The North Carolina Society of Historians has selected (BRCO) Bethel Rural Community Organization’s DVD, Walking in the Footsteps of Those Who Came before Us, to receive the Paul Green Multi-Media Award at the organization’s annual awards presentation in Mooresville, NC, on Saturday, October 20.  The Paul Green award is given to people promoting NC history or genealogy through poetry, historical plays, videos, oral histories, music, quilts, or other genres.  The 2012 event is the second time in two years that BRCO’s Historic Preservation Committee and its members have been selected by the state historical organization to receive special recognition. In 2010, Evelyn Coltman, who heads BRCO’s Historic Preservation Committee, was awarded the prestigious Barringer Award of Excellence for her six books titled Legends, Tales & History of Cold Mountain.  

Four individuals who participated in the production of the DVD, as well as the organization itself, were selected to receive commendations from the historical society: Ted Car, Doug Chambers, Evelyn Coltman, and Malinda Messer.  Ted Carr served as overall director of production.  Doug Chambers Productions handled the technical aspect of the filming that included videography and editing. Evelyn Coltman outlined the vision for the project, selected speakers, provided format for the production, and assisted with filming one segment.  Malinda Messer wrote script, participated as a speaker in one production, and assisted in the direction of other segments.  Local historian, Charles Cathey, with his genuine mountain accent and easy charm, narrated the project to express an aura of native authenticity.  Seventeen segments include never before recorded local oral history accounts of eighteen speakers.

Judges Commentary indicated that this is an exceptional piece of work that definitely promotes the history of Bethel.  There are NO boring segments in this story.  The DVD contains the appropriate background music (provided by Ann Lough, the late Dr. William K. McNeil, and Bethel Elementary School Fifth Grade Chorus), great oral histories; all segments are nicely narrated with clear elocution; and, it is professionally videographed.  This is a very valuable DVD, not only for the Bethel area, the County of Haywood, but also for the entire State of North Carolina and beyond.    Haywood County Farm Bureau and Haywood EMC sponsored the production of the DVD’s which are available at Blue Ridge Books and at www.bethelrural.org.  

Two segments for a second DVD have been processed by BRCO’s Historic Preservation Committee.  The committee is also completing a CD production of the popular Cold Mountain Heritage Tour which will be available in 2013.