Carolina Moment: Local corn maze marks 20 years with focus on charity, community aid

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    HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — The Cold Mountain Corn Maize in Haywood County is celebrating its 20th year this fall!

“I grew tobacco for 36 years. When we lost tobacco I had to find something else,” said Skipper Russell, founder. “My late wife and daughter had been to a corn maze in Bryson City and brought the idea back to me.”

Since he started, Russell has always donated a portion of his proceeds to various local charities.

“My late wife passed away with cancer, so we did several years with the [American] Cancer Society.”

Over the years, Russell has helped support various causes from flood victims to Alzheimer’s disease.

This year’s charity has a special local connection with his friend JJ Singleton, who was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 27.

“Since he’s local, I decided to do something around him and his organization,” said Russell.

The theme of this year’s maze is “Man Up To Cancer.” Singleton described it as: “a men-only group.”

“Men don’t open up a lot. We tend to isolate a lot,” Singleton said. “But, when men find a safe space to open up, it helps with the mental and physical part we all have to deal with cancer.”

Singleton said he is grateful that Russell is helping out with this cause this year.

“I talk about cancer a lot, but having Skipper support me and my ideas and things that are important to me just means the world to me,” he said.

The Cold Mountain Corn Maize opened for the season last weekend and will have haunted Halloween nights starting in October.

Since starting the event, Russell has donated over $25,000 to local charities.

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