Montreat Minute 10/24/25

October 24, 2025

Don’t Miss Bulk Pickup This Tuesday, October 28th

Household items and furniture, including a mattress, chair, and plastic bins, are piled on a curb next to black garbage bags. A speed limit sign and houses are visible in the background.

Remember to place your bulk Items/white goods curbside for pick up on Tuesday, October 28th for the second and final pickup of the year. This free service is offered at no cost, except for a $15 per-item fee for mattresses, TVs, and computers.

Acceptable items include furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics, carpet, toys, sports equipment, air conditioners, and water heaters. Please, no building materials.

A Few Tips About Leaf Pickup

A row of large brown paper leaf bags filled with yard waste is lined up neatly along the edge of a road in a wooded area with grass, rocks, and trees nearby.

We are nearing the height of falling leaves. As soon as you finish gathering them up, it looks like you never started! Here are some tips and reminders about leaf removal:


• The Town picks up leaves left at curbside every other Wednesday. Place leaves in compostable paper bags available at local hardware stores.
• Please do not pile leaves in the street. The Town does not have leaf vacuuming equipment to remove them.
• If you hire someone to clear your leaves, please make sure they do not dump leaves in the street, culverts, or streambeds. Leaves clog stormwater pathways and cause flooding.
• If you hire a commercial firm, they are required to remove the leaves and take them to their own landfill. Please remind them of that fact.

Firewise Update

Logo for Firewise USA featuring a house and leaf with a flame design, alongside the text: Firewise USA. Residents Reducing Wildfire Risks.

Every November, Montreat submits an application to renew our Firewise status. The main objective of Firewise is to recognize communities that work together to prevent the spread of wildfire. A major part of our application is to show community involvement by reporting hours that residents spend clearing debris from their yards, pruning shrubbery, cleaning gutters, clearing your yard of leaves (see story above), and other similar work. You may also submit hours that you pay someone else to work on these tasks.

To insure we receive our deserved Firewise status, please send Nancy Midgette (midgette@elon.edu) the number of hours that have gone into protecting your home and property from wildfire this year. Simply email Nancy with your street address and number of hours.

Thank you for being a part of our Firewise success!

Treasured Tree Walk Next Wednesday, Oct. 29

Map titled Montreat Treasured Trees: A Walk through Nature and History, showing a walking path, tree locations, labels, directions, a legend, QR code for an online map, and general walk information.

Like all Montreaters, the Montreat Tree Board and Landcare Committee love trees! They have done much work to save trees, clear fallen trees, and educate the community about trees. Recently, they introduced a Montreat Treasured Trees program including a “walk” to learn about Montreat’s treasured Trees.

A “Treasured Tree Walk” is scheduled for Wednesday Oct 29, 2025 at 3:30 pm. Starting from the Nature Center. The walk will be led by Nancy Midgette of the Presbyterian Heritage Center and Jason Nanz, the MRA Ranger. It will feature a mix of Montreat history and nature including many of the Montreat Treasured Trees. The walk is approximately two miles and relatively flat. It is sponsored by the Montreat Tree Board, the Presbyterian Heritage Center, and the MRA Nature Center.

For a copy of the Treasured Tree Walk map (and tree/historical descriptions on the reverse side), CLICK HERE.

Reminder of PHC 2025 Distinguished Lecture Tonight

A woman with short blond hair, wearing a light blue blazer over a floral blouse, stands indoors and smiles at the camera. The background is softly blurred, showing framed artwork on the walls.

Just a reminder of The Presbyterian Heritage Center’s invitation to hear Dr. Crystal Downing speaking tonight on “From Wittenberg to Oxford: The Re-formation of C.S. Lewis and Dorothy L. Sayers”.

Dr. Downing will begin her lecture by highlighting Martin Luther’s recognition of the power of theater, and his use of drama to communicate the need for Reformation in the Church. Her focus will turn to Dorothy L. Sayers, also condemned by Christians for her reforming efforts.

The event will be tonight, Friday, October 24, from 7:00 – 8:00 pm in Upper Anderson. Admission is free.

Updates and Reminders

A hand is writing the word REMINDERS in black marker, with a red underline, on a white background.

• Mark the Date of December 5th for the Christmas lighting of the Montreat Gate. More details to come.
• Do you receive Montreat CodeRed alerts, an emergency communications system used a number of times during the hurricane and wildfires? To learn more about CodeRed or to be added to the list, CLICK HERE.

Questions or Comments?


Do you have Town-related questions or comments to offer? If so, please send them to Angie Murphy at info@townofmontreat.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the autumn colors!