Staffulty Bash
Between 1991-1999, there were nine editions of The Staffulty Bash. Happily, all were filmed, and they, too, are a part of The Memories Collection. In essence, the Bash was an end-of –the-year party designed for all the employees of the College—Staff, Faculty, and Administration. And it became a much-anticipated annual event.
It began in the Faculty Enrichment and Development Committee as an idea of C. Robert Jones, Theatre Arts Department Chair. The 1980s had been a stressful decade for the College which had gone through a period of exigency when major personnel cuts affected morale all across the campus. The idea was to create an event to unite Administration, Staff, and Faculty in a common gathering to have some fun—and to celebrate the good things that everyone shared.
Nobody knew if it would work. There had not been a similar event, at least in recent memory, where for an evening at a social event, titles and job descriptions went out the window, and people just relaxed together. C. Robert corralled a huge committee from all across campus to plan it, and they began to spread word of this new “bash” to their respective colleagues. It took the format of an Oscar ceremony or Golden Globes event: a dinner followed by a time of fun and recognitions.
The Committee chose the night of last day of classes for the year, usually a Friday. A dinner was held in The Lion’s Den (snack bar area) in the Wren Union Building. Afterwards, the assemblage moved to Belk Auditorium at the other end of the building. There, the program continued. In the first year, Dr. Robert Melvin, the admired former Chaplain and Professor in the Religion Department, agreed to be the emcee. With his light touch and charm, he set just the right tone for the evening.
From the beginning, the Bash was planned as a way to publicly honor folks on campus who might not ever have a chance to be recognized for their achievements. The Golden Circle Award was created to become a tangible token of that recognition. It was a framed certificate.
The Bash Committee also came up with a “logo” for the Bash and for the Golden Circle Award—three interlocking arms to denote the symbiotic meshing of Faculty, Staff, and Administration. The actual artwork was created by Richard Croom, husband of Biology Professor, Dr. Jo Ann Croom, and himself very much involved on campus as a timekeeper at athletic events and as actor and Board Chair of the Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre (SART).
Along with the awarding of several Golden Circle Awards at each Bash, there was an entertainment component—and the “acts” were as far-ranging as members of the group were willing to tread. One of the highlights still remembered is the Ricky Van Shelton and Dolly Parton number so well done by Business Manager Claude Vess and his Associate Penny Ponder. And there are the darkly macabre songs ably massacred-in-fun by George Peery and his ukulele, the show-stopping routine “Who’s on First?” with Bob Kramer and Richard Croom, and Liz Michel with her ridiculous fairy-tale satires. Add everybody’s favorite emcee, David Riggins, and his evening of clichés the third season plus a wide array of singers over the nine years, and there was never a dull moment.
During the planning of the first Staffulty Bash, it was discovered that nothing was being organized to honor the retirees that year—and there were eight of them with a combined 248 total years of service to MHC: Don Anderson, Marie Bean, Bob and Rachel Chapman, Harley Jolley, Kathryn McCoy, Bill Walker, and Art Wood. So, honoring retirees became an intrinsic part of all the Bashes from the beginning. A specific person would be asked to talk about the careers of each retiree while Sterling Lawrence of the Media Center presented a slide show of their lives and careers. Those reminiscences were often eye-openers for the many who had never seen their colleagues as “youngsters” at the beginning of their careers at MHC. The presentations became a chance for the whole College community to say “thank you”—and to wish Godspeed for the years to come.
In those nine Staffulty Bashes, there were many poignant moments which tugged at the hearts of everyone present. At the first one, Chaplain Marie Bean charmingly honored David Mace of the custodial staff with a Golden Circle Award for the beautiful rockwork he had created behind the altar in Broyhill Chapel.
There was huge approval for that same award going to Peggy Harmon, the quietly delightful “face of the College” to many who came to campus to do research in the Appalachian Room which she oversaw.
One of the most memorable moments happened at the 1994 Bash when former Vice-President and Dean Dr. Richard Hoffman was given a Golden Circle Award. He said: “I appreciate receiving an award for doing that which I enjoy doing so much from a community that I love so much.” Within two days, he was gone. His words were a fitting valedictory.
Over the years of the Bashes, the committees changed, and the Bashes began to have themes—with folks coming in period costumes, even. The format stayed generally the same, though gradually the annual events came to be thought of as an occasion to honor retirees.
In the beginning, there was no money, no budget. The event was clearly “ad hoc.” The first year, Dean Earl Leininger asked who was going to pay the $1,500 for the dinner part alone. C. Robert had his hand on his checkbook, thinking the new bash project might have been a costly idea, but providence intervened and the Bashes were underwritten by retired Alcoa Executive Carl Kessler and his wife, Jeanne. They had retired to Asheville, found SART, and fell in love with the College in general.
The Bashes accomplished, in part, what they set out to do: bring together all the campus personnel for an evening of fun and frolic, and to remember the good times. It was also a chance to share in “that idea and vision which is Mars Hill College.”
The Award’s wording: “ . . . for having made a significant difference to that idea and vision which is Mars Hill College” were important, and became a part of the tradition.
Marie Bean and David Mace
2015 retirement party for Peggy (2nd from L) with husband Nathan and siblings, Ellen Coomer and Alta Capps, all of whom worked at the College.
Dick Hoffman receiving his award from Page Lee (The theme for the night was “Team MHC”)
The Bashes were supplanted by an annual luncheon honoring retirees in 2000.
All nine editions of The Staffulty Bash are a part of The Memories Collection. The name was the idea of Tom Parry, Director of the Campus Food Service.
The Golden Circle Award Honorees
1991 – Fred Bentley, Sterling Lawrence, David Mace, Gail Sawyer, Jean Walsh
1992 – Otis Duck, Peggy Harmon, Sylvia Murphey, Barbara Robinson
1993 – Sue Fitzgerald, Noel Kinnamon Charity Ray, John and Meredith Wilburn, Harrell Wood
1994 – Richard Dillingham, Richard Hoffman, C. Robert Jones, Robert Melvin, Dorothy Rice, Ruby Shook
1995 – Evelyn Anderson, Susan Bryson, Deana Dillingham, Karen Hedrick, Jim Lenburg, Gwen Metcalf, Jeanette Proffitt, Donna Robertson, Frances Snelson
1996 – Brenda Briggs, Iva Coates, Russell Robinson
1997 – Winona Bierbaum, Robin Cole, Tom Plaut, Penny Ponder
1998 – Naomi Ferguson, Nancy Fosson, Walter Stroud
1999 – Gerald Ball, Kevin Barnett, Earl Leininger, Jim Thomas
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The awards continued briefly after the Bashes ended, but records are incomplete. A partial list includes John Hough (2000), Virginia Hart and Lou Miller (2003), and Beverly Lunsford (2018).
