This Week in the Swannanoa Valley

UR Light Center to hold concert, event

Mind Body Spirit Day returns the UR Light Center at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 with Rev. Heidi Peck's Crystal Bowls. Toning with Yvonne “Rainbow” Teplitsky will be at 1 p.m. and Reiki Healing Circle with Odilia Forlenza will be at 3 p.m. The suggested donation is $12 per event.

The center will host composer Richard Shulman from 3-5 p.m. Sept. 20 for a concert on the Kawaii Grand piano in its geodesic dome to celebrate the autumnal equinox. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at door. For more, contact the UR Light Center at 669-6845 or dome@URLight.org.

Goodwill presents job workshops

Searching for a job can be confusing and overwhelming. This fall, Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina will present six free workshops that will offer tips and advice for anyone looking for a job.

Workshops take place from 2-3:30 p.m. at Black Mountain Branch Library, 105 Dougherty St., Sept. 28, Oct. 12 and 26 and Nov. 9 and 23. The workshops will be presented by staff from Goodwill’s Workforce Development Center at 1616 Patton Ave., Asheville. For more, contact Mike VanGilder at 298-9023 ext. 1160.

Montreat’s McCall announces fall classes

McCall (Montreat College Center for Adult Lifelong Learning) held at the Brookside Center at Highland Farms in Black Mountain has its fall term 2015 classes from Sept. 28 to Nov. 6. Winter term 2016 classes are Jan. 11 to Feb. 19, and spring term 2016 classes are from March 28 to May 6. For more , call Montreat College at 669-8012, ext. 3821.

Broad River holds sale for its firefighters

The Broad River Fire Department Auxiliary will hold a craft/yard/bake sale from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Broad River Community Center, 46 Broad River VFD Road, off N.C. 9. To get a table, call 669-8629.

Registration opens for Swannanoa yard sale

This large-scale popular event makes a comeback Saturday, Oct. 3, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Ingles parking lot, 2299 U.S. 70 in Swannanoa. Bring your own table or tent. Call 581-9707 or email swannanoayardsale

@gmail.com to reserve a 10x10-foot space by Sept. 27. For more, visit swannanoafans.org or email swannanoayardsale@gmail.com.

Ten Thousand Villages supports elephant sanctuary

On Sunday, Sept. 20 from 1-5 p.m., Ten Thousand Villages Montreat will celebrate Elephant Appreciation Day with its yearly shopping benefit for The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee.

Ten Thousand Villages will donate 15 percent of sales to the sanctuary, the largest natural-habitat refuge in the United States. Customers who spend or donate more than $35 can select a handcrafted ceramic elephant ornament as a thank you and a reminder of the beauty and importance of elephants in our world.

Yoga classes to

help relieve pain

Yoga can help alleviate arthritis, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, lupus, back pain, illness and long-term pain from injury. From 6:45-8:15 p.m. on Sept. 22 and 29 and Oct. 6 and 13,Valerie Holbert will lead yoga classes at Black Mountain Yoga, 116 Montreat Road. Black Mountain Yoga also hosts Laughter Yoga on Sunday, Sept. 27 from 2-3 p.m. with Karin Steinhaus. For more, visit blackmountainyoga.com or call 669-2939.

Give blood and get a free haircut

The Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sept. 18 at Black Mountain Fire Department. Through the “Saving Lives Never Looked So Good” campaign, Sport Clips is thanking those who come to give blood in September with a coupon for a free haircut at participating Sport Clips locations. The coupon is valid through Nov. 8, 2015, and will be sent to donors via email a few days after their donation. To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

New clay session begins at Arts Center

A new clay session is about to begin at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. Two-hour adult clay classes are offered in six-week sessions starting Sept. 28. Beginners are welcome Monday and Tuesday. The fee is $135 for six weeks, which includes open studio practice times. An additional $50 lab fee that covers 25 pounds of clay, glazing and firing. Fall session teachers are Charles Freeland and Mathilda Tanner. Geoff Bird teaches on Thursdays. Students can use the studio seven days a week. Classes are available for all levels of experience. For more, call 669-0930 or visit BlackMountainArts.org.

UNCA observatory opens its doors

UNC Asheville’s Lookout Observatory will host a free public star viewing session beginning at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Weather conditions permitting, the observatory’s low-pitched roof will slide back to reveal the moon, constellations and more, viewed through a variety of telescopes under the guidance of astronomy experts. Preregister (required) at lookoutobserva-

tory.unca.edu where updates regarding availability, cloudy weather and possible postponement will also be posted. If there is poor weather, the viewing will be Saturday, Sept. 19.

To reach Lookout Observatory, park in the Reuter Center parking lot, lot P10, on the UNCA campus, where shuttle service at regular intervals will be provided from 8:30-11 p.m. The observatory will be staffed until 12 a.m. For more about the event, sponsored by UNCA’s physics department, contact lookout@unca.edu or 250-3958.

Biltmore Estate

to fill 400-plus jobs

Biltmore Estate is having two job fairs, Sept. 16 and Oct. 6, for jobs throughout the estate. Candidates should complete an application before attending at biltmore.com/careers, and should bring a résumé to assist in the interview process.

The job fair 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 16 will be for 75 positions in Biltmore’s Winery and retail outlets. The event will take place at the Biltmore Staffing Center in downtown Asheville at 1 North Pack Square. The job fair 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 6 will be for some 335 new and seasonal positions at Village Hotel and Inn on Biltmore. It will be held at the Vanderbilt Room at the Inn on Biltmore Estate at 1 Lodge St., Asheville.

For a list of openings, visit the careers section of biltmore.com/careers. For more, contact Mallory Flynn at 225.1285 or mflynn@biltmore.com.

Support offered

for Whole 30 Food

Sensible Bliss Massage Therapy, 100 Broadway Ave., Black Mountain, is offering a four-week support group for those who wish to follow the Whole 30 Food protocol. Participants need to purchase the book “It Starts With Food” and pay $50 for four meetings that include tea or coffee depending on the meeting place. Starting date will be decided once participants register. Contact Deena Wade at 407-9369 or email sensiblebliss@gmail.com. Visit sensiblebliss.com for more.

Workshop meant to help with sensitivities

A “highly sensitive person” lunch ‘n’ learn meet-up will be at the Juice Box at Roots & Fruits Cafe, 151 S Ridgeway Ave., Black Mountain, from noon-1:30 p.m. The event is targeted toward people for whom life can be overwhelming at times. If things seem too bright, too loud, too scratchy, if food textures are a challenge, if socks and clothing tags are a bother, this introductory workshop led by Karen Leonetti, a highly sensitive person herself and fresh food expert, may help.

Leonetti is a child development specialist and author of “Yummy Tummy Rainbow Garden” children's nutritional storybook. A $5 love donation is suggested. Call Leonetti with questions at 941-650-0574.

Meals on Wheels volunteers needed

Meals of Wheels of Asheville-Buncombe County provides hot meals and a brief visit each weekday morning to more about 500 homebound elderly in our county. There are 38 routes altogether, and more volunteers are needed for the three routes in the Black Mountain area. The hot and cold coolers containing these lunches are delivered to the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry across from the Black Mountain Primary School where they are picked up by the volunteers.

One route consists of a maximum of 16 meals to be delivered. Most volunteers drive the same route on the same day of each week, but substitutes are also needed when regular volunteers are unavailable. Delivery takes between one and two hours depending on the route. For information or to ride along with a volunteer to learn more, call Scottie Cannon at 669-2078. To sign up as a volunteer, call Meals on Wheels at 253-5286.

Max Woodcock Bridge results from last week

With 4 ¹/₂ tables this week, the club played a Mitchell rotation with clear winners in both directions. In the North/South orientation, Chuck Murdock and Mike Bernatovitz scored a 67 percent win, with the remaining three pairs contending for a distant second; Walt Tolley and Ed Hudgins were slightly better than the others with 47 percent.

East/West was won by Julie and Lee Wilcox; their usual strong play resulted in a 61 percent result. Second in that direction was Barbara Lilenfeld and Elizabeth Lovejoy with exactly 50 percent.

The group plays every Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. Contact Walt Tolley at 669-4563 if you would like to join in.

Gilliam reunion

set for September

The John Harris Gilliam family reunion will be 11 a.m. Sept. 20 at the Broad River Community Center on N.C. 9.

Lunch will be served about 12:30 p.m. John Harris Gilliam and his wife Molly Kirklin had nine children.

All descendants are encouraged to attend and bring a covered dish for lunch and visit with relatives.

Bring pictures, family genealogy, family stories and anything else you wish to share.

For more, call Jean at 628-2825.