Judy Newton Scurry
Steadfast Supporter and Nature Lover
Judy Newton Scurry credits her father with first introducing her to nature as a small child when he would take her fishing. That love of the outdoors, and especially the Appalachian Mountains, came into full bloom during youthful summers spent at Camp Yonahlossee near Boone, N.C.
“I grew up going to the mountains, and loving the mountains. And I feel like the years I went to camp were a real influential period of my growing up years,” she says. “I’ve just always loved the mountains.”
While visiting her daughter, who was a student at Appalachian State University, the native North Carolinian returned to Boone and picked up her first copy of The Appalachian Voice around 2001.
“It was just a small group, and I could be supportive of a small group,” Judy says of her early engagement with Appalachian Voices. “Whatever they did in the mountains, it was going to be for the good of the mountains.”
And for the last fifteen years, she has maintained an active, continuous membership with the organization.
Judy is a former middle school science teacher, the mother of two and grandmother to six. She’s proud that she’s been able to instill in her children a love of nature, and she wants to protect the natural resources and beauty of Appalachia so that it can be enjoyed by future generations.
A resident of Winston Salem, N.C., Judy volunteers for the educational programs at the Reynolda Gardens of Wake Forest University, including their Young Naturalist Summer Program. This allows her to convey a love of nature to the next generation, through nature walks, gardening and bird watching, which is one of Judy’s favorite ways to enjoy the outdoors.
She grew up mostly in Wilkesboro, N.C., and she remembers when construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway was completed in that area. Her family would take picnics along the scenic route, and it remains one of her favorite places.
One time, about 10 to 15 years ago, Judy joined a group of residents that successfully blocked a real estate development that would have encroached on a public park near her home. The land that would have been developed is now a public greenway.
“At that point, someone said, ‘It doesn’t matter how small your group is, when you feel strongly about something and are determined, you can make a difference.’ And I just kind of remembered that through the years.”
When asked to reflect on why she’s been reading this newspaper for so long, Judy said, “Over the years, I feel like you’ve expanded into so many different areas. And I just feel like you keep the area up-to-date on what’s going on in the mountains. Some people may not care, but I care.”
We’re so glad you care, Judy. And thank you for subscribing to the newspaper and supporting Appalachian Voices since April 2002!