This Week in the Swannanoa Valley

Ten Thousand Villages to support Earth Day

Ten Thousand Villages in Montreat will donate 15 percent of all sales from noon-6 p.m. Friday, April 22 to Asheville Greenworks in celebration of Earth Day 2016. Established in 1973, Asheville Greenworks is an urban environmental conservation organization working to enhance the community through educational- and volunteer- based environmental programs that include tree plantings, urban agriculture, environmental cleanups and anti-litter and waste reduction education.

Customers will receive a free “green “ gift with purchase on April 22; refreshments will be provided. Ten Thousand Villages is at 303 Lookout Road.

Stuff pillows with the Linus Project

The Linus Project makes quilts and other knit items for children and adults at Mission Hospital and in the community. Focusing on quilts given to local children in crisis, it also pins quilts, sorts donated fabric, stuffs pillows and does more, all for others who are in need.

Everyone is invited to participate (no experience is necessary, nor is there a charge). The group will meet next from 1-3 p.m. Friday, April 22 on the lower level of the Lakeview Center at Lake Tomahawk in Black Mountain. It will be cutting and stuffing pillows as well as pinning quilts. Fabric has been donated, and experienced quilters are available to teach and help out. A sewing machine is not needed. However, projects can be taken home to be finished. Call Sara Hill at 664-0974 for more.

Seed collection benefits Bounty & Soul clients

Ten Thousand villages in Montreat is running a seed collection for U Grow, a program of local nonprofit Bounty & Soul, through the month of April. Ten Thousand Villages has stocked the requested seeds; a $3 donation puts the seeds in the hands of families with little or no access to healthy homegrown produce. The goal is to help these families establish their own local gardens with the support of the U Grow program.

U Grow is a pilot program within Bounty & Soul, developed to inspire and teach individuals and families to grow their own gardens and have access to a sustainable source of nourishing food during the regular growing season. For the 2016 Growing Season, participants will use raised beds or containers gardens to grow their own food.

First Baptist Church celebrates the town’s diversity

First Baptist Church in Black Mountain is sponsoring an “Our Community - Our World” fair on Saturday, April 23 from 1-4 p.m. The Black Mountain community consists of many different cultural groups, and the church will celebrate them during the fair with representatives of many different groups, through their music and food. There will also be a car care clinic, children’s activities and hot dogs. The fair will be on the First Street side of the church, just off Montreat Road.

Local performer puts on workshop production

The Front Porch Theater at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts welcomes actress and playwright Murphy Funkhouser Capps for a workshop production of her one-woman show “Carry On” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30. Tickets for the show are $10 plus tax. Reservations can be made by calling 669-0930 or by visiting BlackMountainArts.org. The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is at 225 W. State St.

Explore your possibilities at Artist’s Way Creativity Camp

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts will host Anna Ferguson and James Navé for a day-long exploration of creativity with “The Artist’s Way” Creativity Camp on Saturday, April 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Whether you are just starting out or already have a creative practice, the camp will give you simple, easy-to-use tools to help you navigate the pathways of your creativity. Tuition is $125 with a limit of 30 participants. Register by calling 919-949-2113 or visiting imaginativestorm.com. The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is at 225 W. State Street.

Library book sale is coming up, seeks volunteers

The Friends of Black Mountain Library Books Sale is Friday-Saturday, April 29-30. April 29 is a preview night for Friends of the Library members only; however, if you are not member you can join for $15 at the door from 4-7 p.m. Sale hours April 30 are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. If you’d like to drop off books to donate, do so through April 22 at Bi Lo and the Black Mountain Visitors Center. Books will also be accepted Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Black Mountain Library Education Room in the rear of the library. For more and to ask about volunteering, call Lori at 357-8476.

Community High School plans its graduation

Community High School's graduation will take place at 5 p.m . Thursday, June 2 at Mission Health/A-B Tech Conference Center, 340 Victoria Road, Asheville.

Having trouble getting tickets to “Stand Against Racism”?

A technical glitch on the White Horse Black Mountain website (whitehorseblackmountain.org) has delayed online ticket sales for the Black Mountain Stand Against Racism event on Sunday May 1. The problem has been corrected, and tickets are now available at the website, organizers said. Tickets for the May 1 event, held at the Black Mountain venue from 2:30-4:30 p.m., are $10 regular and $8 students under 21. They are also available by phone at 669-0816 or from any member of the Black Mountain Stand Against Racism group. For more, contact Roberta Madden at 828-419-0730 or robertamadden@yahoo.com.

Bridge play goes down to the wire

On April 12, the Max Woodcock bridge group played a four-table Howell rotation. The team of Jackie McNesee and David Hirsch came in first with a 63 percent win. Helen Kraus and Ann Rogers placed second, and third went to Ed Zawaki and Elizabeth Lovejoy with a close 54 percent showing. It was a competitive match all around, and the winners were not clear until the very end.

Junior tennis clinics get underway in May

Black Mountain Tennis Association and Black Mountain Recreation and Parks will have their annual KinderTennis (ages 3-6) and 7- to 8-year-old clinic every Tuesday in May from 5-5:45 p.m. The 9- to 10-year-old clinic will be held every Thursday in May from 5-5:45 p.m. Call Recreation and Park at 669-2052, to register.

Reserve space for Swannanoa yard sale

There’s still time to register for the Swannanoa Community Yard Sale from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 30. If you'd like to reserve one or more spaces, email SwannanoaYard

Sale@gmail.com or call 828-581-9707 with your name, phone number and the number of spaces you'd like to reserve. The cost for each space, about 10 by 10 feet, is $10 (you’ll need your own tables). Payment for reserved spaces must be made in cash when you check in on the morning of the sale. More details are at swannanoafans.org.