Officers & Board Members
Karen King
Office Manager & President
Karen King was born and raised in Minnesota, near the Twin Cities. In 1981, she moved to Mexico, living in Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas over the next 15 years. She taught preschool English, baked, and sold cakes, and gave windsurfing lessons before getting into the restaurant business. Karen is fluent in Spanish. She then moved back to Minnesota and began a 20-year career selling restaurant equipment, moving to Charlotte in 2001. She retired in 2016 and moved to Lake Lure with her husband Don. They both started volunteering at Outreach in 2017. Karen became Office Manager in 2021 and President in 2023.
Hope Wittmer
Vice President
Since first visiting Lake Lure in 2004 and relocating full time in 2006, Hope and her husband George have cultivated many friendships within the community, including residents, business owners, church congregations, organizations, Town authorities and personnel. Those relationships have been ongoing in supporting the mission of Outreach. Hope feels fortunate to live in such a generous town that recognizes and supports Outreach’s needs in helping struggling families. Hope began volunteering in 2009 and immediately felt the organization’s impact on the lives of those in need. Hope joined the Board in 2010 and served as president from 2013 through 2022. Hope, as Vice President, strives to continue the good works of Outreach.
Linda Stonecash
Treasurer
Linda Stonecash is a graduate of Purdue University. She brings years of experience performing accounting and tax work. Linda and her husband, Chris, moved to Lake Lure from Minnesota in 2017. Their daughter lives in France, and their son lives in Saudi Arabia.
Monica Faherty
Secretary
Monica was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. She worked for 42 years as a speech-language pathologist and teacher of children with hearing loss. She lives with her husband, Richard Merwin, in Lake Lure and has three children. Hiking, paddle boarding, crafting, reading, traveling and visiting with family are her favorite activities. She is a member of the Lake Lure Lions Board, Lake Lure Bookies Book Club and the Newcomers Club. Since 2021 she has been a volunteer at Outreach.
Doug Stewart
Doug Stewart relocated to Lake Lure from Annapolis, Maryland in 2017. A graduate of Towson University, Doug has been the owner/operator of retail, service and wholesale businesses for 30 years, with a concentration in sales training and inventory management. Doug’s interests include automotive restoration, boating and skiing. Doug has been a volunteer at Outreach since 2017.
Laura Krejci
Laura Krejci joined the Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach (HNGO) Board in January 2022. She serves as a volunteer social worker at HNGO and is assisting clients and their family members with social service needs as they arise.
Laura also works for the Town of Lake Lure where she serves as the Communications Director. In addition to overseeing communications, she assists with grant writing and coordinating Town events.
Laura retired from the Department of Veterans Affairs after many years of service supporting Veterans across the country. Prior to her retirement in 2018, she served in a National role in the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation.
Cathi Culbertson
Cathi and her husband Chris Dolman moved to Lake Lure from New York City full-time in 2022. She spent her 30+ year career creating high-profile events around the world for Forbes and Empire Entertainment. Cathi started volunteering at HNG Outreach in fall 2022. She also volunteers for the Lake Lure Music Festival. She loves living in Lake Lure and is inspired by the volunteerism and generosity of so many in our community.
Marla Somerville
Marla has always valued helping others in small but meaningful ways. After a 32-year career with the Internal Revenue Service, she and her husband, Tom, moved to Lake Lure. In the five years they’ve been here, they’ve enjoyed getting to know the area and its people. Marla initially volunteered with the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge and now gives her time to the HNG Food Pantry, the Mountains Branch Library, and the Heart of the Foothills Thrift Store in Forest City. She spends much of her free time gardening, catching up with her son, Perry, and caring for her Westies—Fionn and Archie—as well as Lenny the cat.
In Memory
Chuck Hailey
Chuck Hailey was a member of the Outreach Board from 2008-2017, serving as Treasurer from 2013 to 2016. He was born in Winston Salem and grew up in Charlotte. Chuck worked for 37 years in hospital Materials Management and Purchasing, 16-1/2 years at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte and 20-1/2 years at Greenville Health System in Greenville, SC. Chuck earned an Associates of Arts degree from Central Piedmont Community College and was a Certified Purchasing Manager from Institute for Supply Management. Chuck had a passion for outreach and serving the people who are less fortunate in our community.
Linda Ratschan
Linda Ratchan started as a volunteer at Shepherd’s Care (now Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach) in 2010 and went on to serve as the Outreach Manager. Linda built the Food for Kids Program, managed the daily operation to the Food Pantry and (F.I.N.S.) along with many other duties. In many ways, Linda defined the heart of Outreach. In 2019, Linda made the decision to relocate closer to her family to help with her grandchildren. She passed away in March of 2024. She is and continues to be missed.
Matt Dolan
Matt Dolan, originally from Memphis, Michigan, moved to Lake Lure in 2015. He enjoyed golf and mountain living, and was an active volunteer with the Lake Lure Lions Club and HNGO. Aside from serving on the board at Outreach, his pet project was the Arts and Crafts Festival, where he kept things running smoothly. In 2024 he moved back to Ohio to be closer to his daughters and grandchildren. Matt passed away in July of 2025. He made life brighter for everyone around him, and will be missed.