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ORAL HISTORY
Ken Belcher and Connie Goode
Ken Belcher and his younger sister Connie Belcher Goode were raised in Woolwine, Virginia, to a family rooted in Patrick County since the eighteenth century.
Kenneth left home to attend college at nearby Virginia Tech, where he is now Director of Facilities and Operations, overseeing dorms and dining. Known as an adventurous cook and caterer, he gathers inspiration from diverse sources. These include his grandmother Marie Nolen, who helped raise him while his parents worked in logging and manufacturing. Ken was recently designated the fried-pie dough maker for Woolwine’s annual October Festival—an apple-centered fundraiser for local emergency services. As president of the Woolwine Volunteer Fire Department Ladies’ Auxiliary, Connie has managed the festival’s fried apple pie operation for more than a decade. In addition to her job as special operations accountant at Apex Mills (formerly HanesBrands, Inc.), she is a volunteer firefighter and EMT, former captain of the Smith River Rescue Squad, and capable community organizer. The siblings also help Woolwine volunteers make 12 kettles of apple butter every year.
