In your “Nonprofit Power” cover story [“Sharing the Wealth,” April 9], you chose to highlight the biggest and best-known nonprofit organizations in our area. In future, I hope you will feature some of the region’s smaller and lesser-known—but equally important—cultural, medical and educational nonprofits. They are run by dedicated people who keep them going despite great obstacles, including a daunting level of public indifference.
Over the years, I have observed with admiration the work of Sarah Orem and Marilyn Carter at Meals on Wheels, Kathi Ballard at the Asheville City Schools Foundation, Vic Howard at the Western Carolina Rescue Mission, Tammy Walsh at the Smith-McDowell Museum and Dr. Margaret Noel at Memory Care. Laboring in relative obscurity, they have accepted the responsibility to raise money, assemble staff and organize the delivery of valuable services to the public.
Each of these people and their organizations—along with many more—deserve wider coverage and greater public approbation. Can you imagine what our communities would be without them?
— John D. Johnston Jr.
Hendersonville
Dr. Peggy Noel rocks. Thoms got rid of his geriatric program by and large, so Dr. Noel set one up over at Givens Estates. She is a doctor who truly cares. We love you Dr. Noel!!