“Our overall focus continues to be on creating a patient and family-centered environment within Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge,” said Bailey. “We believe the transformation at Valdese will help us achieve that goal for this community.”

Sleek, lighted signs now greet visitors and residents alike at the Burke Chamber offices and Visitors Center in downtown Morganton. Designed and produced by Assurance Signs in Granite Falls with electrical work provided by Triangle Contractors  — both members of the Burke Chamber — the signs feature the Chamber’s name and new logo, as well as the Visitors Center locator. The signage completes a re-branding project that began in 2012 and included not only a new logo but also a revised mission, vision and values statement.

New Chamber members celebrating their grand openings with ribbon cuttings are in the spotlight in a new feature in the News Herald called “Open for Business.” Three businesses were highlighted in the first “Open for Business” feature that ran in the Friday, June 27, edition on page A8 and in the Monday, June 30, edition of the newspaper on page 14. They were Western NC Real Estate, Marketing Uncorked and Mission My Care Specialty. “Open for Business” is an extension of the Chamber’s new “Biz Wiz” business page that’s published monthly in cooperation with the newspaper. Ribbon cuttings are one of many Celebration Services provided to Chamber members in addition to groundbreakings, company anniversaries, dedications and other commemorations. If your company is nearing such a milestone, call the Chamber at 437-3021 and let us help you make it a truly special event.

Warren Wilson College, Western Piedmont Community College and the Exploring Joara Foundation invite the public to a field day event at the Berry Archaeological Site in Morganton this Saturday, June 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors will have the chance to see a portion of the newly discovered moat, which was found during last summer’s excavations.

Field day activities at the Berry Site will include archaeology demonstrations, displays of Native American artifacts recovered from the site, hands-on learning activities and pottery demonstrations. Admission is free and parking is available on-site, though $5 donations per car are encouraged. For more information about the event and to learn more about the many other year-round events offered by the Exploring Joara Foundation, visit ExploringJoara.org or call 828-439-2463.

Burke Hospice & Palliative Care has been honored with the first annual Deyta Hospice Honors Award for 2103, placing the organization among the top 100 hospices in the US for customer satisfaction. Deyta, LLC, is a national leader in helping thousands of healthcare and other businesses measure and manage customer satisfaction.  Birgit Lisanti, President & CEO of Burke Hospice, said she and her team use Deyta’s results and other information to “improve the quality of care delivered to patients and families on a continuing basis.”  The non-profit serves Burke, Catawba, Caldwell, Avery, McDowell, Rutherford, Cleveland and Lincoln counties of Western North Carolina.

 The Farm to Fork Eatery is now open at Silver Fork Winery. Betty Sperry brings her own unique combination of fresh flavors, while focusing on organically or locally sourced produce, breads and cheeses.  Paired with Silver Fork Wines, the menu offers an assortment of salads, sandwiches and Panini’s that are all made to order.  The Farm to Fork Eatery is open on Saturdays and Sundays.  Visit Silver Fork Winery’s web site to see the many special events that make the winery a great destination for locals and visitors alike.

The Fourth Annual Mission Transition Burke County Job Fair will be held Thursday, June 26, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Conference Center at the Foothills Higher Education Center. The event is free and open to the public. No registration is required but job seekers are encouraged to arrive early because event organizers expect a large turnout. The Job Fair draws between 60 and 80 employers each year. 

To prepare for the event, job seekers can participate in a class at the Division of Workforce Solutions called NC Works Orientation. The class is held each Monday and Friday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and assists job seekers with NC Works online registration and writing a resume. The class is free and open to the public. Spots can be reserved by calling 828-438-6161.

Employers interested in attending the Job Fair should contact Hope Hopkins by June 19 at 828-764-9373. This year’s event is sponsored by The News Herald, a part of BH Media Group; the Burke County Chamber of Commerce; the Western Piedmont Council of Governments; Leviton; McDonald’s; Aaron’s; Olive Hill Community Economic Development Center; Silver Quarter Solutions; Adecco; and Burke Development, Inc. The Fair is also supported by Vocational Rehabilitation; Burke County; Western Piedmont Community College; and the NC Division of Workforce Solutions.

Chamber Board Chairman Scott Mulwee with (L-R) Tammy Taylor, Gina Setterlind and Tammy Matney from the Tea Tree.

The winner of the 2014 Foundation Award for the Mid-Sized Business of the Year is Bridgeway Solutions. The company is the Southeast’s largest provider of full-service identification management solutions for business, education, industry, emergency response agencies, healthcare, and state and local governments. The company uses best-of-class hardware, software and consumables to safeguard its clients’ employees, data and other valuable assets. Founded in 1976, the company relocated its headquarters to Morganton in 2003. In the ensuing years, company president J.Michael Bridges and his late wife, Deborah, transformed an old structure in downtown Morganton into an award-winning, state-of-the-art facility, that is frequently used by community organizations. The firm’s leaders and team members are active in a variety of community-based organizations. Among other honors, Mike is a recipient of the NC Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award and the SBA’s Small Businessman of the Year Award. Past winners have included DeFeet International, Burke Hospice & Palliative Care and James Tool Machine and Engineering.

Judges praised the quality of all the companies nominated for this year’s awards. Catawba Valley Staffing’s team, along with other finalists, received a framed certificate to display at their business.

Chamber Board Chairman Scott Mulwee and Interim Chamber President Jerry Davis teamed up to present the awards. Davis called the 16 Cornerstone Award nominees “an interesting and diverse group, almost a cross section of business in Burke County.”

The five winners each received a Cornerstone Award sculpture to display in their business. For the first time, nominees who did not receive one of the Cornerstone Awards will each receive a commemorative framed certificate.