Becky Banadyga continues legacy of Sherman Tree Fund

Downtown Hendersonville trees
SHADY GROVE: The Sherman Tree Fund, founded by Becky Banadyga's father, Kalman Sherman, supports downtown trees in Hendersonville. Photo courtesy of the city of Hendersonville

Becky Banadyga’s Hendersonville roots run deep: She’s the third-generation owner (with husband Rex) of the city’s Sherman Sporting Goods, which was opened by her grandfather, Louis Sherman, in 1922 and run by her father, Kalman Sherman, until his retirement about 20 years ago. Those roots are literal as well — in 1997, Kalman Sherman partnered with the Community Foundation of Henderson County to create the Sherman Tree Fund, donating $7,500 to mark the 75th anniversary of the family business.

Banadyga laughs when asked if her father was a big outdoorsman. “No! But he loved trees. He thought they were vital for the well-being of the community and brought beauty to the commercial area.”

The fund, which has grown to over $40,000 through gifts and investments, continues to purchase replacements for downtown trees that are old, diseased or removed for redevelopment. Not all of the trees on Main Street are gifts from the Sherman Fund, but the many that are likely played a role in Hendersonville’s 2018 designation as North Carolina Tree City of the Year by the N.C. Forest Service.

“I remember coming to the store when I was a kid and seeing all the big mature trees on Main Street,” Banadyga says. “A lot of those are gone now, but the ones we have are thriving and beautiful.”

Editor’s note: As part of our monthlong celebration of this region’s commitment to sustainable ways of living and working in community, Xpress is highlighting some of those who are making a difference by taking action on a variety of creative and inspiring initiatives.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Kay West
Kay West began her writing career in NYC, then was a freelance journalist in Nashville for more than 30 years, including contributing writer for the Nashville Scene, Nashville correspondent for People magazine, author of five books and mother of two happily launched grown-up kids. In 2019 she moved to Asheville and continued writing (minus Red Carpet coverage) with a focus on food, farming and hospitality. She is a die-hard NY Yankees fan.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.