Book signing scheduled to mark anniversary

By Taylor Boyd

Marsha Honeycutt Marcela, author of “Mr. Rigney, Rigney, and Me (… or is it ‘I’),” will hold a book signing to celebrate the book’s one-year anniversary and its success.

The signing will be held on Saturday, September 18 at Poppy’s in Meadows of Dan, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Marcela will be set up on the porch of the store, and books will be available for purchase at the event and inside the store.

Marcela’s book, which is a byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic, serves as a memoir of the life of George Rigney, a former teacher at Patrick County High School, and her self-appointed mentor when she started teaching at the high school in the 1980s.

“I realize it was a little unusual for a person my age to be friends with a person his age, especially when I was young. But our friendship lasted all these years until he died, and I was with him in the end. So, this is my story too,” she said.

Marcela said she first noticed Rigney after realizing he was always surrounded and interacting with his students.

“It was never unusual to see him surrounded by a group of five or more students who just wanted to laugh and joke around with him before the beginning of their academic day,” she writes. “He always had time, or at least made time, for them as he rightfully deemed this his purpose for being in a high school.”

Rigney’s dedication to his students didn’t end at graduation, Marcela said, adding he often served as a reference for former students, and was always visited by former students/graduates wishing to thank him for the education and life lessons he gave them.

“We really got to know each other the summer after my first-year of teaching when we taught summer school together. We remained friends until the day he died,” she said.

Marcela said she and Rigney spent many afternoons hiking Fancy Gap Mountain or driving to various places where Rigney had taught, sometimes one-room schoolhouses.

“He of course, established a relationship with my husband once I was married and then came my children. Of course, I named Rigney, my youngest, after him,” she said.

When Rigney was alive, Marcela said she wanted to write a book with him, “but he wouldn’t do it. So, I was very hesitant to write a book after he died,” she said.

Marcela had two motives in mind when she wrote the book.

“The first is that I don’t want his story to be forgotten. Right now, it won’t because there’s still all the people in Patrick County that he’s taught, but there may come a day where he’s not a household name,” she said.

Her second reason is to raise money for his scholarship fund, the George D. Rigney Memorial Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is currently awarding $500 a year, with the goal of awarding it to a first-generation college student. Marcela said applicants are asked to submit an essay, and the scholarship committee looks for characteristics that are like those exemplified by Rigney, such as service to the community.

Proceeds of the book purchased at Poppy’s will go to support the scholarship.

“Tom Perry published the book for me for free, and any profits that would go to Tom goes directly to the scholarship as well,” Marcela added.

Donations can be made to support the scholarship by making a check payable to the George Daniel Rigney Memorial Scholarship Fund and mailing it to Marcela at 386 Jimmy Billings Road, Vilas, North Carolina, or taking it to Carter Bank.

“Mr. Rigney, Rigney, and Me (… or is it ‘I’)” can be purchased at the Carroll County Historical Society, Poppy’s, and online on Amazon. Copies can also be purchased at book signings, and signed copies can be purchased via email at marshamarcela12@gmail.com.