http://www.merlefest.org/MerleFest RSS Feeds0http://www.merlefest.org/content.aspx?id=6291<p class="text">Mother, nurse, teacher, golf pro, Hawaii Sports Hall of Famer, musician, MerleFest volunteer—all of these words describe Lenore Rittenhouse of Pinehurst, North Carolina. Lenore has become a valued and responsible helper at Little Pickers, Hospitality, and other areas in the three years she has volunteered at MerleFest.</p> <p class="text">Lenore was recruited from her high school in Hawaii as a point guard for the University of Hawaii basketball team, but an injury cut those plans short. After surgery and with a cast still on her lower leg, she began playing golf. She was soon playing on the golf team and in her senior year was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player. After college, Lenore joined the LPGA tour where she played successfully for twenty-two years. She now plays in women's senior events and has taught golf for eight years.</p> <p class="text"><a href="content.aspx?id=6291">[More]</a></p>Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:32:10 GMThttp://www.merlefest.org/content.aspx?id=6290<p class="text">Susan Hazlewood is a very busy person, but she takes time out every year in April to come down the mountain from her home in Blowing Rock, North Carolina to volunteer at MerleFest. Susan is a sourcing specialist for a healthcare/rehab company and, when not working, has many and varied interests. She enjoys horseback riding, hiking, music, kayaking, snowshoeing, dancing, reading, cooking, and volunteering. Some of her volunteer experiences include working with the Appalachian State University Summer and Performing Arts Series and several other music festivals. She also helps build hiking trails at Elk Knob State Park and serves on the board of the Elk Knob Community Heritage Organization. </p> <p class="text"><a href="content.aspx?id=6290">[More]</a></p>Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:27:30 GMThttp://www.merlefest.org/content.aspx?id=6210<p class="text">"A heart to serve the community"—that phrase describes MerleFest volunteer Phillip Summers. Besides his devotion to serving the community at MerleFest, he works in occupational health research at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and has been on several mission trips, the longest being a ten month ministry in Belize.  </p> <p class="text"><a title="[More]" href="content.aspx?id=6210">[More]</a></p>Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:34:43 GMThttp://www.merlefest.org/content.aspx?id=6188<p class="text"><font class="text" size="3">Many thank to all our 2010 MerleFest Volunteers! We could not have this wonderful event without each and every one of you! Hope to see you next year!</font></p>Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:39:38 GMThttp://www.merlefest.org/content.aspx?id=6190<p class="text">Larry Lewin, who will be volunteering at MerleFest for the seventh time this year, is the ultimate Doc Watson fan. He knows that he has shaken Doc's hand three times in the past thirty-four years and can tell you when and where those handshakes occurred. He fondly relates the story of meeting Doc's wife Rosalee at MerleFest 2006 and her kindness to him. One might think Larry is a local northwest North Carolinian when they learn of his love for bluegrass and his admiration for Doc, but no! Larry Lewin lives in Seattle, Washington where he first saw Doc perform along with Clint Howard and Fred Price in 1967 at a Seattle Folklore Society concert.</p> <p><a class="text" href="content.aspx?id=6190">[More]</a></p>Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:25:46 GMThttp://www.merlefest.org/content.aspx?id=5952<p class="text">MerleFest volunteer Ben Engel's musical tastes have come full circle in just twelve short years. Ben's first trip to MerleFest came as a seventh grader when he attended with his parents (both musicians who play Irish and bluegrass), his two sisters, and his friend Jonas. The group drove from their home in Greenville, North Carolina and camped in a tent. Ben remembers, "There was always something about bluegrass that struck a chord with me, and my first trip to MerleFest solidified my love for the music."</p> <p class="text"><a href="content.aspx?id=5952">[More]</a></p>Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:37:56 GMThttp://www.merlefest.org/content.aspx?id=5754<p class="text">Dancers love MerleFest. Two of those dancers are volunteers Mary Harkless and Richard Goldstein of Princeton, West Virginia. "We love to dance -- ballroom, swing, salsa, Cajun, contra dance, and anything else we can jump into with four feet," comments the couple. Mary and Richard have recently been taking a line dancing class and, who sings one of the songs they are dancing to? The Zac Brown Band! Perfect timing for that band's appearance at MerleFest 2010. </p> <p class="text"><a href="content.aspx?id=5754">[More]</a></p>Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:30:48 GMThttp://www.merlefest.org/content.aspx?id=5664<p class="text">Dedicated volunteers -- that's what makes MerleFest possible, and Debby Thomas is a perfect example of that commitment. In 2008, her first year as a volunteer, Debby sprained her back the day before her first volunteer assignment. What did she do? She drove for two uncomfortable hours from Charlotte to Wilkesboro and then worked all her assigned hours during the weekend. "I feel that keeping myself moving and experiencing all the 'positive energy' probably helped my back heal faster." That year and then again in 2009, Debby worked at Nancy's Gate, assisted at Flattop's Getaway, and ushered at various stages. Of volunteering, Debby comments, "It is a great feeling to know that the efforts of everyone involved in the festival benefit not only the college students but the volunteer fire departments and other community service groups in Wilkes County as well."</p> <p class="text"><a href="content.aspx?id=5664">[More]</a></p>Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:32:36 GMT