The sweeping and often stunning vistas ubiquitous throughout the 1,600-acre property that has been home to Grove Stone & Sand for nearly seven decades are nearly impossible to ignore. In 2008, family-owned Hedrick Industries, which operates the quarry, decided they could serve as an unrivaled backdrop for a unique event.
While the views inspired the Rock the Quarry 5K and Kids Fun Run, which will return for its 15th year at 9 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 16, the event is perhaps best known for raising nearly $500,000 for a pair of local nonprofit organizations.
Rock the Quarry was founded in 2008 as a community event to support neighboring Black Mountain Home for Children and the Asheville Museum of Science. The longstanding relationships with the nonprofit organizations are important to Grove Stone, according to Hedrick Industries vice president of sales and race organizer Jon Neumann.
“We have a history with AMOS that goes back decades, when they were the Colburn Earth Science Museum,” said Neumann, who has been organizing RTQ since its first year. “Our employees have served on their board of directors for a long time, and I’m currently serving.”
The quarry’s connection to BMH, which cares for children in need of out-of-home placement in a residential setting that offers a range of programs, including independent living and apprenticeship training, is rooted in proximity and a deep appreciation for their neighbor’s mission, according to Neumann.
“BMH has been our neighbors for all these years and we believe in being the best neighbors we can be,” he said. “We were introduced to them years ago, and we’ve really bonded with them since. They’re a great partner and we care a lot about what they do and the kids they have there.”
The significance of the partnership should not be understated, according to President Jimmy Harmon.
“Their support has been huge,” he said of Hedrick Industries. “It literally helps us put food on our tables and clothe the children in our care. It also helps us provide them with educational opportunities. Only 56% of kids in foster care graduate high schools, and since 2008 we’ve graduated 89% of the kids who have walked through our doors, but it takes resources to do that.”
BMH, he added, strives to provide children with the same opportunities afforded to those who live in a traditional household setting.
“We take them on family vacations, which is something so many kids experience with their parents or grandparents,” Harmon said. “Things like that are important, and having support from supporters like the quarry allows us maintain the standard of providing the best for these kids.”
The home initially served as an orphanage when it was founded in 1904, before moving to the outskirts of Black Mountain in 1923. As BMH celebrates its 100th anniversary in the Swannanoa Valley this year, the 3.1-mile RTQ course will showcase the panoramic vistas shared by the neighbors.
“Last year we did more of a fun run and it wasn’t a timed event, but this year we’re bringing back the timed race,” Neumann said. “It will start over at BMH, which has a beautiful campus, and run to the plant at Grove Stone, where we process the rock. Runners will run right through there, and we’ll stage some of our large equipment, which will be a really unique setting.”
The course will take participants past several picturesque features around the BMH property, according to Harmon.
“God has blessed us with one of the most beautiful views in the Valley, and I don’t think there is a better place to raise children, especially those who come from backgrounds with significant trauma,” he said. “We have this unique aesthetic beauty here that runners will enjoy. On the way to the finish line they’ll run over a covered bridge and pass through our farmyard, which is a special place for many of our children who build trusting relationships with the animals.”
Runners can register for RTQ at raceroster.com, with a $40 entry fee for the 5K and $10 for the Kids Fun Run.
“As of last year, we had raised close to $500,000 for these two organizations since starting this race 15 years ago,” Neumann said. “This year, with BMH celebrating 100 years, we want to be super impactful. Sponsorships by our customers and vendors have really taken this event to a whole new level over the years, and we truly appreciate their support of these special nonprofit organizations.”
