Hinton Rural Life Center celebrates its 60-year anniversary in 2021 and has played an important role for the local faith community and the county’s residents. However, other people who travel to participate in training opportunities, retreats, mission outreach and private events like weddings and family reunions.
Hinton hosts an array of discipleship ministries, which help equip rural clergy, congregations and communities, as well as many who come from more urban areas. A variety of events are scheduled throughout 2021 to celebrate in the anniversary of when Hinton was first incorporated as an agency of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church in 1961.
Everything from a golf tournament to free cupcakes will be part of the festivities. Information will be shared about these events in the coming weeks. In the meantime, let’s start meeting some of the folks who make everything happen-the folks who keep Hinton going so it will be around several more decades. Visit: www.hintoncenter. org for details. Meet Jacquelin Gottlieb. As the CEO and president of Hinton Rural Life Center, Jacqueline Gottlieb was not even born when the retreat and conference center officially began in 1961. She now has 22 years of nonprofit management and her job varies from day-to-day, sometimes from hour-to-hour.
“I work in conjunction with both board and staff to keep the organization financially sound and to move the organization forward,” Gottlieb said. Her job of running the Christian retreat and mission outreach, which contains 17 buildings on 33 acres has a lot of components, but she spends a great deal of time writing grants and she frequently attends meetings regarding all aspects of Hinton. She also works with the Hinton Leadership Team, comprised of Dawn Livingston, Beth Leinbach, Karen Kleuver and John Nicholas. Since starting Leadership Chatuge Community Builders a few years ago, Gottlieb has led it as a collaborative effort with Ricky Hill, another member of the Hinton staff. Gottlieb believes Hinton is often able to offer more than smaller retreat centers. “With the larger size and lengthy history, there are some opportunities available to Hinton that are not always in the reach of smaller organizations,” she said. “Like multiple staff, so one can take off time to attend professional developmental opportunities. Or larger grants, as we have an on staff CFO who can maintain all that goes into documentation of the finances.”
In addition to managing a staff of 25 people and a $1.2 million budget, some of the achievements Hinton has seen under her leadership include: • Awarded more than $3.6 million in grant revenue.
• Decreased debt by 51 percent from $1,253,833 in 2010 to $607,912 in 2019.
• Launched the Council for Collaborative impact with members from two states and three counties, including Clay and Cherokee County and Towns County, Ga.
• Launched Leadership Chatuge Community Builders.
• Transitioned home repair outreach to focus on pairing education with repairs to make homes safer and healthier.
• Increased occupancy from 13 percent in 2010 to 29 percent in 2019.
• Designed and facilitated regional leadership programs for youth and adults called Leadership Chatuge Community Builders.
Gottlieb earned a masters and EdD from North Carolina State University and a bachelor of science from Western Carolina University. She is also an alumnae of the inaugural Appalachian Regional Commission’s Leadership Institute, Leadership North Carolina, North Carolina Rural Economic Development Institute and Kenan-Flagler School of Business’ Program for Manager Development. She is also active in the Rotary Club of Clay County, where she previously served as president.
The woman most people know as Jackie, arrived at Hinton 10 years ago, April 25, 2021- the year Hinton celebrated 50 years. She and her family moved to Clay County solely for Gottlieb to take on the roles at Hinton. When she can find some spare time, the single mother of three teenagers enjoys road biking, hiking, pottery, stained glass and traveling. She enjoys life in Clay County. “I’ve spent 50 percent of my life in urban areas and 5o percent of my life in rural areas,” she explained.
“As a child, I would go visit one set of paternal grandparents in New England. They were a doctor and a nurse. Everything was formal. I had so many pieces of silverware at the table and my own salt and pepper shaker. I stayed outside most of the time picking blueberries, playing with the dogs, Heljax Kennels English Setters, or sitting under the weeping willow tree by the creek. We did enjoy the winters skiing and jeep races on frozen Lake Champlain.” She recalled some different memories. “The other set of grandparents were actually my maternal great grandparents and lived on a tobacco farm in Kentucky,” she continued.
“I loved the rolling hills and the cows and chickens. I was often found making chains from clover or fishing with my cane pole. The bell called us to a true ‘farm to table meal.’ I truly loved the experiences in both ‘cultures’, but ultimately resonated more with rural life.” Gottlieb would like to share Hinton Center with more people, in and around Clay County.
“Hinton is a cornerstone in the community. The first nonprofit of Clay County,” she added. “We really try to walk alongside our neighbors, sharing the love of Christ and helping to improve the quality of life for all. It is a place to experience community with both urban and rural guests.” She smiled as she ended. “Hinton is a beautiful community that is working diligently to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community, to our guests, and beyond. We want to put into action what we know so that the lives of others may be better"