Beyond the dais: Wandering the woods with Commissioner Terri Wells

GET OUTSIDE: Commissioner Terri Wells says that hiking with her husband, Glenn Ratcliff, is one of her favorite ways to unwind. Photo courtesy of Wells

As part of Xpress‘ annual Wellness Issue series, we reached out to the members of Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners to share their approaches to managing their physical and mental health. Not all elected officials were available.

Below is our conversation with Commissioner Terri Wells.

Xpress: What is your go-to exercise? And, if applicable, where in Buncombe County do you like to do it?

Wells: I love hiking our mountains and meeting friends for a walk on our greenways or at the Botanical Gardens, and I am definitely looking forward to when our new Pisgah View State Park and future Deaverview Mountain County Park open to the public.

On days when you need to mentally unwind, is there a spot in our city that you gravitate to?

Wandering through the woods on our family farm with [my husband] Glenn and [our dog] Lucy is pure joy; it has always been my happy place.

What song gets you most energized (whether it’s for a workout session or a commission meeting)? 

If I am outside in nature, I am already energized. But when I am inside and need to get energized to clean the house or some other chore, my go-to is Prince.

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About Thomas Calder
Thomas Calder received his MFA in Fiction from the University of Houston's Creative Writing Program. His writing has appeared in Gulf Coast, the Miracle Monocle, Juked and elsewhere. His debut novel, The Wind Under the Door, is now available.

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