Thomas Taulbee
Since 2023, the year angels gave Thomas Taulbee his wings, we’ve felt his spirit fly around and through us. When we see bees flying about, we think of him. After all, the last syllable of his name is bee.
Thomas was a giver of laughter, giver of spirit, and a passionate lover of pollinators.
Truly, Thomas was a pollinator himself: an idea pollinator, a kindness pollinator, a world-changing pollinator. Our community is blooming because of him, and in his honor, we are about to make it flower even more.
Thomas’s sister, Susan Heatley, continues to carry his torch, helping build a Pollinator Garden on the hillside adjacent the Cashiers Chamber of Commerce.
“Before his death,” she says, “Thomas spoke of creating a garden, one rooted in native plants and care for our mountain environment. He believed strongly that Cashiers should preserve and protect the land that makes it so special.”
It is a memorial to Thomas, who hadn’t been Chamber Executive Director long before he passed. Many individuals and organizations have joined the glorious gardening mission, named Wings for Thomas. It’s a Pollinator Haven, transforming unused space into a Certified Pollinator Habitat.
Current Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Susan Sapienza says, “With every bloom and every wing that visits, Thomas’ spirit takes flight.
“Pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat. Yet their habitats are disappearing. By planting native species and creating a certified waystation, the Chamber and its partners are strengthening biodiversity while demonstrating Cashiers’ commitment to environmental stewardship.
“More than a garden, Wings for Thomas is a hands-on learning initiative inviting the community to participate through seed saving, native plant identification, winter seed sowing, terracing workshops, community planting day, and a Grand Opening celebration in May 2026.”
Financial contributions will fund native plants, soil preparation, educational signage, certification, and long-term care. Together, Cashiers is planting more than flowers – we are planting beauty, biodiversity, and a living tribute that will continue to bloom for generations to come.
To learn more, view event dates, or join The Thomas Legacy Circle, visit cashiersareachamber.com and visit Community Calendar, then search “wings” for a list of event dates.
Here is where you can donate: business.cashiersareachamber.com/events.
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