Sept. 26 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.

Old Town Swannanoa and Beacon Walking Tour

Join the Swannanoa Valley Museum and local historians Bill Alexander and Sam Shirey, at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, for a walking tour through historic downtown Swannanoa.

Swannanoa was once home to a thriving downtown, known to locals as “The Station.” Bordered by the Beacon Blanket mill and the railroad tracks, Swannanoa’s downtown included cafes, grocery stores, a drug store, a bank, a movie theater, a five-and-dime, and other variety stores.

Join us for a walking tour of the old downtown area and the historic buildings that were once a part of the mill town. Learn about the history of this area, and see what’s happening in the old downtown today on this easy, 1/2 mile walking tour on paved road. Register at swannanoavalleymuseum.org/events or by calling 669-9566 in advance. Tickets are $20.

Up-cycled fabric workshop at BMCA

Find a new life for old fabric by joining artist Nica Bello at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts as she offers a three-week workshop entitled Parting Ways and Cutting Ties: an Up-Cycled Workshop devoted to re-purposing fabric that has meaning but is no longer viable, and transforming it into something new and usable.

This workshop is designed to be experienced by an adult and child (over the age of 6). and will be held from 2 - 3:30 p.m. on Sunday Sept. 29, and Oct. 6. The cost is $75 per group of two for all three sessions.

Over the course of the class your creative team will learn how to turn old and unwanted fabrics into yarn and then weave them into great unusable items such as rugs and scarves.  Join this class to learn weaving techniques, be creative and spend quality time with your kid!

Bello studied textile design at the Rhode Island School of Design and taught children at Art Space Charter School’s after-school classes. She is a Black Mountain resident and daughter of the owners of Design Driven Studio. 

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

Tickets on Sale for Comedy Improv

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is proud to host the Asheville based improv comedy troupe, Reasonably Priced Babies (RPB) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday Sept. 27.

RPB is a formidable improv comedy group consisting of Tom Chalmers, Mondy Carter, Karen Stobbe, Kim Richardson and Josh Batenhorst with Aaron Price.

This is how it works: RPBs will ask the audience for suggestions and then they make that come to life in technicolor. Get ready to be a part of the experience because this show will push the envelope of ridiculous fun.

Tickets are $12 each. Seating is general admission and first come first served. Doors open at 7 p.m. For tickets or more information call 669-0930 or visit blackmountainarts.org. 

Have fun at the BRVFD Fall Flea Market and Fair

Come one and all to the Fall Flea Market and Fair, which takes place from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Broad River Volunteer Fire Department, 44 Broad River VFD Road.. 

Activities will include free games for kids, a bake sale, a craft sale, a yard sale and raffles with prizes up to $100 cash. Hot Dog Lunch with all the fixings, nachos, and multiple cake walks will be offered from 12 - 1 p.m.  Come help us support our first responders.

Mills Chapel holds outreach service

Mills Chapel Baptist Church will hold its annual outreach service from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Lake Tomahawk pavilion. 

The Mills Chapel Outreach Committee is hosting the event, which is free and open to the public. 

SouthPark Church Choir to sing at Swannanoa United Methodist Church

The SouthPark Church Choir, from Charlotte, will hold a show at Swannanoa United Methodist Church, on 216 Whitson Avenue, at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29. 

The event, which concludes the choir's annual retreat, is free and open to the public. 

And coming up...

Benefit Biker Ride for Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries

A motorcycle ride benefiting the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry will take place from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12. Participants will meet at Appalachian Tool & Machine, 121 Lytle Cove Road, Swannanoa. 

The motorcycle ride will be followed with food, music, and guest speakers until 4 p.m.  Riders, passengers, and volunteers eat free. 

All proceeds benefit Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries. The event is sponsored by Celebrate Recovery and Broken Chains JC. 

Contact Jeanie Wallace at 669-4146 or 828-331-1410.

Become BearWise at the Black Mountain Library

Want to learn how to co-exist safely with bears? Staff with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will discuss the natural history of black bears in Western North Carolina and how you can use that information to safely coexist with these North Carolina treasures.

This event, which is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, is free and open to the public. 

Monday, October 14 at 10:00AM

Make Your Mark Monday

Create a watercolor bookmark at the Black Mountain Library, with Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League artist Donna Davis, beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 14.

The event is free, but those interested in attending must register. Call the Library 828-250-4756 or visit the Events Calendar at www.buncombecounty.org/library to reserve your space.

Launch party with Sarah Loudin Thomas

Local author Sarah Loudin Thomas will sign copies of her latest Appalachian story, "When Silence Sings," at Sassafras on Sutton, located at 108 Sutton Avenue, from 3 - 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov 3. Copies of the book will be available for purchase, and Thomas will host a talk and question and answers session. 

For more information or to preorder copies of the book, call the store at 828-419-0677.