Tryon Mayor Jim Wright (left) with retired Polk County Cooperative Extension Director John Vining after the town honored Vining with a proclamation. Vining retired on Oct. 31, 2014 after working with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service more than 32 years. (Photo by Leah Justice)

 

by Leah Justice

leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

The Town of Tryon honored John Vining last week for his years of service to both Polk County and the town.

Tryon Town Council met Thursday, Feb. 19 and presented Vining with a proclamation of appreciation for Vining’s service to Polk County and the Town of Tryon.

Vining retired on Oct. 31, 2014 as the Polk County Cooperative Extension Service Director after more than 32 years.

Vining graduated from Tryon High School in 1977 and graduated from Clemson University before beginning his career with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service as the assistant agricultural agent in charge of horticulture and the Polk County 4-H program.

In 1988, Vining became the county extension director.

Vining assisted in the completion of many successful projects, according to the town’s proclamation, including developing Stearns Park in Columbus, planting 156 nursery-grown trees at the new Polk County High School, coordination of a landscape plan for the historic Polk County Courthouse, completion of the courthouse restoration, development of Rogers Park and Gibbs Amphitheater in Tryon, development of historic Ziglar Field and Bryan Park, acquisition and development of Vaughn Creek Greenway and development of a city-wide greenway master plan for Tryon.

“John Vining’s skills and accomplishments have been recognized by many awards over the years, including a National Award for the Polk County Gardener’s Calendar (1991), the Carraway Award from Preservation North Carolina for his work on the Polk County Courthouse Restoration (1999), Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award from Polk County Chamber of Commerce (1999) and a national award for his statewide Showstopper Plants publication (2011),” states Tryon’s proclamation. Vining’s interest in working with small towns to keep them economically strong led him to serve on many advisory committees and boards, including the Polk County Recreation Department Advisory Committee (chairman), Tryon City School Board, Polk County Community Foundation Board, Children’s Theater Festival Super Saturday Event Committee, Tryon Depot Master Plan Committee, Tryon Town Hall Restoration Committee, Saluda Grade Rail Corridor Committee, Tryon Small Town Main Street Committee, and Tryon Parks Committee (chairman), states the proclamation.

Vining and his wife, Pam, lived in and raised their three children in Tryon.

“John Vining has worked with young people helping to develop the future leaders of Polk County and its communities through his work with Polk County 4-H, Polk County High School Agricultural Program, and Polk County Recreation Youth Basketball Program,” states the proclamation. “And, whereas, John Vining has performed innumerable acts of public service, both small and large, that have gone unannounced [or unnoticed], the list of such deeds regrettably being too long to name here.”

The Polk County Board of Commissioners also honored Vining last year in December.