Blue Ridge Heritage, Inc.
PO Box 269
Stuart, VA 24171
Contact us:
Board of Directors
2023
Wayne Kirkpatrick, President
Lee Chichester, Vice President
Steve Swartz, Secretary/Treasurer
Directors
Jerry Boothe
Sherri Huffman
Ralph Lutts
Today’s Vision-Keepers
Many of the current board members have been striving to create the vision and the reality for many years. Some are new leaders who are excited by the vision and willing to work to meet the goals. Let us introduce you to the leadership of BRHI.
Jerry Boothe is a the owner of Jerry Boothe Hardwood Flooring, and is a spare-time cattle farmer in Floyd County. He has served as a Supervisor in Floyd County during which time he was liaison with Blue Ridge Heritage, Inc.
Lee Chichester has been a freelance writer for 30+ years and in 1995 was among the original group who envisioned The Jacksonville Center for the Arts in Floyd and served on its Board of Directors for ten years. In 2006 she was one of three recipients of the prestigious Perry Kendig Award for significant contributions to read more . . . the arts in the region, presented annually by the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge, and in 2009 she served as regional coordinator for the Governor’s Awards for the Arts. She has been with BRHI since its original conception as a steering committee in 2005, and currently serves as a volunteer board member for both ‘Round the Mountain and the Virginia Falconers‘ Association.
Wayne Kirkpatrick co-owner/manager of K - P Hill Farm, having retired from a 31 year/160 head dairy operation in Patrick County, Virginia. Since 2006, his main interest has been growing produce for sale at the local farmer's market. Wayne holds a B.S. in Dairy Science, read more . . .
VA Tech, ’74; and sits on the Board of Directors of the Dan River Basin Association. He is widely involved in conservation, economic development and preservation of our natural resources.
Wayne’s family includes his wife, Betty, two sons, Matthew and James, two daughters-in-law, Leah and Kara, and five grandchildren, Anya, Atticus, Nathan, Ginny and Andrew.
Ralph Lutts is a historian, educator, and naturalist who lives in Meadows of Dan. He majored in Biology at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and later received a doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts. He teaches at Goddard College, read more . . . where he coordinates a graduate concentration in environmental studies. He has taught Appalachian history at Virginia Tech and natural history of the Blue Ridge for the University of Virginia. Ralph has twenty years experience in museum and nature center program development and management. This includes work as an educator and curator at Boston’s Museum of Science, director of the Blue Hills Trailside Museum (which interprets 7,000 acres of park land), and as director of the outreach division of the Virginia Museum of Natural History.
Steve Swartz is a retired engineering consultant in water resources and water-based utilities’ business and economic matters, serving in 26 states and Canada. He also served in the US Army Corps of Engineers during the Viet Nam War. read more . . .
Steve and his wife live in Patrick County.
Sherri Huffman