Representative Chris Whitmire

NC House District 113 Transylvania,

Southern Henderson, & Polk

RALEIGH UPDATE

November 11, 2015

Saluting Our Veterans & Recognizing Those

Who Serve Our Communities

After nine months of legislative work and 136 legislative days that produced 1,665 bills and 244 statewide

laws and another 56 local laws, this newsletter focuses not on legalese, but service. The following sections

celebrate Veterans Day and honor those who fought and continue to fight to defend our freedom and

AMERICAN way of life. Millions of Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen maintain

constant vigilance and enter combat when necessary to defend us here at home. We thank everyone who has

worn a U.S. military uniform – whether today or decades ago for their sacrifice and courage.

As a long serving military member myself with over 29 years of Air Force service and still serving, my intent

with today’s newsletter is to honor our veterans AND ALSO those in our communities who serve the greater

good with their efforts to support worthy causes. All in all, the following shines the light of recognition on

many wonderful contributors who make our communities and the world around them better.

Jack Breedlove (Back Row, 2nd

from Right) and crew—WWII European Theater

Charlie Bagwell Memorial Scholarship

SSG Charlie Bagwell (Center)

On Saturday November 7th, the 4th annual Veteran’s Day 5K Run took place in Rosman. This event seeks to honor

our military and raise funds for the SSG Charlie Bagwell Memorial Scholarship which provides an annual

scholarship to graduating seniors from Rosman High School.

SSG Charlie Bagwell was loved by many and the scholarship in his name is an on-going tribute to his example and

ultimate sacrifice defending the United States in Afghanistan. In the words of his Rosman High School classmates

who oversee the scholarship as a tribute to SSG BagwellNo greater honor have we had, than to have known and

befriended such a brave man. He was a true friend to all who knew him, and a hero to all of those he fought to

protect. It is our hope that we may be able to pass along our joy in the memories Charlie left with us through

scholarships to well-deserving students as they pursue their academic endeavors.

Please join us in commemorating the life and service of our hometown hero through donations to the SSG Charlie

Bagwell Memorial Scholarship Fund. If we all give some, we can honor one who gave all. If your are inclined to

make a worthy donation in honor of one of our own, please visit http://www.charliebagwellmemorial.org/ . Mailed

donations may be sent to: SSG Charlie Bagwell Memorial Scholarship Fund PO Box 126 Brevard, NC 28712.

The Transylvania County Schools Marine Jr ROTC Detachment presents the Colors (right)

and runners prepare to start the Veteran’s Day 5K (left)

Rosman Middle / Rosman High Veteran’s Day Tribute

Our schools do many great things and today many schools across the area and state hosted Veteran’s Day events.

One I attended was a combined effort led by middle and high school students and teachers that captivated the entire

audience of 6th

through 12th

graders and adults alike including many veterans with the message of service and

sacrifice to defend our freedom. I emphasize to all that our schools are doing great things as they prepare our next

generation for life and today was an outstanding example. .

Left-The US Marine Corps celebrates its 240th

birthday and Right-the entire student body

shows their patriotism and support for Veteran guests of honor

RMS 8th

Graders Share Poems and Papers Honoring Veterans in the Audience

DuPont Search & Rescue Training

The 10th

Annual North Carolina Emergency Management DuPont Rescue Exercise took place this past weekend in

the DuPont State Recreational Forest. Over 200 local and state search and rescue first responders from 42 agencies

from across our great state and the states of Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Iowa, Virginia, and Wisconsin

gained realistic, challenging, life saving experience. This is another example of the benefits of implementing my

DuPont – Headwaters Emergency Response Training Center of Excellence noted in previous newsletters and by area

media. The photos below highlight scenes from this year’s event—Tim Miller was the event’s visionary; WLOS

TV 13 and the Hendersonville Times-News provided outstanding coverage; rain and more rain made for realistic

training for all who participated, especially those encamped; and multiple emergency response agencies including

ones from Polk, Henderson, and Transylvania Counties took a leading role in the event. We are better off because

of events like this that crossflow unique skillsets essential for search and rescue operations to those who serve our

communities. Additional details can be found here and here.

Tim Miller—the event’s visionary WLOS TV 13 provided live coverage

Disasters occur at all times in all weather conditions—last year we had temps in the teens &

snow and this year it was warm and wet. When someone is in harms way, search and rescue

perseveres regardless of the conditions!

ATV Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser—Haley Parker’s Outstanding Senior Project

Left-People from all over enjoyed food, fellowship, and a mountainside via all terrain

vehicles in support of finding a cure for cystic fibrosis (CF). Right-Friends and family

release balloons in memory of Haley’s sister, Kyla Parker, who had CF and brightened the

lives of many during her 8 years with us

Fun for a cause—On-line contributions to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Carolina Chapter

can be made here, or mailed checks may be sent to the address below:

CFF Carolinas Chapter Charlotte office

4600 Park Rd Suite 100

Charlotte NC 28209

“Southern Sunset”, a Farm-to-Fork Dinner benefitting Brevard &

Rosman FFA Chapters

Blurs of blue and gold corduroy jackets darted around a hilltop on Saturday, November 7th, 2015, at a picturesque

farm setting overlooking the French Broad River valley. Those jackets were worn by FFA members from both

Brevard and Rosman FFA Chapters who greeted, served, and cleaned up for over 100 guests who sat down to a

gourmet, four-course dinner prepared by the food genius of Wild Indigo Catering. The entire menu was comprised

of locally-sourced, North Carolina products, from Pitch Pine Farm’s vegetables to BusyBee Farm’s sirloin steaks to

smoked Sunburst Trout. The event was designed as a fundraiser to benefit the high school agriculture education

programs in Transylvania County which strive to develop student leadership, personal growth, and career success

through hands-on learning, classroom instruction, and participation in the FFA organization.

Community support for this event helped to ensure its success, particularly from the following: McNeely

Companies, which supplied the tents, tables, chairs, and heaters; BusyBee Farm & the Whitmire Century Family

Farm, which provided the venue, beef, and hayride shuttles; Wild Indigo Catering owners, Anne & Mike Somich,

who donated their time, energy and talent in creating and preparing the fantastic food; Transylvania County Farm

Bureau, which provided funding; First United Methodist Church, which donated the pumpkins; Cherryfield Baptist

Church, which provided the parking needed to accommodate the large crowd; and Brown Bean Coffee Roasters,

which provided burlap bags for decoration.

Heather McNeely (Rosman) and Dan Harris and Sarah Rhymer (Brevard) are the county’s Agriculture

Teachers/FFA Advisors; Andy VonCanon serves at the Coordinator of Agriculture Education for the western half

of North Carolina through NC State University. For more information about Agriculture Education and FFA, visit

www.ncffa.org.

Combined effort of FFA students from two area high schools in a picturesque setting made

possible by Andy Von Canon and Brittany Whitmire and a host of supportive

community members who care about our youth and agriculture

Enjoyed and complimented by all with an outcome that enables two stellar programs to

serve our students even better

Non-Faculty Coach’s Positive Impact On a Great Group of Young Ladies

Continuing with the theme of service to community, I wholeheartedly appreciate all who invest their time into our

young people. One who has touched the lives of many middle and high school volleyball players is Coach

Amanda McCall. For nine years and hopefully many more, Coach McCall has given countless hours to 25 to 30

young ladies during the season and throughout the off-season in effort to improve their skills and shape a great

team and more importantly to instill discipline and character and produce WINNERS in life. Coach, please know

that my wife and I along with many other families who invest time and effort into our kids and schools GREATLY

APPRECIATE YOU!

Class and character; memories for a lifetime; teaching young ladies how to succeed in life.

Thank you!

Jessie’s Well—Making the World Better

An outstanding individual and member of my church, Kit Garren, recently completed his bicycle journey from

Seattle, Washington to Jacksonville, Florida (September 8th

through October 26th

) to raise awareness and support

for a worthy purpose. Kit and his wife Marilyn’s daughter, Jessie, passed away at age 17 from cancer seven years

ago, but Jessie’s love for Christ and helping those in need lives on. By biking across the country Kit is hoping to

inspire others with his daughter’s remarkable story and Faith. Jessie was an inspiration to all who knew her and

wanted to travel with her youth group to the Dominican Republic, an annual mission trip for many Brevard

Community Church youth, but her diagnosis curtailed her plans. Since Jessie’s passing over the past few years,

her kind Christian spirit lives on through “Jessie’s Well Foundation.”

Kit and Marilyn with the help of Compassion International, an organization that helps underprivileged children

worldwide, started Jessie’s Well Foundation as a means to provide clean drinking water to thousands of

impoverished Dominicans. So far one water plant has been built and there are funds for a second one. The goal is

to add twenty-four more plants in the Dominican Republic in the next five years.

While Jessie was unable to accompany her Brevard Community Church Youth Group on its Dominican mission

trip seven years ago, her presence today is making a tremendous improvement in the lives of thousands by

providing clean drinking water. Kit and Marilyn mentioned a couple of Sundays ago at church, “Jessie wanted to

share the love of Christ, especially with children in the Dominican Republic. We’re compelled to do exactly that,

with extra determination because of her passion.”

For further information, visit http://www.jessieswell.org and http://www.compassion.com.

Thank You Congressman Meadows for Standing by Your Word

A great write up by Mr. Robert Danos that was recently published in the Hendersonville Times-News.

Congressman Mark Meadows has had quite a few months. He has of course proven that he is willing to take on the

dysfunction in Washington. But just as importantly he has shown that he will say no to the small but noisy group of

fringe bloggers and radio hosts who are more interested in their definition of ideological purity than they are in

actually governing. In July he filed his resolution to “vacate the chair” of Speaker John Boehner. That was

described by many in the press as well as pundits who are not in tune with the Republican electorate in various

negative terms. It was called a distraction by some, and having “no chance to succeed” by many others.

The distraction argument was always silly and indeed everyone managed to keep talking about the nation’s business

during the August recess. The “no chance to succeed” line wasn’t silly – it just simply missed the point of

everything Meadows said at the time of his resolution. He never said that Boehner’s actual removal was his goal.

As he said then and now, his goal was for the House GOP to agree on a new leadership paradigm that took in to

account the input of the entire caucus and that did not seek to punish those members that sided with their district

against the leadership.

Many of us in the conservative base did not then (nor now) consider it a waste of time. It had long become apparent

that Speaker Boehner’s leadership style no longer had the confidence of a majority of the Republican members of

the House. Meadow’s resolution simply had the guts to call a spade a spade. Boehner’s growing lack of the

confidence of the GOP caucus only made it more and more necessary for him to try and operate with a small group

of leaders making decisions which in turn required even more rebukes of rank and file members.

September’s resignation announcement by the Speaker caused a number of people to change their opinion of what

exactly Meadows had been on to in July. Indeed, rather than becoming a more isolated member of Congress, as

predicted by some, Meadows instead became a much more integral part of the discussions of what was needed in the

new formation of the House leadership than would have occurred before he stuck his neck out. The brief but failed

attempt by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to be elected Speaker was illustrative. Some suggested that he lacked

the votes to win because he was not conservative enough. Some suggested that it was because of a skeleton in his

closet.

I think that the evidence for either of those misses the bigger point. The truth was that a majority of the conference

did not believe that McCarthy, being part and parcel of Boehner’s team, would be able to truly decentralize and

reform how the House operates. That confidence could only come with a true fresh start and now we have Speaker

Paul Ryan. Take that in for a moment. We went from Speaker Boehner, trusted and admired by barely a sliver of

the conservative base, to Speaker Ryan who is highly regarded by the conservative base and who is undoubtedly a

much more eloquent spokesman for our goals. Meadows had a large hand in getting us from one to the next which is

a pretty good day’s work for a House sophomore.

However, even with the election of Ryan as Speaker, we didn’t learn the last of the lessons about Meadows or the

politics within conservative circles surrounding the Speaker’s chair drama. This is because much of the mainstream

press did not pick up on the chorus amongst some of the loudest members of the talk-radio types who were banging

a “No Ryan!” drum.

You see, to some conservatives, Ryan is not seen as conservative enough on immigration. And to a small sub-set of

those folks, that alone meant that he should not be elected as Speaker. And Meadows was one of the House

members getting phone calls from those folks who had misunderstood his beef with Boehner from the beginning.

In closing, this newsletter was about recognizing our veterans and those who serve in other capacities to

make our communities better. Certainly many other examples exist throughout the district and please

know that I and others appreciate these contributors tremendously! Thank you to all who defend us and

make our world a better place.

Proverbs 22:1

“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.”

Have a great week,

Chris

Please reply to Chris.Whitmire@ncleg.net with Questions or Concerns

In addition to email, Representative Chris Whitmire can be reached via the following:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChrisWhitmireNCHouse113

Once you get to Chris’ page, please hit the like button at the top of the page and you’ll start getting

updates during the week.

Then tell your friends and neighbors who might want to know what Chris is doing in Raleigh for the folks

in Transylvania, S. Henderson, and Polk Counties.

Website Chris' Website

Twitter https://twitter.com/repwhitmire

REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS WHITMIRE 537 Legislative Office Building

300 N. Salisbury Street Raleigh, NC 27603-5925

Phone: 919-715-4466

To unsubscribe, please email chris.whitmire@ncleg.net with “unsubscribe” in the subject line.