May 3 This Week in the Swannanoa Valley

Yoga studio offers a speaker series

Black Mountain Yoga is hosting a new speaker series called "BMYtalks." Inspired by TED Talks, the talks are led by regional experts on topics meant to support a person's evolution. The short talks are followed by guided experiential learning. Talks, which are supported by participant donations, will include movement science, brain health and more. 

The first talk is "Mantra and Kirtan as Medicine," from 6:45-7:45 p.m. Wednesday, May 2 at Black Mountain Yoga. Features will be local Kirtan leader Aditi Sethi and famed Indian spiritual singer Dr. Krishna Kant Shukla. Sign up at blackmountainyoga.com. 

Church brings back fish and chicken dinner sale

Thomas Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church is having a fish and chicken dinner sale from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Friday, May 3-4 at the church, 124 W. College St., Black Mountain. The menu includes potato salad, baked beans, cole slaw, rolls and dessert (no sandwiches). Dinners are $10, and combos are $12. Call 669-2221 for local delivery.

Library Friends return to Black Mountain Tailgate Market

The Friends of the Black Mountain Library will return to the Black Mountain Tailgate Market, starting up for the season Saturday, May 5, for a second summer.  They will offer a wide variety of used books for sale each week, in addition to offering Friends membership information. All proceeds go to support and enhance the Black Mountain Library.

This year a new feature will be information about the Black Mountain Blooms Seed Lending Library, including sunflower and dill seeds available free of charge. For more about the Friends of the Black Mountain Library, stop by the table at the tailgate market or email FOLBlackMountain@gmail.com.

Light Center to hold concerts, talks

The UR Light Center invites all to "Step Into Your Next from Oneness" with Jessica Martinson from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 5.  At 7 p.m. that evening, Matt Venuti plays a concert using melodic-percussive acoustic instruments and an electronic valve instrument wind synthesizer.

On Saturday, May 12, Odilia Forlenza leads a Reiki healing circle from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by "Toning for Peace and Transformation" with Yvonne Rainbow Teplitsky, at 2 p.m. Annalinde Metzner leads "Lady of Ten Thousand Names," an experience of the Goddesses of Europe, Africa and the Middle East through song, dance and visual arts, on Saturday, May 19, 1 to 4:30 p.m.

For more, including ticket prices, contact the UR Light Center at 828-231-6931 or URLight.org/events.

Tickets on sale for "Love, Loss and What I Wore"

Tickets are now on sale for the Front Porch Theatre at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts’ production of "Love, Loss and What I Wore" by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, based on the book by Ilene Beckerman.

Performances will be Friday-Saturday, May 11-12 and 18-19 at 7:30 pm. Matinees are Sunday, May 13 and 20 at 2 p.m., with a short talk-back after the Sunday shows. This poignant and funny play features five women who share a series of monologues related to women’s wardrobes and relationships. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at 669-0930 and blackmountainarts.org.

Auditions held for "The Black Mountain Radio Hour"

The Front Porch Theatre at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts is holding auditions for its upcoming original radio drama and variety show "The Black Mountain Radio Hour."

Directed by Max Baron Reid, the production seeks three versatile character/voice actors to play multiple characters: man (age 40+) and woman (age 40+) of any ethnicity and an African American woman (age 30+). Auditions will be held Wednesday, May 16 from 6-8 pm and Saturday, May 19 from 10 a.m.-noon. Rehearsals begin June 10 for production of recorded performances July 6-8 and July 13-15. For more, call 669-0930 or contact fpt@blackmountainarts.org.

Duplicate bridge group posts results from April 24

The Lake Tomahawk Duplicate Bridge Group played at the Lakeview Center on Lake Tomahawk in Black Mountain April 24 and had a great time. Coming in first were Lynda Briggs/Helen Kraus.  Coming in second were Ron Gibson/Dan McGaughey. Coming in third were Roger Fenna/David Hirsch. The game is free on Tuesday nights, and if you would like to join in, whether you are local or from out of town, email rongibson1@yahoo.com for information.

In May, Black Mountain Friends of the Library seeks members

Join the Friends of the Black Mountain Library this May, the month for all current Friends members to renew their annual memberships. New members are encouraged to join as well.  Individual memberships ($15), family memberships ($25) and business memberships ($50) are available. All serve to support and enhance the work of the Black Mountain Library.

“Our 100 members in 100 days campaign was hugely successful last summer,” said membership chair Gwyn Ridenhour.  “We ended up the year with 218 members.  This year we’re setting a new goal of 300 members.  We know we can count on this supportive community.”

Funding provided by memberships allowed the Friends to provide new books, periodicals, and other materials for the Library.  In addition, the Friends has been able to support children’s programming, the Black Mountain Blooms Seed Library, book discussion events, the ZOOM Pass Program, and library enhancements. 

Members can sign up at the Black Mountain Tailgate Market beginning Saturday, May 5.  Membership information is also available at the Black Mountain Library.  For more, email FOLBlackMountain@gmail.com.

And coming up ...

Celebrate Recovery celebrates 13th anniversary

On Tuesday, May 15, Celebrate Recovery celebrates its 13 anniversary with a cook out and covered dish meal. Celebrate Recovery features inspiring teaching and testimonies of God’s healing power for people in recovery. “Welcome Home Veterans” is a special open-share small group for men led by a veteran for veterans. "Broken Chains" is an outlet for bikers to combine their love of riding with their need for recovery.

Celebrate Recovery meets every Tuesday evening at Mountain View Church, 2221 North Fork-Right Fork Road, Black Mountain. Meetings begin with a free meal at 6:15 p.m., then 7 p.m. for worship/testimony/lessons, 8 p.m. for small groups (open share and 12-Step studies), 9 p.m. for dessert. Free child care is available. For more, contact Connie at 669-1981 or Jeanie at 669-4146.

Fire department to host blood donations

Black Mountain Fire Department will host an American Red Cross blood donation from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, May 25 at the station, 106 Montreat Road. In trauma situations, when there’s no time to check a patient’s blood type, emergency personnel reach for type O negative red blood cells and type AB plasma because they can be transfused to any patient, regardless of blood type. Less than 7 percent of the population has type O negative blood, and only about 4 percent of the population has type AB blood. 

Donors of all blood types are urged to roll up a sleeve this May to help meet the needs of trauma patients and others with serious medical conditions. Make an appointment to donate blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).