Focusing on the resort and tourist community of Slaty Fork, Snowshoe Mountain, Cass and Green Bank
Vol. 2 No. 11
November 2003		 Serving SnowShoe Mountain, Slaty Fork, Green Bank and Cass
"News you can resort to"
Second Section of
The Pocahontas Times
Post Office No. 436-640
ISSN No. 07388373
Upcoming Events Around the Mountain Resort
November
On The Mountain
For more info about any events at Snowshoe, call 877-441-4FUN, or visit: www.snowshoemtn.com
Nov 21 € Opening Date of Ski Season (Tentative) Weather permitting, Snowshoe Mountain will open for its 30th year of snow sliding. Thanks to the snow-heavy western exposure of the Alleghenies, this mountain gets as much as 180 natural inches of snow each year. And with 57 runs--all backed up with 100% snowmaking capabilities--guests are guaranteed to find fresh corduroy up here even when Mother Nature isn't cooperating!
Nov 21 - 25 € Ski Free Week. What better way to kick off another great winter season than with FREE lift tickets? Lodge with Snowshoe two or more nights, and your lift tickets are free.
Nov 26 - 29 € Thanksgiving Weekend Package. Snowshoe's Thanksgiving weekend boasts a full menu of activities for young and old, including a bountiful Thanksgiving buffet and special lodging deals.
Nov 30 - Dec 11 € Ski Free Week. A second week of free lift tickets when you lodge two or more nights with Snowshoe.

Snowshoe instructor earns spot on
Eastern demo team



Snowshoe's Ski and Snowboard School Director
Rob Mahan in action
Photo courtesy Snowshoe Mtn. Resort
      Snowshoe Mountain's Ski and Snowboard School has long been a leader in the Mid-Atlantic region, teaching young and old how to slide on snow. Now Rob Mahan, Ski and Snowboard School Director, has been recognized as one of the best skiers in the East, earning a spot on the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) Eastern Demonstration Team.
      The PSIA Eastern Division has 11,000 members from Maine to Florida, with only 11 slots available on the team. Mahan is the first ski instructor south of the Mason-Dixon line to be selected to the Eastern Demo team. Selection was based on three days of testing in the spring, including skiing tasks, indoor presentations and on-hill teaching and technical knowledge.
      "Everyone was nervous about testing," Mahan said. "There was a little performance anxiety, but the whole idea is for us to be a team, so the group would help everyone pull through. After all, one of the most important aspects of coaching is establishing and building a sound rapport with your peers."
      The Ashland, Kentucky, native began skiing when he was nine years old on the hills of Snowshoe Mountain and the now-defunct Lakewood Village in Ashland. At age 18, Mahan joined Snowshoe's ski and snowboard school selling lessons and teaching both skiing and snowboarding. Thirteen years later, Mahan was appointed Snowshoe's Ski and Snowboard School Director.
      "My passion and love for the sport has kept me skiing all these years," Mahan said. "And the people and surrounding area have kept me at Snowshoe during that time. The area is big enough to offer plenty of activities like mountain biking and kayaking, but small enough to be a tight-knit community."
      Mahan will now travel throughout the region training for the U. S. National Demonstration Team tryout at Snowbird, Utah, in 2004. PSIA was founded in 1961, with the first national demonstration team formed in 1962. The inaugural team was comprised of 14 athletes, 11 hailing from the east. PSIA now has nine divisions nationwide and one National team. The mission of PSIA is to support members to develop personally and professionally, create positive learning experiences and have fun.

People you meet

Lefty Meeks
Real Name: Lyle
Age: Will be 80 on Christmas Day
Family: Widowed; 1 daughter, 3 grandchildren, 1 great grandson
Occupation: The Barber of Cass
Born: Stony Bottom
Education: Wheeling Barber College
Hobbies: Loafing
Philosophy of life: "Clean living."
Lefty Meeks, 'loafin' on the job.
The Barber of Cass
Lefty Meeks
Photo by Sunny Given
      They come from everywhere to the nearly 100-year-old shop, just past the Cass General Store. Visitors from out of state who come to ride the trains and regulars from as far as Franklin and Morgantown come to Lefty Meeks to get their hair cut.
      "I'm pretty sure I've cut hair from every state in the US, even some from overseas." On the day I visited, Lefty and his regular patron from Franklin were chatting.
      "I travel 96 miles round trip to get my hair cut," he said. "Wife thinks it's too far, but I won't go anywhere else."
      Lefty mentioned his Morgantown regular had been in earlier that week. "He tells me he only comes in to look at that picture on the wall there," nodding to a poster-sized photo of a 70-something Lefty kicking up his heels with two bikini-clad 20-something women - one on each side. "We went to Emerald Isle one summer, and my daughter asked those girls - complete strangers - to pose with me."
      Lyle "Lefty" Meeks has been cutting hair at Cass since 1954. He barbered in Durbin for a year before that. He trained under the former Cass barber, Clyde Wilmouth, before taking over the shop. He hardly looks his age.
      Lefty was born and raised in Stony Bottom. He recalled catching the school bus in Clover Lick with his brother back in the 30s. They had to walk about 4 miles to the bus stop.
      "That was as far as the bus came, back then."
      Lefty quit school after 8th grade. One of the deciding factors was the bitter cold winters and that long walk to catch the bus.
      He joined the Civilian Conservation Corps at age 17 and worked at camps at Black Mountain and Thornwood, doing roadwork for two years, before being drafted into the Army.
      He spent time in Germany during World War II, then returned to the states to Akron, Ohio, where he worked at a chemical plant for about a year before entering barber school. He returned to West Virginia, and attended Wheeling Barber College.
      I asked Lefty what made him choose barbering.
      "Well, after watching some barbers work, I just decided I'd like to do that," he replied.
      "The worst of it's been barbering," Lefty said, with a twinkle in his eye.
      The best thing about his job he said is "Meeting people. I like the work, I like the people. I think that's all that's kept me going."
      The worst thing, he said, is "Kids throwing up on you or biting you." He told me the story of one little boy who was squalling. "His momma tried to settle him down by shoving a chocolate bar in his mouth. You can imagine, it was quite a mess!"
      No child has ever brought blood, but Lefty says "they'll bite you hard enough to let you know they don't like getting a haircut."
      Lefty's most memorable years were when Cass was a thriving company logging town. All he houses were full and the mill was busy all the time. Back then he was open six days a week. Some days he'd work from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. with no dinner, no supper. Prom nights were especially busy, too.
      "One day back in the early 60s, I cut 47 haircuts in one day. I had 14 people still sitting in here at 7:00 p.m. Now I don't want any more than 50 a week."
      He works from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
      The mill shut down in 1960. Business all but died and the state bought the railroad in 1962.
      "The trains were all that saved this place." Lefty said, speaking of the scenic railroad, which began running in 1963.
      Not much seems to slow Lefty down. He's been through knee surgery, had both shoulders operated on, gall stones and his appendix removed. He's a cancer survivor. When he was diagnosed 11 years ago, "they came and did the chemo here at the shop," he said. For an almost 80-year-old, he gets along remarkably well, and his mind and his wit are razor sharp.
      Although he only lives a block or so from his shop, he drives to work every day. I asked him why he doesn't walk. "People see the car, and they know I'm here," he said.
      Lefty has a lot of local regular customers including folks with summer camps who come in for a trim. He said June Galford, of Dunmore, has probably come to him the longest - about 20 years. "When the flat tops started getting popular, June would come in and ask me how I thought he'd look with one. I told him I thought he'd look just fine, but he'd always change his mind. The last time he asked me that question, I took the razor and shaved a strip across his head and told him, 'There. Now, what do you think?' He let me finish the cut and he's had a flat top ever since."
      Lefty explained how a flat top haircut actually takes more time than a regular trim. "You have to use wax to make it stand up just right on top. It really use to burn me when I'd spend all that time on kids, then the first thing they'd to is take their hands and press it down."
      You won't find any gel or mousse on the shelves at Lefty's. Most folks who stop in get an old fashioned hair cut for $4. Back when he started out, Lefty charged 50 cents a cut; 35 cents for kids. As the shops in Marlinton started raising their rates, he'd add a little on to his price, too.
      He talks about how prices have gone up in the 50 years he's cut hair. "When I started, clippers were $29.95. Now a good set costs $122. Combs used to be 10 cents each, and now they run $1.45." He admits he saves a little by buying combs in bulk. He goes through quite a few. "They don't make "em as good as they used to."
      He's been watching the state restore the Masonic Hall across the street with some interest. "You wouldn't believe the stuff they've done with that building."
      Lefty spoke about his daughter and grandkids. His daughter, Leisha Cassell, is a paramedic and works at the clinic in Durbin. He's got one granddaughter in Florida and one in Shepherdstown, and a grandson in Martinsburg. He pointed out with pride the photo of his great-grandson hanging over the mirror that spans the width of the shop.
      As I walked about his shop, looking at the old barber chairs, ancient pedestal sink, knickknacks collected in a lifetime of work, and tools of his profession, I heard the train whistle. Lefty looked at his watch and I asked him if he could set it by the trains. "Almost, " he grinned.
 

It's Official:
County's Tourism Director Is Tops!


We need to work together within the county to have a plan in place to maintain our rural nature as growth occurs.
Price (third from left) with Tourism Board members Ruth Taylor, Mary Snyder and Leslie Cain.
Photo by Steve Shaluta
      The West Virginia Division of Tourism has officially confirmed what folks around here have known for quite a while. Gail Price, executive director of the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, is very, very good at her job. Price was apparently the only one who was surprised when her name was announced as West Virginia's "Tourism Professional of the Year" at the Stars of the Industry Awards Luncheon which concluded the annual Governor's Conference on Tourism on Oct. 2.
      Price was nominated for the award by the PCCVB board and staff. In her nomination letter, Board President Leslie Cain, owner of the Old Clark Inn, stated: "Local tourism businesses frequently call upon Gail for guidance and advice, and she is highly regarded throughout the state for her professionalism, fairness and skill."
      "Gail is a strong leader in addition to being a lot of fun to work with. She has made a tremendous contribution to the tourism industry, not only in Pocahontas County but in the state. We felt that she deserved to be recognized for all the hard work she does," Cain commented.
      Price has earned widespread admiration for her creative approach to marketing Pocahontas County. She was among the first to develop a magazine-format travel guide rather than relying solely on brochures to promote the attractions of the area. The travel guide, which featured beautiful photography, comprehensive information and no advertising, quickly became a model for others in the state and has won numerous design awards.
      Price was also ahead of the curve, so to speak, in partnering with Snowshoe Mountain to promote Pocahontas County as a destination for motorcycle touring, a strategy that has created a whole new legion of fans for the area. She has identified other niche markets that are a natural fit for the county, including birders, mountain bikers, and railroad buffs.
      Although she enjoys many aspects of her work, it is the challenge of developing a community-based effort to build up tourism in a rural area that really appeals to her. She began her career in rural tourism in Virginia as executive director of the Virginia Highlands Travel Council and the Highland County Chamber of Commerce. She was wooed across the state line to take the Pocahontas County job in early 1997.
      "Pocahontas County already had such a good base to build from, with great state parks and Snowshoe Mountain here," she commented. "West Virginia has a much stronger state tourism program than Virginia. The state parks here are better than any I've ever dealt with, and we are extremely fortunate to have the hotel-motel tax and direct advertising grant programs to help fund tourism promotion. It's important to guard these dedicated programs that enable us to be so effective," she said.
Price's award, a hand-painted vase etched with her name
Price's award, a hand-painted vase etched with her name.
Photo by Steve Shaluta
      Price's enjoyment of and ability to work with community groups has been a key factor in her effectiveness within the county.
      "I think we are lucky to have her. She is great to work with from a media perspective, and she certainly gives tourism here a very professional quality," commented Pam Pritt, managing editor of The Pocahontas Times. "Her positive attitude and spin on everything has always been refreshing."
      She has put that can-do attitude to work on many projects, including the restoration of the Greenbrier River Trail following a devastating flood in 1996. Through her involvement with the Greenbrier River Trail Association, she is continuing to work on improving the trail, including a project now underway to add interpretive sign-age. She has also involved the CVB in many local events such as the Autumn Harvest Festival, Bike Night and the Great Greenbrier River Race. Price is currently participating in a multi-county effort between West Virginia and Virginia to promote Highway 39 between Lexington, Virginia. and Summersville, as the Mountain Waters Byway. She serves on the board of the Snowshoe Institute, is very active with the West Virginia CVB Association and is involved with a number of other tourism related organizations. Even with her many successes, culminating in being named "Tourism Person of the Year," Price said her most satisfying achievement has been the growth of the Convention & Visitors Bureau during her tenure. When she arrived in 1997, the CVB had two full-time employees. There are now three full-time and one part-time employee in the Visitors Center at the Marlinton Depot, and the CVB operates seasonal Visitors Centers at the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Cass Scenic Railroad State Park and the Durbin Depot.
      Although there are many issues and challenges involved in the tourism industry, the bottom line is providing services to the traveling public, and with such a small staff Price does her share of dealing directly with visitors. Her favorite story is that of the Floridian who called from a phone booth in Roanoke, Virginia during a storm. He was headed to Snowshoe Mountain, and he asked if Price thought he would wreck his car on the way.
      "I still laugh when I think about that one," Price said. "Then he asked if I thought he should put chains on his car. When I said he should if he thought he'd feel safer, he asked me where to buy them!"
      Looking ahead to the future of tourism in the area, Price sees big changes ahead in the next few years as Snowshoe continues its ambitious expansion plans. "We need to work together within the county to have a plan in place to maintain our rural nature as this growth occurs," Price said. "It's not a negative thing. I believe it is a very positive thing. But we need to work and plan to maintain the wonderful resources we have here for future generations."
 

Unique 'instruments' are featured in
November Opera House performances


Soup Kitchen
Will Fanning, Bill Kimmons and Rebecca Kimmons
      The historic Pocahontas County Opera House on Third Avenue in Marlinton will be the venue for two concerts featuring unique "instruments" in November.
      Soup Kitchen, a popular a capella gospel trio, will perform on Saturday, November 8, and the WVU Percussion Ensemble will be on the bill on Friday, November 14. Both concerts are at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 and can only be purchased at the door.
      The members of Soup Kitchen are often amused when listeners describe them as "those people who sing with no music." They sometimes take the opportunity to gently point out that they make music with built-in string instruments, their vocal cords. They are a human string trio that might be compared to bass fiddle, cello and viola, except that the Soup Kitchen instruments tell stories, and the rhythm and percussion are made of words.
      Soup Kitchen, known individually as Will Fanning, Bill Kimmons and Rebecca Kimmons, has been around in one form or another since 1982, when as The Soup Kitchen Gospel Quartet, they wheedled a performance during a break at the first Friends of Old Time Music and Dance (FOOTMAD) Festival near Charleston. Their a capella arrangements of old-time gospel songs brought down the house, and they've been at it ever since. They sing a variety of gospel tunes, rhythm and blues favorites, and an original tune or two.

WVU Percussion Ensemble
They put on a great show. Don't miss it!
      The WVU Percussion Ensemble will give two performances at the Opera House Friday, November 14. The group will give a school performance in the afternoon and a public performance in the evening.
      Over the past 25 years, the Percussion Department at WVU has developed into one of the most respected in the nation. Because of its commitment to excellence, its reputation has also spread worldwide. Besides emphasis on the primary instruments, WVU percussion students also experience a wide spectrum of opportunities through the World Music Center. They put on a great show. Don't miss it!
      These performances are part of a performance series sponsored by the Pocahontas County Opera House Foundation with financial assistance from Pocahontas County Drama, Fairs and Festivals, the West Virginia Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
      Opera House performances are informal and family friendly. Refreshments are available for a donation to the Opera House Foundation. For further information, call (304) 799-4009.
 

Historical Museum to hold
Christmas Party & patron appreciation days


      Do you remember bubble lights on a Christmas tree? Did you have an aluminum tree? You can view these and more, plus Christmas toys from days past at the Christmas Party and patron appreciation days at the Pocahontas County Historical Museum in Marlinton.
      Located on Rt. 219 south, the museum will also have on display photography by Cal Gay. Gay was a photographer in the early 1900s who took panoramic photos around the county of reunions, scenery, towns and buildings. He also operated a studio. Gay captured history on film with his photographs of the county and offers people today a clear picture of the past.
      Included in the display are the Waugh reunion (circa 1920), Campbelltown church picnic (1923), Masonic Lodge, Modern Woodsmen, bridges, and the town of Marlinton. Some people in the photos are not yet identified, and the museum would appreciate the public's help in putting names to the unknown faces.
      Music and refreshments will be served. The Christmas party will be held December 5 through 7. Hours of operation are Friday, from 5 to 7 p.m. - before the Marlinton Christmas Parade, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. There is no charge for admission.
 

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Building Supplies
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you see on our pages. Please take time
to patronize their businesses!
Counter started Oct. 28, 2002
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