The Patterson School Foundation

07/25/2026

Come out to the valley today and visit our friends at Yadkin Valley Community Park from 2 - 7pm!

Mark your calendars! 🗓️ Join us for "A Day at the Park" on July 25, 2026, 2-7 PM at Yadkin Valley Community Park! We are raising funds for a brand-new community basketball court. Bring the whole family for live music by Darren Bryant, dancing by the Sims Country Cloggers, a Rubber Ducky Derby on the Yadkin, raffles, a silent auction, delicious food, and free kids' activities! 🍔🏎️ Let’s build this court together!

07/15/2026

🐛 Hey plant nerds and soil lovers! Are you heading to the Southeastern Permaculture Gathering? 🪵✨

If you want to level up your eco-game, you cannot miss this. The legendary entomologist Dr. Richard McDonald (aka "Dr. McBug") is bringing his bug-sized superpower to the gathering!

Come hang out and learn how he deploys tiny "ninja beetles" to save entire hemlock forests from destruction. If you've ever wanted to know how to let nature do the heavy lifting in your backyard ecosystem, this is your golden ticket. 🐞🌲

Grab your sun hat, pack your plants and seeds@, and get ready for a weekend of pure community magic and brilliant earth-skills.🎟️

Haven't grabbed your tickets yet? RSVP and find all the details here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-southeastern-permaculture-gathering

Who are we seeing there? Drop a 🌲 in the comments if your bags are already packed!👇

07/09/2026

🎣 Tie for a Cause Saturday! 🪶❤️

Join us for a day of fly tying, fellowship, and giving back!

Every fly tied at this special event will be donated to organizations that use the healing power of fly fishing to support veterans, children, cancer survivors, and others facing life's toughest challenges. Your time and talents can truly make a difference—one fly at a time.

📅 Saturday, July 18, 2026
🕘 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Cap Wiese Fly Fishing Center
Patterson School Foundation
4646 Patterson School Drive
Lenoir, NC 28645

🎣 We'll be tying:
• Squirmy Worms
• Walt's Worms
• Egg Patterns
• Y2Ks
• Midges and other proven fish-catching patterns

🧰 Bring your fly-tying vise and tools—we'll provide all tying materials!

🌭 Lunch is on us, generously provided by Stray Dogs.

Whether you're an experienced fly tier or just getting started, your contribution matters. Come spend the day with fellow anglers, share stories and techniques, and help create flies that will change lives.

Please RSVP to [email protected] so we know you're coming!

Tie flies. Build community. Change lives.

06/26/2026

🌱☀️ Appalachian Outdoor Camp – Week 3: Diggable Garden Camp 🌿🍕

What an incredible way to wrap up our final week of Appalachian Outdoor Camp for 2026!

This week, our campers dug into the wonderful world of gardening and agriculture as they explored the importance of soil, water, and sunlight, discovered different types of gardens, and learned how plants grow. They even extracted chlorophyll from leaves to see the science behind the green!

Our adventures took us to Johnny Wilson Farm and Unity Community Garden, where students experienced agriculture firsthand. We also enjoyed a delicious farm-to-table pizza lunch at Happy Valley Filling Station, connecting the journey from garden to plate.

Campers became young scientists by using Foldscopes to observe tiny organisms and put their engineering skills to work by creating their own greenhouses!

As we close out Appalachian Outdoor Camp 2026, we are so grateful for the amazing community that made this summer possible. A heartfelt thank you to Burroughs Wellcome Fund, STEM West, Caldwell Soil and Water, Caldwell County Schools, and all of our wonderful families for your support and encouragement.

Thank you to all of our campers for making this such a fun, educational, and memorable summer. We can’t wait to see where your curiosity takes you next!

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06/24/2026

From a shared vision to a thriving harvest, Mike and Sara Hedge prove that incredible hard work pays off.

Six years ago, they joined our Incubator Farm Program with a dream of sustainable agriculture. Today, Hedge Family Farm is a shining example of grit, passion, and true dedication to the land.

Check out the video by ASAP - Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project to see the inspiring journey and heart behind their success. 🎥👇

06/20/2026

06/20/2026

🚁🌲 Week 2 of Appalachian Outdoor Camp at Patterson School was a soaring success!

During Drone Zone: Agriculture and Forestry, campers learned how to safely operate drones while exploring the many exciting careers that use this cutting-edge technology. Throughout the week, students discovered how drones are transforming industries such as forestry, agriculture, military operations, and search and rescue.

From learning flight skills to understanding real-world applications, campers gained valuable knowledge and hands-on experience that could inspire future career paths.

Congratulations to all of our students who successfully completed the course, and a special congratulations to our new TRUST Certified Recreational Pilots! We are proud of your hard work, dedication, and accomplishments.





Jessica Martin Wilson

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06/19/2026

Double your impact today, Bulldogs! 🎓🐾 We are thrilled to announce an exciting Community Giving Challenge that will directly shape the future of our beloved campus!

Two amazing alumni, Danny Seaver ‘72 and Stephen Blair ‘85, have generously stepped forward to match all donations up to $10,000 EACH. That is an incredible $20,000 in matching funds, giving our entire community the power to unleash a massive $40,000 total impact! 💥

Our Goal: We need to max out this match by July 31st so we can complete construction on the Jim and Marie Hogan Pavilion and Alumni Kitchen in time for our grand Alumni Reunion Weekend and Voices in the Valley Festival this October! 🛠️🍂

Whether you are an alumnus, friend, or neighbor, every single dollar you give goes twice as far to support the Bulldog family. Whether you donate $10, $100, or $1,000, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar to help us build a vibrant gathering space for generations to come.

As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, your generous contribution to the Patterson School Foundation is fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. You can double your impact on our historic campus while maximizing your charitable giving.

Let’s unite, show our Bulldog pride, and unlock the full match before the July deadline! ⏰

👉 Click the link below to make your donation and double your impact right now:
🔗 https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/peer-to-peer/double-your-impact-giving-challenge

📢 Can't donate today? You can still help! Share this post with your friends, family, and fellow classmates to help us spread the word and reach Bulldogs everywhere!

06/17/2026

Week 1 Recap: Forest and Field Camp for Rising 3rd-5th Graders.

The Patterson School Foundation's Appalachian Outdoor Learning program, supported by a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Grant, delivered an engaging experience, teaching students about the Appalachian Mountains' forest. This free summer camp, available to Caldwell County and surrounding areas' students, emphasizes environmental stewardship through STEM education.

Our partners, Caldwell County Schools, Caldwell Soil & Water, and STEM West, contributed to the success of this program.

Keep an eye out for next year's registration; it fills up quickly.