Meet Kathy Tanner, Write-In Candidate for Lake Lure Mayor

Bringing people together, listening, building partnerships, and turning vision into action.

A woman wearing sunglasses, a beige cap, and a blue T-shirt smiling as she holds a bag of plant bulbs outdoors in a garden with blooming flowers and trees.

Kathy Tanner is a longtime community leader, volunteer, educator and consensus builder with a proven record of bringing people together to turn ideas into action.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Kathy began her career as a second-grade teacher. Throughout her life, she has remained deeply committed to service—volunteering as a Sunday school and Vacation Bible School teacher, Girl Scout leader, Junior League board member, United States Pony Club volunteer and local chapter president, and held numerous other community leadership roles.

But it is Kathy’s work here in Lake Lure that best demonstrates the kind of leadership she will bring as Mayor.

Kathy was a member of the steering committee that helped create the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge gardens and has served on its Board of Directors since 2011, including as secretary, garden chair and board chair. She has helped guide the organization through its creation and development and, following Hurricane Helene, the work of rebuilding and reimagining the gardens.

Through that experience, Kathy has seen what is possible when people with different ideas and backgrounds come together around a shared vision. Her approach is simple: listen first, build consensus, develop a plan, create partnerships, find the resources and get to work.

A group of approximately 15 volunteers in blue shirts standing outside in front of trees and parked cars during daytime, posing for a photo at a community planting event.
Group of six people standing outdoors in front of a wooden building and sign that reads 'Education Center.' They are holding a large check for $30,000 made out to Lake Luna Flowering Bridge. A dog sits in front of them, and there are colorful flowers in the foreground.

Kathy believes Lake Lure is at a defining moment.

The town must continue recovering and rebuilding critical infrastructure, but recovery alone is not enough. Lake Lure needs a vision for what comes next, one shaped by the residents, businesses and community partners who call this special place home.

Two women standing in front of a memorial wall with flowers and inscriptions. One woman is wearing a yellow shirt and baseball cap, and the other is wearing a plaid shirt and gray leggings. Behind them, there are signs including a tall plant-themed fundraiser thermometer and a sign that reads, 'Plans are underway! An Education Center for the Bridge, go to llfb.org for updates and how to support this project.'

Building Bridges, Restoring Trust, Moving Lake Lure Forward.

As mayor, Kathy will work to restore trust and transparency in government, reconnect Lake Lure with its partners throughout the Gorge, strengthen communication with residents and businesses, and bring people together to build a positive vision for Lake Lure’s future.

For Kathy, this campaign is about more than winning an election. Lake Lure is her family’s community and home, and she is committed to helping it thrive for generations to come.

Kathy is a longtime resident of Lake Lure, and lives here full-time with her husband, Kenneth, and two dogs, Lucy and Piper. Together, she and Kenneth raised two daughters who have flown the nest, but love to come back to visit the lake.

Connect with Kathy
A group of six women gathered around a wooden table on a covered porch, with greenery and mountain views in the background. They are smiling and appear to be at a meeting or social gathering, with papers, notebooks, and a map on the table.
A bride and her three wedding guests stand on an outdoor dock near a lake, with mountains in the background, all smiling and holding bouquets, surrounded by colorful flowers.
Two people standing outdoors in conversation. One is a man in a navy blazer, dress shirt, light-colored trousers, and brown shoes. The other is a woman wearing a blue T-shirt with a logo, red shorts, hiking boots, a baseball cap, and sunglasses. They are under a large tree with greenery and a hanging flower basket, with a wooden fence in the background and a bright, clear sky.
A woman with sunglasses on her head is holding a hen and a cup outdoors in a backyard with trees and plants.
Six people sitting at a table outdoors, wearing matching blue t-shirts, smiling, with trees and a gazebo in the background.
Five people sitting on rocks in a dense forest, wearing outdoor clothing and smiling.
Two people smiling and standing close together outdoors on a stone-paved walkway with a bridge and trees in the background. Both are dressed warmly, and there are pink roses in the foreground.
A happy elderly couple standing outdoors among lush greenery and flowers, smiling and embracing each other during a sunny day.