Talk of the Town: | Blowing Rocket | wataugademocrat.com – Watauga Democrat

I almost focused this weeks Talk of the Town column on ambulance service to Blowing Rock but decided to save that for another day. For this week, I want to say how blessed we are to have things returning to some semblance of normal.

First, on July 23 we enjoyed the return of Symphony by the Lake at Chetola Resort. The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce sold out of their 2,500 available tickets within a very few hours of their becoming available. There were patron tents aplenty, which is another good revenue source for one of the chambers biggest fundraising events of the year.

It felt like there were more than 2,500 in attendance. The weather was fantastic, the music was wonderful, and spirits were high.

Kudos and thanks, really to the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce team led by events chair Suzy Barker. Execution had to have been near flawless because we heard zero complaints. From the introductory remarks by Charlie Sellers, Greg Tarbutton and Hendrick Automotives Bobby Rice to the extraordinary fireworks display that capped off the evening, it was a magical night. And, of course, a tip of the cap also goes to Cornelia Laemmli Orth and the Symphony of the Mountains for a grand orchestra performance.

Yesterday (Monday, July 26), I ventured out to the Blowing Rock Equestrian Preserve to witness firsthand the preparations for the Hunter-Jumper Division of the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show. It runs the next two weeks, through August 8, and it is as big as ever. With the more than 500 horses on the property and almost 2,000 people directly associated with the horse show, there is an enormous economic impact on the Town of Blowing Rock, not to mention inspiring entertainment. Watching those men and women, boys and girls put the magnificent athletes through their paces is fascinating, to say the least.

On the front page of this edition of The Blowing Rocket, there is a story about the horse show and its scope. I marvel that only about 36 people on the horse show staff make it possible for the competitors to do their thing, and to do it safely. All of those horses and people moving about this way and that at the same time on what amounts to a 20-acre postage stamp requires a lot of coordination, collaboration, and cooperation from all parties.

Can you imagine? 7,000 bags of wood chips for the stalls, 4,000 bales of hay for the horses to munch on, and they spend $30,000 during the events just to manage and dispose of the manure.

Both at the Symphony, as well as at the horse show, I saw few masks being worn. As a consequence, I saw some terrific smiles.

There are reports of an uptick in COVID-19 infections, especially among the unvaccinated. I get it that vaccination is and should be a personal choice, but it is hard to comprehend, given the evidence, why someone would not be vaccinated at this point. After we witnessed what the disease can do if unchecked, this isnt about losing our personal freedoms or government control. It is about the survival of the human race. If everyone in history had the same fear of getting a shot, a much larger share of our population would probably have contracted polio by now. Then there is the mumps, measles, small pox, shingles, SARS, chicken pox, hepatitis, mumps, whooping cough, and more. Without vaccinations, I hate to think what kind of plagues would have gripped the worlds human populations.

I was initially skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccinations, too. I admit it, but I got over the distrust. Yeah, like just about everyone else, I was flat on my back for a day so and missed work and one party as a result. But that was it. One day and I bounced right back, good as new.

Conspiracy theorists have offered that COVID-19 was part of some Chinese plot to develop germ warfare and the virus leaked out of a lab in Wuhan, perhaps on purpose as a sinister human trial or, more likely, accidentally.

While yes, it would be nice to know how the virus was able to jump from bats to humans, it really doesnt matter. The world mobilized like never before to control the virus spread and, at the same, the biopharmaceutical industry developed multiple and effective vaccines faster than had ever been previously accomplished.

It is annoying that we still have to wear a mask when we visit a healthcare facility. Reluctantly, I still comply. It is not that I am a lemming following a pied piper of the government, but if that is the price of getting a checkup, treated for cancer or blood clots, or having cataracts removed from my eyes, well it is a small inconvenience.

I dont like even the idea of masks, but I hope that we can get through what they are calling an uptick in recent incidences of COVID-19 quickly. After all, football season is coming and while it is better viewing to watch it on television, there is nothing like going through the ups and downs of a game with a crowd, up close and personal.

David Rogers is the editor of the Blowing Rocket.

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Talk of the Town: | Blowing Rocket | wataugademocrat.com - Watauga Democrat