Attorney General Josh Stein Honors Western North Carolinians with Dogwood Award

Last week, our staff was honored to join our friends at FizzEd and Zionville Ramp Company as Watauga County recipients of the 2024 Dogwood Award. These awards are distributed to honor people who are working to improve the health, safety, and well-being of their fellow North Carolinians. This year’s honorees from Western North Carolina included numerous individuals and organizations that rallied to help those in need during Hurricane Helene.

Ashley Galleher, ZRC Skate 

“When I met Ashley shortly after the Hurricane struck, I was blown away by her dedication and passion,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “She is an innovator who transformed her entire skatepark business into a donation center to help others.”

“Although the nomination for a Dogwood Award is a high honor, the real honor comes from being able to serve my community and state in our time of need,” said Ashley Galleher. “The sense of pride I have felt the last few months is difficult to describe. My deepest hope is that we never, ever forget how good it feels to work together.”

Ashley Galleher is founder and owner of the Zionville Ramp Company. 

FizzEd 

“FizzEd opened its doors and gave hot meals at no charge to first responders, linemen, and anyone else who was hungry,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I thank them for taking care of those who were taking care of others.”

“We are truly humbled and honored by this recognition,” said Mike and Amy Forrester, FizzEd owners. “As many others did in our community, we simply used the resources we had available to us in the best way we could to help our neighbors and keep our staff employed following Hurricane Helene.”

FizzEd is a restaurant in Boone. 

Boone Area Chamber of Commerce

“After Helene, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce has been instrumental in helping Boone’s economy get back on its feet,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “They understand that when our businesses and families succeed, our towns and cities thrive.”

“We quickly activated our team around key elements of our mission — supporting local businesses and providing stability for our early childhood partners and their families,” said Boone Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO David Jackson. “Along with our fellow Chambers of Commerce throughout the region, we will continue to prioritize advocacy efforts directed toward community stability as we work through long-term recovery from the storm.”

The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce represents the business community in the Boone area. 

Speaking of advocacy, our trip to Asheville included a stop to see our friends at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce. Kit Cramer and Casey Gilbert are strong voices for business recovery in WNC and among some of our closest allies. We know they needed a pick-me-up, so we brought some Stickboy cookies and some fresh roasted Resilient Blend from Hatchet to ensure they can continue to do the work that needs to be done for all of Western North Carolina.