Community Projects

Dick Miley, a member of both Toastmasters and Rotary and co-director of the Tour d'Apple (TDA), gave this update to FSTM for the 2023 effort:  

579 cyclists registered for TDA with 551 who actually rode one of the four TDA routes around the County - you helped refresh and encourage about 450!  [About 90 25-milers did not reach your rest stop.

You have helped Four Seasons Rotary raise funds for charitable purposes, including scholarships and emergency funds at Blue Ridge Community College, improvements at Rotary Park on W. Allen St, Special Needs sports, and many more worthwhile causes.

 The 2022 event was not rained out, but cyclists were drenched and volunteers tried to not be.

On September 4, 2021, riders came from near and far because they like the Tour D’Apple. Riders said they like the course, the cause, and the organizational efficiency. Some riders have been coming since the ride began nine years ago. Some riders even had Tour D’Apple clothing from previous years.

The weather was perfect for the ride. Mud Creek Baptist Church in East Flat Rock hosted the rest stop site. The church parking lot served as a nice place for bikers to refresh, repair their bikes or use the Port-a-Lets. Chris Johnson, the Rotary volunteer in charge, organized us to unload the U-Haul full of tables, Gatorade, water, snacks and various Covid items. Then a volunteer bike repair truck also showed up.

Perhaps the most valuable player was Toastmaster Susann Swan and her ham radio set-up to use in case of excess heat or rain. She also volunteered for the ham radio club to keep us informed about the status of riders. We learned about a biker crash and his transport to the hospital. Most important, we learned the numbers of the last bikers to start the ride and expected time of arrival at our rest stop. The role of all volunteers, Toastmasters and Rotarians, was to cheer on the bikers, give information about the various routes and make them feel welcome. Many said our rest stop had the best snacks and was the best. (Reporter Judy Groff)

Update from Dick Miley: more than 550 cyclists entered, most visiting our rest stop, all cycling for at least 45 miles and half cranked out 63 or even 100 miles. We expect that ultimately we will find that the Tour’s proceeds will exceed $20,000.  Our Club will use those proceeds for projects like scholarships and student emergency funds at BRCC, books for local school libraries, playground equipment for Rotary Park on W. Allen Street in Hendersonville, and numerous other community needs.

This project on 5-8-21 was the first high visibility effort of the Four Seasons Toastmasters and the Four Seasons Rotary. The two clubs have jointly adopted the Highway 191 stretching from Mountain Road to Rugby Road. This resulted in bags of routine litter and also a bag of “cans for CART” with the sale of the aluminum cans for the Coins for Alzheimer’s Trust.

This clean-up is to be at least every three months. Many thanks to the participants: Rotarians Bob Engstrom, Ray Daley, Catherine Daley (Rotary spouse), Hal Manasa, Dick Miley, PDG Bill Biddle, and Joann Biddle and also Toastmasters Don and Judy Groff and Susann Swan. Ray Daley and Dick Miley are also Toastmasters.

Trash Pick-up #2, August 21, 2012

This project conceived and promoted in a speech by Don Groff to Four Seasons Toastmasters and then to FSTM and Four Seasons Rotary in a joint Zoom has bloomed. TM/Rotarian Dick Miley took an early lead and has continued to promote the event. Mid to late November will be the third quarterly commitment. Come join us!

This below was the most recent upload, from November 2023.  It included our most recent member, Barbara Loomis on the bottom left, who was accompanied by her spouse.  Now that is commitment!