If you will allow me a personal moment in this project …

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This past week, my wife, Denise Cumbee Long, stepped down from her position as Executive Director of United Way of Henderson County. Denise’s successful retirement comes after 9 1/2 very productive years at the helm of a foundational nonprofit that has been at the heart of this county’s philanthropic efforts for over seven decades.

Throughout her tenure at United Way, it has been my good fortune to watch as this extraordinary woman poured her heart and soul into making our community a better place for all of us to live. I am biased, of course, but I believe her “good news” story deserves to be shared on these pages.

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Denise and I arrived in Flat Rock from Charlotte late on the evening of April 1st, 2015. It had been a very long day of packing, supervising movers, and somehow managing to squeeze in the closing on the sale of our Charlotte home. As we drove into the Village to our temporary home at Pace Place on Trenholm Road, we were exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. We were on the cusp of a new and exciting adventure in a beautiful part of the world where we had dreamed of someday making a home.

Early on, whenever we met new people – and we met so many very gracious and interesting people – they would ask us about our careers. Denise would explain that she was the new director at United Way. It was gratifying to see their eyes light up and welcome Denise into her new role.

Then their gaze would turn to me and I would reply, “I am the husband of the new Director of the United Way.” My well-practiced response was always good for a laugh. In truth, however, I was (and continue to be) extremely proud to partner with someone who quickly and effectively grew into her new role. There was never a doubt in my mind that she would be a resounding success.

Prior to our arrival in Flat Rock, Denise served for five years as the executive director of International House, a nonprofit organization in Charlotte serving immigrants and refugees. Prior to that, she served as executive director of NCLEAF, a statewide loan repayment program for public interest attorneys, and Safe Space, a domestic violence agency in Louisburg, NC.

Denise also distinguished herself with a remarkable academic career. She graduated magna cum laude from Wake Forest as an English major. Little did she know that she would someday put that training to use editing an obscure blog/newsletter every Saturday night!

She followed her B.A. from Wake Forest with a JD degree from the UNC School of Law and an MDiv from Southeastern Theological Seminary. Suffice it to say, I enter into serious debates with Denise at my own peril. She is smart, articulate, and extremely well-read.

Along the way, she managed to raise two children, pursue her passion for fishing, adopt several generations of dogs, and most importantly, find ways to do good in this world. She consistently advocated for those who face daunting challenges in life – from migrant farm workers seeking better working conditions, to a friend seeking to put her life back together after incarceration, to building affordable housing in Mexico with Habitat for Humanity, to traveling through war-torn parts of Colombia with Witness for Peace. Indeed, a requirement for her trip to Colombia was to prepare all the necessary “final documents” in the event something went horribly wrong. Denise Long has never been one for half-measures when she sets her mind to making the world better for others.

Later in life, Denise rescued one more “stray” and to my enduring good fortune took up with a reformed capitalist looking to make a new life in a new city. We met for the first time at a restaurant in Davidson, NC. I saw her walking in from the parking lot and rushed to open the door for her. As it turned out, I was actually opening the door to an amazing new life with an incredible woman.

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At United Way, Denise has shepherded the organization through many difficult challenges as the face of philanthropy has evolved over the years. As fewer large companies conducted the traditional United Way employee campaigns, Denise found new and creative ways to secure the funding to help support dozens of local nonprofit agencies. Although the hurdles were often high, she never wavered from her commitment to the mission of her organization.

Perhaps most impressively, during her tenure as Executive Director, Denise has helped significantly expand the number of outreach and volunteer programs overseen by United Way. Literally thousands of Henderson County residents have been afforded opportunities to give back and/or benefit from the work done by United Way.

Every year, she and her staff organized the Days of Action and Days of Caring to support our local public schools and area nonprofits. Denise also helped grow the Women United group to nearly a hundred enthusiastic women who want to connect their philanthropy with their volunteerism by organizing events such as book drives, clothing drives, and toy drives.

One of her proudest accomplishments has been the tremendous growth of United Way’s GEM (Girls Empowered) Program - a weekly afterschool program designed to increase self-esteem and school success for girls in fifth and eighth grades. GEM connects professional women from diverse careers and backgrounds as guest speakers who share their personal stories with the girls, including how they overcame obstacles to meet their goals.

United Way’s Rising Leaders program has helped foster the next generation of community leaders by helping them gain the skills and tools needed to connect as board members and volunteers with the nonprofit community. The Everyday Strong initiative equips caring adults with training and tools to support the mental health and wellness of children aged 8 to 18.

Of course, at the heart of United Way is funding for community partners. During Denise’s tenure, United Way focused its resources on health, education, and financial stability. These themes were refined into six target issues: Kindergarten Readiness, School Success, Economic Self-Sufficiency, Affordable Housing, Physical Activity & Nutrition, and Healthy Youth Behaviors.

When the pandemic threatened the operations of area nonprofits, Denise and United Way partnered with The Community Foundation of Henderson County to raise $450,000 in two months to make sure local agencies could continue to provide critical services. Denise credits the partnerships developed between United Way and the community for the outpouring of support. “Partnerships are United Way’s superpower,” says Denise. “We love convening and collaborating with people, businesses, and industries throughout our community.”

At the end of her long tenure, Denise is grateful for the community’s generous support of United Way. “We could not do what we do without all the amazing people who have such big hearts. They are what makes United Way such a collective force for good,” she explains. And she is very optimistic about the future of United Way. “We have a great team in place and I’m really excited that United Way will continue as that force for good in the future.”

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What’s next for Denise? She plans to take a few months to decompress and reassess. In the meantime, there will be more time for family and young grandchildren, hiking, and even a trip to her ancestral hometown in Slovenia this fall. But her heart will never stray far from her passion for helping others. “I’m looking forward to returning to the nonprofit sphere eventually. Maybe a new challenge on a part-time basis.”

On a personal note, I will share that the committed and passionate advocate for good that people see in Denise’s public persona is no different at home in her private moments.

I have listened on our couch for the past decade as she shared her vision for a better community. I have watched her write personal notes on thousands of thank you letters to United Way donors late into the night. I have seen her eyes light up when she talks about the excitement of her GEM girls when they meet successful women role models. She’s confided in me how much she loves the good people she works with and all the wonderful souls who’ve helped her and United Way find ways to help others.

Denise is also the reason you are reading these words now. I will be forever grateful to her for allowing me to tag along from Charlotte when she accepted the job at United Way of Henderson County. The reason we live in Flat Rock; the reason I ever had the opportunity to create something like Flat Rock Together, is a credit to her impressive combination of leadership skills, hard work, and huge heart for others.

Among the thousands of Henderson County residents who have benefited from her presence in this part of the world, no one has benefited more than me. She created the opportunity for us to build a wonderful new home and community of friends in a truly special part of the world.

For that, I will always be grateful.

So, congratulations Denise. You’ve done exceptional work. You have been a good and faithful servant to the people of our community. I am proud of all that you have accomplished. Most importantly, I am proud to be your partner in this beautiful life.

Now, let’s go fishing.

B

Postscript: Denise did not know I was writing this and has not applied her usual thorough editing skills to this story. Any errors are on me. BH