Back to Search

Wings for Thomas: The Thomas Legacy Circle

10/24/2025 - 12/31/2025

Description

Wings for Thomas: A Pollinator Haven

On the hillside just west of the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce, a new kind of legacy is taking root.

Wings for Thomas: A Pollinator Haven is transforming unused space into a Certified Pollinator Habitat filled with native plants that support bees, butterflies, and other essential pollinators. The project is dedicated in memory of former Executive Director Thomas Taulbee, whose leadership and love for this community continue to inspire.

“This Pollinator Haven is dedicated in memory of Thomas Taulbee, whose life continues to inspire beauty, growth, and community,” says Chamber Executive Director Susan Sapienza. “With every bloom and every wing that visits, Thomas’ spirit takes flight.”

Pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat, yet their habitats are disappearing. By planting native species and creating a certified waystation, the Chamber and its partners are strengthening biodiversity while demonstrating Cashiers’ commitment to environmental stewardship.

More than a garden, Wings for Thomas is a hands-on learning initiative inviting the community to participate through seed saving, native plant identification, winter seed sowing, terracing workshops, community planting day, and a Grand Opening celebration in May 2026.

Community members who support the project become part of The Thomas Legacy Circle — bringing together those who believe that remembrance should grow. Through their generosity, native blooms will flourish, wings will gather, and a once-quiet hillside will stand as a living symbol of Thomas Taulbee’s lasting impact on this community.

Financial contributions will fund native plants, soil preparation, educational signage, certification, and long-term care. Together, Cashiers is planting more than flowers — we are planting beauty, biodiversity, and a living tribute that will continue to bloom for generations to come. The project is a collaborative effort led by the Cashiers Area Chamber alongside Dargan Landscape Design, Hagan-Binder Landscape Architects, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, Arielle McIntyre of Kintyre Design, the Oconee Bell Chapter of the NC Native Plant Society, Valley Garden Club, and Susan & T.K. Heatley and Family. To contribute: click Sponsor Registration ↗️

or mail your check made payable to the Cashiers Area Chamber, PO Box 238, Cashiers, NC 28717.

Save the Dates – Community Engagement Events

Seed Saving at McKinney Meadow
Hosted by Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust
McKinney Meadow | Monday October 27, 2025 | 3:00 – 5:30 PM
Native Plant ID & Non-Native Removal
Co-hosted by Oconee Bell Chapter & Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust
Food truck + hot beverages — fun for all!
Chamber | Tuesday November 18, 2025 | 1:30 – 4:30 PM
Winter Seed Sowing
Hosted by Oconee Bell Chapter
Cashiers Library | Wednesday, January 21, 2026 | 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Wattle Staking for Terracing
Hosted by Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust
Chamber | Friday, March 6, 2026 | 2:00 –5:00
Design Workshop
Arielle McIntyre, Kintyre Design and Mary Palmer Dargan, Dargan Garden Design
Chamber | Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | 3:00 – 5:00 PM
Community Planting Day Co-hosted by Oconee Bell Chapter, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, Kintyre Design, Hagan-Binder Landscape & Valley Garden Club
Chamber | Tuesday, April 28, 2026 | 9:30 –12:00
Grand Opening Co-hosted by Cashiers Area Chamber, Dargan Landscape, Hagan-Binder Landscape, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, Kintyre Design, Oconee Bell Chapter, Susan & T.K. Heatley and Family, and Valley Garden Club
Chamber | TBD