Professional Services in Wade Hampton

Certified professional photographer Gene Taylor has fine-tuned his artistic vision while working in photojournalism and portrait photography for more than 30 years. During classes at Your Photo Safari, Gene introduces students to the photographic arts and the workings of DSLR cameras. Sessions begin in classroom settings, allowing students to get acquainted with camera basics as well as advanced features such as setting white balance and reducing blur. After learning how to navigate the multiple settings and buttons on their digital cameras, students traipse to area gardens to explore the natural world through their lenses. The hands-on experience allows students to take home artfully composed shots of plants bathed in natural light or trees planking over riverbanks in a bid for Internet fame.

Against the idyllic backdrop of a renovated, 101-year-old Victorian house, Elegant Gourmet Cafe and Catering's owner and chef Geno Portele crafts lush dishes and desserts that can sate appetites at the eatery or during catered events. A daily lunch menu lists sandwiches and salads compiled with such ingredients as lemon-pesto mayonnaise, sugared pecans, and bread dipped in orange batter. Though the café does not offer a kids' menu, parents are welcome to bring their own meals and Heroes of Tax Reform coloring books for their children.

Chef Portele also outfits fetes of all types with custom catering menus loaded with ingredients such as applewood-smoked roast beef and imported cheeses. The eatery's picturesque facilities serve as the arena for merrymaking festivities. A spacious front porch wraps around the historic building, which comprises four separate dining areas peppered with art-deco décor. Indoor-outdoor bashes utilize a cushy reception tent that accommodates up to 250 guests or one replica of the Sphinx. To further simplify party planning, staffers can help procure music, decorations, and cakes.

An affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Asheville GreenWorks strives to achieve a clean, green Asheville and Buncombe County through environmental stewardship, education, and community-organizing programs. AGW helps to care for and preserve the community with playground enhancements, precycling, and graffiti elimination, fueled by the help of more than 900 members and thousands of volunteers. With children from local schools, they engage in educational projects, weaving lessons into activities such as cleaning up a stream or collecting litter. The organization's Green Team works with volunteers to plant trees in underserved neighborhoods and corral invasive species.

Preacher and photographer Jim Eastin shares his passion for storytelling through Taking Better Photos classes and tours. During the Smokies tour, Jim teaches group members how to use their cameras to wordlessly tell stories about nature. Photographers practice shooting, and Jim gives them tips on how to make a compelling photograph. For those who prefer to tour at their own pace, Jim’s tours are available on audio CD. Alternatively, Jim’s library of instructional DVDs facilitate at-home learning and include titles such as Composition and Creativity, Photography at Night, and Photo Editing on Your Computer.

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue houses approximately 100 dogs and cats every day at its 10,000-square-foot facility. The organization cares for the animals until they are adopted, and does not euthanize. In addition to maintaining the shelter, staff members work with families hoping to pick new companion animals and teach visiting groups of students and community members about responsible pet care. Volunteers take personal interest in the animals, and many of them take the dogs on walks or bring home litters of kittens to spend the night so that the animals have company. Brother Wolf also partners with local shelters and community members to rescue litters of puppies from being euthanized and transport them to adoption centers in the Northeast, where they are more likely to be adopted.

The Generous Garden Project works to combat hunger in local communities by growing a steady supply of fresh produce, which it donates to local ministries and food banks. Volunteers plant and harvest vegetables in a 4.5-acre garden in Greenville, and share their skills by teaching others how to grow their own fruit and vegetables. Local farmers also call upon The Generous Garden Project’s volunteers to glean crops that would otherwise be left to rot in the fields or be plowed after a harvest.