By Chris Dolman
The Lake Lure Music Festival recently visited the Lake Lure Classical Academy (LLCA) on the 2nd day of the new school year to present a $25,000 donation to the school in support of its mission. Festival Producing Artistic Director, Chris Dolman, was joined by Festival Sponsors, including Jeff Geisler, General Manager of Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure, Lyn Weaver of The Lake Lure Group, Jacob Pacetti of Cheney Brothers, Festival donor Woody Turner, as well as Laura Krejci and Ned Kiser, board members of the Lake Lure Community Education Foundation.
New School Director, Dr. Joy Scott, provided a tour of the school’s Outdoor Learning Center, a series of gardens and learning environments that bring students outside to experience a dynamic method of hands-on learning. Dr. Scott spoke with great enthusiasm about the many opportunities the outside grounds afford teachers and their students. There are several outdoor “classrooms” framed by garden areas and weather-proof chalkboards. On this day, the chalkboards were filled with inspiring messages as well as the school’s overall mission. The gardens have a large variety of plants and vegetables throughout, some in beautiful stone structures. Dr. Scott, shared that in addition to growing the garden, a long-term goal is for students to eventually learn how to grow their own healthy food.
Dr. Scott was also excited to share the school’s 2026-27 inspirational motto, “Soaring to Success”. This principle is being integrated in different ways throughout the school, including banners in the hallways, to encourage students to strive for their goals this year. The board members and visitors were enthused by the plans for the new year as well as the energy and excitement on campus.
A few days later the Festival provided a donation to the Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach (HNGO), the area’s food pantry. HNGO will use the funds to help with their funding of school supplies for LLCA students and to also assist HNGO’s weekend food program that provides food boxes for students and their families that experience food insecurity.
Speaking of both the school and the food pantry, Dolman noted that, “It is hard to quantify how important both are to our community. A successful school positively impacts our children every day and sets them on a path for future success, both immediate and long-term. Outreach, through its programs, its wonderful and dedicated volunteers, the generosity of our community and the leadership of Karen King, serves those in our community who need assistance, often in the most challenging of times. The work they do and support they give is profound.”
With their latest funding, the Festival has reached nearly $100,000 in community support since its inception in 2019. Dolman reiterated that the Festival places no requirements or demands on how the LLCA uses its donations. Previously, the school has designated Festival funds for the school music program, to help fund a middle school music teacher, to support the new “Feed the Children” program that provides meals for students throughout the year, and other areas. The Festival asks that HNGO use its funds to support LLCA children and families in the area.
After the success of its June “Come Back to Lake Lure” bluegrass concert, The Festival was looking ahead. Dolman offered, “Once we finished the June concert, we started work on some new projects.”
He added, “That said, without the incredible generosity and support of our local businesses, and our friends in the community, we could not bring the award-winning and renowned artists to the area that we’ve been fortunate to have here. That generosity leads directly to us being able to offer support to vital institutions. It’s with real gratitude that we thank those who have continued to see the value in what we do.”
If you are interested in supporting the Lake Lure Music Festival, please email, lakeluremusic@gmail.com. For more information on the Festival, visit https://lakeluremusicfestival.com
