Tammie Gercken

1 month ago | morganton.com | Tammie Gercken

The Foothills Festival Singers of Burke County, myself included, sang their hearts out at their spring concert at First Baptist Church two weeks ago. Singing with other people brings back a lifetime’s worth of fun, cherished memories. I’ve sung in a choir every year since I was 10 years old, starting with school. Our high school choir was a tight-knit group of friends that shared the love of singing. Other kids called us nerds, but as far as we were concerned, we were choir nerds and proud of it.

1 month ago | morganton.com | Tammie Gercken

Bill Wilson, director of CoMMA, expects things will stay pretty much the same there in 2016. “The shows will go on, the lights will still go up, and the sound will still either be too loud or too soft.”But starting January 31, 2016, the shows will go on without Wilson. He plans to retire from the position he’s held for 30 years. Wilson, a native of Bristol, Tennessee, graduated from East Tennessee State University with a dual degree in speech with a theater concentration and history.

1 month ago | morganton.com | Tammie Gercken

I’m thinking of you, readers, as 2015 ends. I’ve met a lot of you, and had the privilege of writing about your lives and dreams for the future. You have amazed and inspired me. So what are you planning for 2016? Are you chasing a “big dream,” a goal that really excites you, or have you had to put it aside to focus on other things for a while? Or just given up? I’ve traveled the spectrum with that process. I’ve had failures and disasters, and dreams I’ve had to put off for years just to survive.

Jun 30, 2024 | morganton.com | Tammie Gercken

Several people in Burke County were recently honored by the state for their volunteer service. The 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards ceremony for Burke County took place May 21 in the fellowship hall at First United Methodist Church of Morganton. The Volunteer Burke organization coordinates the awards. The organization solicits nominations from the community each year for local volunteers who have gone above and beyond in serving others.

Jun 2, 2024 | morganton.com | Tammie Gercken

An exhibit at the History Museum of Burke County features items that belonged to a former North Carolina governor with a local connection. Last fall, the museum received a set of Victorian-era bedroom furniture that belonged to Governor Tod Caldwell. The gift came from his great-great-grandchildren, Christine Kistler and her brother, Andrew Kistler III, according to museum curator Phyllis Wogan. The pieces include a bed, a gentleman's dresser and a wash stand.