet Traverse LS Traverse LS V6, auto., air, 3rd row, cold air, loaded. $ 8,495 8,495 '04 Toyota '04 Toyota Scion Scion 4 cyl., auto., air, very clean, sharp car. $ 3,995 3,995 '09 Ford '09 Ford Fusion Fusion 4 cyl., auto., power windows & locks, cold air. $ 5,995 5,995 '05 Buick '05 Buick Lacrosse Lacrosse 6 cyl., auto., power windows & locks, new tires. $ 5,295 5,295 '01 Kia Sportage '01 Kia Sportage 4x4 4x4 4 cyl., auto., power windows & locks, cold air. $ 3,295 3,295 FIRST MEDIA, INC FIRST MEDIA, INC "Creating Business For People" ® THINK GREEN! Please Recycle This Paper! (Top) One wall inside The Right Track To A Cure for Pancreatic Cancer Toy Train Museum is dedicated to celebrities and others who have died from pancreatic cancer. (Right) Peggy Keyes opened The Right Track To A Cure for Pancreatic Cancer in Lake Lure on what would have been her husband's 75th birthday. Four years later the museum is still going strong, and Keyes plans to open a retail space dedicated to all things train later this year. (Top) One wall inside The ©Community First Media Community First Media Mon-Sat 11am-6pm 719 S. Broadway, Forest City Right off Exit 182 from US74 828-229-3123 E Juice • Glass Pipes T-shirts • & More FOOTBALL SCHEDULES Look for your Look for your HIGH HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOL S U H DU C SC S SC ULE HED SCHEDULES Publishing next Publishing next Thursday Aug. 13 Thursday Aug. 13 in in

• Cover