Digging out in downtown Black Mountain
PubCorps taps community for volunteer snow removal initiative
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
January 18, 2022
Clay Hile shovels snow off the sidewalk in front of the Dancing Dragonfly. He was one of at least two dozen volunteers who helped local nonprofit organization PubCorps clear walkways and parking lots in downtown Black Mountain on Jan. 18. Photo by Fred McCormick
When the sun came up over downtown Black Mountain, Jan. 18, the snowy remnants of Winter Storm Izzy blanketed sidewalks and parking areas, leaving much of the district inaccessible to pedestrians.
Hours later, with the help of local nonprofit organization PubCorps and dozens of local residents, much of that snow had been shoveled away.
The weekend snowstorm dumped nearly a foot of snow on much of the Swannanoa Valley, prompting Buncombe County and the Town of Black Mountain to declare a state of emergency in anticipation of the weather event. Many businesses in the area were closed, Jan 16 and 17, as road conditions deteriorated through Sunday and Monday.
As crews from public works and the N.C. Department of Transportation continued clearing roadways, a team of volunteers, coordinated by PubCorps Operations Chief John Kennedy, lifted heavy shovels full of snow near businesses along Broadway Avenue, State Street and Cherry Street.
Founded by Black Mountain business owner John Richardson in 2019, PubCorps endeavors to connect pubs, breweries, restaurants and bars with volunteer opportunities. The nonprofit was active in organizing events aimed at fighting food insecurity for over a year, prior to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization, which is planning a relaunch in the coming months, appealed to the public in a social media post on Jan. 17.
“Let’s get our Black Mountain businesses back open,” the organization posted on its Facebook page. “Shovel snow with the PubCorps crew, and get a beer on us.”
Richardson, Kennedy and others greeted dozens of volunteers, beginning at 10 a.m., as groups began shoveling sidewalks along both sides of Broadway Avenue. Each volunteer over the age of 21 received a ticket that could be redeemed for a free beer at nearby Black Mountain Brewing, later in the day.
A team of volunteers, organized by PubCorps, gathered in downtown Black Mountain, Jan. 18, to help clear sidewalks and parking lots after Winter Storm Izzy. Photo by Fred McCormick
“PubCorps tapped into something that I think is really interesting, which is this desire for community, volunteering and reconnecting on an in-person basis,” Kennedy said. “We were doing great things with our meal packaging until COVID came along and shut everything down. That really only increased the desire for people to get out, and do something to improve their community.”
Black Mountain native Clay Hile was one of the many volunteers who responded to the call from PubCorps, arriving with his shovel in hand. As he scraped snow and ice off of the walkway in front of the Dancing Dragonfly, he was grateful for the opportunity to help.
“I love this town, and I think this is a great way to get people out, while helping the community,” he said. “It’s also a pretty good way to spend the morning.”
Hile had already cleared an area in front of Cousins Cuban Cafe, where co-owner Betty Sperry was offering free Cuban coffee to the volunteers. The heavy snowfall was the first Sperry has experienced as a business owner in Black Mountain.
“We closed Sunday and Monday, and we were going to open today, but when we got here we noticed the parking lot was still covered,” she said. “We called and were told that this lot behind us would be plowed later today. So, even though we’re normally closed on Wednesdays, we might open tomorrow with the weather warming up, if there is parking.”
Nan Salas, and her husband, Mike, shovel snow in front of Grace Jewelers on Jan. 18. The couple joined a group of volunteers, organized by PubCorps, to help clear areas in downtown Black Mountain after Winter Storm Izzy. Photo by Fred McCormick
Sperry was excited to see PubCorps organize the shoveling initiative.
“When I saw that last night, I felt hopeful,” she said. “It was really encouraging to see people come out and offer to help like that.”
The group of volunteers began on Broadway Avenue and planned to move west along State Street, and down Cherry Street, according to Kennedy.
“It’s really great, because everyone who drives down this street right now is seeing 24 regular people, not municipal workers or paid crews, just people who want to make Black Mountain the best it can be, today,” Kennedy said. “We’ve been having discussions for months about relaunching PubCorps, and looking for opportunities to test these kinds of ideas, and put out calls to the community. This was a chance to do that, and the response has been truly heartening.”
Casey McKissick, owner of Foothills Local Meats, removes snow from in front of his business after Winter Storm Izzy. McKissick cleared on-street parking spaces and sidewalks along much of Black Mountain Avenue. Photo by Fred McCormick
As PubCorps focused its attention to the north of downtown, Foothills Local Meats founder and owner Casey McKissick was clearing the on-street parking and sidewalks in front of his business on Black Mountain Avenue. With the Black Mountain Butcher Bar set to open by noon, he planned to turn his attention to the rest of the block.
“I’m going to clear everything on Black Mountain Avenue, and hopefully help these other businesses open back up,” McKissick said. “I know a lot of people are ready to get going again.”