Sept. 5 This Week in the Swannanoa Valley

Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry needs 

A current list of needs at the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry: Fitted sheets (king, queen, and twin in particular), towels, pillows, toilet paper, jelly, pancake syrup, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and shampoo. Monetary donations designated to food are also welcome (send to P.O.  Box 235).

Drop off items at 101 North Ridgeway Avenue, Black Mountain.

Celebrate Recovery meetings

Are you or someone you know struggling with anger, codependency, eating disorder, love & relationship addiction, abuse, alcohol, drug of other forms of addiction? Celebrate Recovery, which meets every Tuesday evening at Mountain View Church on 2221 North Fork-Right Fork, features inspiring teaching and testimonies of God’s healing power by our family in recovery.

Meetings begin at 6:15 p.m. with a free meal, before worship, testimony, or lessons begin at 7 p.m. Small groups take place at 8:00 p.m. for open share and 12-Step studies,before dessert is served at 9 p.m. Free child care is available. For more information contact Connie at 669-1981 or Jeanie at 669-4146.

Poker night at the VFW

VFW Post 9157 is hosting Wednesday night poker night. The weekly tournaments are open to the public, with the first one beginning at 7 p.m., followed by a 9 p.m. tournament. 

Dinner plates are available for $5. A $5 credit will be awarded to the winner of each tournament.

Free seminar for caregivers of people with dementia 

The Lakeview Center for Active Aging has partnered with the Western Carolina Chapter Alzheimer’s Association to conduct a series of free Caregiver Dementia Educational Seminars for those affected by Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. 

These seminars, which will be held from 11 - 11:45 a.m. on the first Monday of the month through November, are for caregivers or anyone wanting more information and resources. 

The Lakeview Center is located at 401 Laurel Circle Drive in Black Mountain.

For more information contact Melinda Polites  at melinda.polites@townofblackmountain.org or call 669-8610.

Registration open for Junior Appalachian Musicians 

The first of the Junior Appalachain Musicians (JAM) sessions begins at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4 with a parent meeting.

The JAM program offers group lessons for students in the third through ninth grades (or ages 8-14) teaching traditional mountain tunes on fiddle, banjo and guitar. Professional musicians guide the classes every Wednesday through demonstration, repetition and verbal instructions, and then divide students into smaller instrument groups.

The classes meet at the Arts Center every Wednesday from 3:30 - 5 p.m. and last for 15 weeks. Tuition is $150 and can be paid for in two installments. The Arts Center has some instruments available for rent. Homeschoolers are welcome and bus drop-off may be available.

JAM is supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

BMCA hosts the Buncombe County JAM program which has sister programs in neighboring counties and offers musical activities and opportunity for additional growth throughout the year.

To register or for more information go to blackmountainarts.org or call 669-0930.

Adult tennis set to begin 

Lessons for beginning adult tennis players, and those wishing to return to the sport, will be offered by Black Mountain Tennis Association from Sept. 4 through Oct. 9 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, at the upper courts at Lake Tomahawk. 

To register go to trytennis.net. The $40 registration includes a new Head racket, t-shirt, and six lessons.

Landscape workshops offered at BMCA

Anyone interested in trying their hand or improving existing skills at landscape painting should consider workshops presented at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts taught by artist and educator Nate Barton. Barton will offer three workshops entitled Mountain Landscapes Three Ways: Making Art of our Mountains from 6 - 8:30 p.m. on Thursday Sept. 5, 12 and 19.

The workshops are geared towards all levels of ability, and in each class students will create a single piece to take home. Students will learn to make landscape images of our mountains with watercolors, pen and ink, and oil pastel respectively. Classes can be taken individually for $35, or all three classes can be purchased for $95.

For more information call 669-0930 or visit blackmountainarts.org.

Composting workshop at the Community Garden

Join long-time composter and Master Gardener Intern, John Bowen, for a hands-on composting workshop, rain or shine, at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7. The free presentation, which is sponsored by the Black Mountain Blooms Seed Lending Library and Buncombe County Extension Master Gardn Volunteers, will be held at the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden at 99 White Pine Drive. 

Participants will learn about cold- and hot-composting, ratios of green to brown, what can and cannot be composted, how to build a proper compost pile, trouble-shooting composting problems and so much more. This hour-long workshop will get you energized to start your own composting system at home.   

We welcome you to be part of our growing community. For any questions, contact Black Mountain Library 828-250-4756.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults class 

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults classes are forming at St. Margaret Mary in Swannanoa. If you are interested in studying the faith, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is having an inquiry class at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 8, in the John XXXIII conference room in the office building. All are welcome. Call 828-686-8833 for more information.

Black Mountain Library hosts Make Your Mark Mondays

The Black Mountain Library and The Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League will be hosting Make Your Mark Mondays. The series will be held on select Mondays this fall.

Join SVFAL artists in the Black Mountain Library Education Room as they demonstrate their medium. Participants will try their hand at the technique, and with the artist’s help, create a bookmark to take home.

The first program, set for 10 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 9, is Fiber Fun with Ruth Duckworth and Tina Kannapel. Participants will make a wet felted bookmark. Duckworth and Kannapel, both spinners and felters, are obsessed with anything fiber related. 

Space is limited and all supplies are provided. Register online on the Library Events calendar at buncombecounty.org/libraries, by calling the library at (828) 250-4756 or email blackmountain.library@buncombecounty.org.

Poling presents at Brown Bag Reading

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts welcomes author Nancy Poling from 12 - 1 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12, as she presents her latest book, "While Earth Still Speaks."

The public is welcome to this free Brown Bag and Books presentation that invites you to bring a lunch and listen as the author reads from her book and answers questions after. Poling retired to Black Mountain with her husband Jim and she expresses her activism and interests through writing. Her published works include the non-fiction book, Before It Was Legal: a black-white marriage (1945-1987); a short story collection, Had Eve Come First and Jonah Been a Woman; and the novel, Out of the Pumpkin Shell.

For more information call 669-0930 or visit blackmountainarts.org.

Calling on crafters and yard sale managers

The Auxiliary of the Broad River Volunteer Fire Department will host a Fall Flea Market & Fair from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 44 Broad River VFD Rd., 28711. 

This will be a craft, yard and bake sale with a hot dog lunch, plus games and raffles for all ages. 

Tables may be reserved for $10 by calling Jeannette Stender at 828-329-3531.