2017 BLUE RIDGE FOOTHILLS PROTECTION CHALLENGE

submitted by The Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina:

Between now and August 31 2017, your support for Foothills Conservancy goes TWICE as far with a dollar-for-dollar match toward our $80,000 challenge goal!

It never ceases to amaze us when those committed to a cause achieve great things.

This May, in an effort fully funded by private contributions, Foothills Conservancy purchased and permanently protected Sank Gap, a 259-acre tract in the Catawba River's headwaters near Old Fort in McDowell County. Residents of the adjacent Creston Community, motivated by one couple's $25,000 challenge pledge, rallied to raise the final $50,000 needed to complete the purchase.

Thanks to these passionate individuals and other private funders, this incredible land, which contains nearly a mile of the ridge of Edmondson Mountain including Sank Gap, is now part of Foothills Conservancy's Catawba Headwaters Preserve.

The ridge of Edmondson Mountain, including Sank Gap

During our 2017 Blue Ridge Foothills Protection Challenge, you have an opportunity to double your impact and help us achieve our $80,000 summer challenge goal.

Two anonymous individuals together have pledged $37,500 and the von Drehle Corporation of Hickory has pledged $2,500 to match up to a total of $40,000 for this annual fund challenge.

From now through August 31, your gifts toward this challenge will be matched dollar-for-dollar, doubling your investment in this unique and wonderful region and allowing us to advance our land and water conservation work this year. 

With your help, we will continue our work this year to protect places like Lake James, where concerned citizens contributed half the funds needed for our land trust to acquire and add another 41 acres to Lake James State Park last year. Known as the Whippoorwill Dairy Farm, this land offers public access to a section of the Overmountain Victory Historic Trail along Paddy's Creek and protects the clean waters of Lake James.

Paddy's Creek flows along the Whippoorwill Farm

Protection projects like this are inspiring examples of the community members and landowners who are committed to working with Foothills Conservancy to protect our beautiful region.

With your help, Foothills Conservancy will be able to continue adding to the more than 51,000 acres of mountain forests, foothills farmlands, and the thousands of miles of streams, rivers and trails that we have protected since 1995.

We consider it a privilege that thanks to supporters like you, Foothills Conservancy can use our expertise and resources as a regional land trust to work with people in our community who are passionate about land and water conservation to achieve our shared goals.

Thanks to your support we are able to respond to opportunities to protect scenic vistas, preserve family farmland through conservation easements, and safeguard the water quality of the streams and rivers that we rely on for recreation and drinking water. 

Please double your support for our region's future during our Blue Ridge Foothills Protection Challenge by mailing your gift, making a secure gift online at foothillsconservancy.org/donate, or calling our office at 828-437-9930 by August 31.

DONATE NOW

Thank you,

Susie Hamrick Jones 

Executive Director

 

Ron Beane 

Board Chair

 

P.S. Don't forget! Mark your calendar today and make a two-for-one gift by August 31.

 

Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina 

P.O. Box 3023, Morganton, NC 28680

Ph: 828-437-9930

info@foothillsconservancy.org

www.foothillsconservancy.org

 

 

 

 

Carolina Public Press Spring Fundraiser This Week

Carolina Public Press Kicks off its Spring Fundraiser TODAY with only one week to raise its goal of $7,000.

There has never been a greater need to strengthen independent, in-depth and investigative journalism. Thanks to reader support the publication was able to invest more than 3,000 hours last year to report Western North Carolina's most important issues - work that earned two statewide and regional awards. Today, Carolina Public Press is the only news organization in WNC with a journalist in Raleigh covering the legislature.

Now YOUR help is needed. Help raise $7,000 by Saturday. New and increased gifts will be DOUBLED. Your donations will be helping build fact-based and content-rich journalism in Western North Carolina.

DONATE NOW

Carolina Public Press is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit online news service providing Western North Carolina with unbiased, in-depth and investigative news as well as educational opportunities. Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

FEAST Asheville News

photo courtesy of FEAST

May 23, 2016 from 6 PM - 9 PM: Farmhouse FEAST at All Souls Pizza in Asheville NC. Riverbend Malt House and All Souls Pizza are teaming up for a charity beer dinner featuring locally-raised pork from Austin Farms in Old Fort along with several local beers. Participants will dine on the outdoor patio to enjoy the spring weather.


Breweries confirmed: Twin Leaf Brewery, New Grass Brewery, Hi Wire Brewing. The cost is $50/pp + applicable service charges - BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE. All Souls Pizza is located at 175 Clingman Ave, Asheville NC.

The Menu: 

 (vegetarian option available)

• Antipasta – cured meats, pickled vegetables, farm and sparrow bread and ferments 
• Crispy confit pork belly with second spring greens and scuppernong vinaigrette 
• Corned ham with asparagus and parsley sauce 
• Bloody Butcher corn tart with whipped creme fraiche and strawberries 

The Back Story: Riverbend Malt House has been working with Austin Farms, in Old Fort, to recycle their waste material from the malting process. The waste is a mix of rootlets and thin kernels that are removed from the malted barley. This “waste” is rich in protein and other nutrients, making it an ideal food for livestock. This partnership allows Riverbend to recycle over 80% of the total waste from their operation every year! A large portion of the ticket sales will go back to support FEAST.


The mission of FEAST Asheville is to empower youth and families to grow, prepare and enjoy fruits and vegetables through hands on cooking and garden education.With the 2015-16 school year nearly over FEAST reports many highlights of their efforts:

• FEAST started at Hall Fletcher Elementary and received great support as Rachel transitioned into the role of the FEAST Educator
• FEAST and The ROOTS Foundation created a great partnership and have been working tirelessly together at Vance Elementary to turn this site into an edible schoolyard
• The FEAST Team is just finishing up a 3 year strategic plan and are excited about the future
• 2 FEAST teachers will be sent to the National Edible Schoolyard Conference in California 
• FEAST successfully completed a pilot project at Isaac Dickson Elementary School with the 4th and 5th grade and looking forward to what happens next

 Please visit the site to make contributions, volunteer or get more information.

End of the Year Tax-deductible Donations to Preserve the Mountains

There are dozens of worthy organizations in need of donations to continue their hard work to preserve and conserve the beauty and ecology of the mountains. Here are just a few of the many we recommend for your last minute deductible donations:

Appalachian Voices, protecting the central and southern Appalachian mountain region.  Learn the ways to donate HERE.  Sign up for the newsletter, The Appalachian Advocate. Upcoming events from Appalachian Vioces:

Christmas in Old Appalachia Dec. 5-24: Join the Museum of Appalachia as they recreate Christmas from an earlier era. Admission to museum required. Norris, Tenn
First Day Hikes Jan. 1: More than 400 hikes nationwide. Find First Day Hikes near you at your local state parks
Century of State Parks Poetry Contest Jan. 1-April 1: Celebrate the centennial of the North Carolina State Park system by contributing to this poetry contest
Animals in Winter Jan. 2: Interactive Nature Foundation presentation about what animals do in winter. For ages 3-10. Wintergreen, Va
Energy Efficiency Webinar Jan. 20: Ask our panel of experts questions about how energy efficiency can reduce your carbon footprint
Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group Conference Jan. 27-30: The 25th annual conference offers informative courses and field trips, practical sessions, networking, and more. Lexington, Ky
Appalachian Studies Conference Mar. 18-20: Save the date for this annual conference to encourage dialogue, research, scholarship and creative expression in the Appalachian region. Shepherdstown, W.Va.
Get a complete calendar HERE.

Every kid in a park program

 National Parks Foundation, celebrating 48 years of supporting our parks.  The National Park Foundation works to protect national parks, connect people to them, and inspire park enthusiasts. Make an impact for America’s treasured landscapes, historical sites, and ecosystems - today, and for generations to come. Get one of the FREE national park Owner’s Guides, filled with travel tips and inside information on what not to miss. It’s your one-stop resource to discover your national parks. Find ways to donate or volunteer HERE. The National Park Service turns 100 on August 25, 2016 - join the Centennial celebration by visiting your local parks and making a donation to save our parks for another 100 years.

Every Kid In A Park - The Every Kid in a Park initiative will provide an opportunity for each and every 4th grade student across the country to experience their public lands and waters in person throughout the 2015-2016 school year FREE of charge.

Little Tennessee River

Little Tennessee Land Trust (LTLT).  In 2015, LTLT ( to become Mainspring Conservation Trust on January 1) conserved another 300 acres of land and started the process to conserve hundreds more; restored 1,500 feet of streambanks; and connected over 2,000 children and 1,000 adults to their natural resources through education and outreach programs.

Private donations make up more than 70% of the overall funding. YOU make a difference with the support you give. As of today, they are at 90% of the 2015 Annual Fund goal with less than two weeks to meet or exceed it. Please consider helping reach this goal by including the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee in your year-end giving today.

the devastation of mountaintop removal

 ILoveMountains.org  end mountaintop removal and coal mining.  The organization couldn’t do what they do without you -- it’s as simple as that. All year long, you lent your voice to the fight against mountaintop removal coal mining. This year, you supported grassroots community leaders as they fought for an effective Stream Protection Rule, demanded firm limits on toxic selenium pollution, and began building toward a brighter future by supporting the POWER+ Plan. You helped spread the word when we launched our Communities at Risk tool, which uses 30 years worth of satellite imagery to show how mountaintop removal is getting closer to communities. Now they are asking you to be a part of one more thing this year: making the work in 2016 possible.

As we close in on the 2016 public comment periods of critical water-related rulemakings, it’s crucial that we begin the year on a strong footing -- and that can be done with your help. Click here to make a tax-deductible contribution today. Whether you're able to contribute $10, $25, $50 or more, every dollar of your holiday contribution goes directly to groups working to end mountaintop removal. Help  end 2015 by donating to end mountaintop removal. 

photo courtesy of wunc.org

Friends of the Mountain to Sea Trail (FMST).  Give through Amazon Smile. Amazon has created a very easy way to give to FMST through smile.amazon.comhttps://smile.amazon.com/. That website works the same way amazon.com works, has the same products and uses your same passwords. The only difference is that Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase price to the charity of your choice. When you first use smile.amazon.com, it will ask you to select a charity to receive your gifts. It's easy to find Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail on the list. After that, every time you purchase through smile.amazon.com, your purchases will help build, protect and promote the MST. 

3 Great Ways to Support the MST
ONE: Become an FMST member. Financial donations make this trail possible. You can join online or print and mail your membership form. Your donation will leave a legacy for future generations. MST license plate with HK
TWO: Buy an MST license plate. For $30 per year, you can show the world your love of the trail and help the trail financially too. $20 of your annual fee will come back to FMST to build, protect and promote the trail. You can now order your plate directly from NC DMV.
THREE: If your employer hosts a workplace-giving campaign, look for FMST as a giving option. We are a proud member of Earth Share which promotes workplace giving for conservation and environmental groups. We are a giving option in all North Carolina state and federal employee campaigns and in many local government and corporate campaigns too. FMST code numbers are: State employee campaign - 1102; Federal employee campaign - 30392; United Way of the Triangle - 60001159.

Wildcat Mountain acquisition, photo courtesy  Foothills Conservancy

Foothills Conservancy, celebrating 20 years.  Consider including a special birthday gift to Foothills Conservancy's Annual Fund in your year-end giving, so they can continue the work of saving the places you love across the Blue Ridge Mountains and Foothills.  Tax-deductible year-end gifts payable to Foothills Conservancy can be mailed to PO Box 3023, Morganton, NC 28680, or make your gift online at foothillsconservancy.org/donate  and learn more about the places you are helping protect. **Gifts "in honor" or "in memory" of friends and loved ones make wonderful holiday tributes and will be acknowledged with a special seasonal card.**

LTLT Calls for Volunteers for The BigSweep

Volunteers Needed for Two September Projects

Sept. 12, 2015:   On the River LTLT (Little Tennessee Land Trust)  is hosting a Little Tennessee River BigSweep on Saturday from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Volunteers are asked to meet in the lower parking area at Big Bear Park in Franklin, wearing clothes and shoes suitable for picking up trash in the river. Canoes and boats would be helpful but are not necessary to participate. Gloves and bags will be provided. For more information about the Little Tennessee BigSweep, contact Guy Gooder by phone at 828.349.4097 or by email.

Sept. 19: On Dry Land - For those of you who prefer to remain dry, there will be a workday Saturday, September 19, from 9 AM to noon, at the LTLT office (557 East Main Street, Franklin NC). The back building is now cleaned out at the property adjoining the LTLT office, and the group will be dismantling and salvaging the tin walls, maybe the roof, and perhaps some of the interior lumber, depending on volunteer turnout. There is also some brush that could be burned. Please wear long pants, sturdy shoes, leather gloves, and safety glasses if you have them. Crowbars and clawfoot hammers will be the main tools needed.

To volunteer for this day, please contact Dennis Desmond at 828-524-2711 x310 or ddesmond@ltlt.org. The volunteer day is weather-dependent, and Dennis will update those who have signed up if inclement weather is a possibility.

Little Tennessee Land Trust is dedicated to conserving the waters, forests, farms and heritage of the Upper Little Tennessee and the Hiwassee River Valley.  LTLT works in partnership with private landowners, public agencies, and others to conserve land and water, ensuring that the water quality, natural beauty, ecological integrity, and rural character of our region are preserved for generations to come. DONATIONS are always needed along with volunteer workers. CLICK HERE for details.

Tessentee Bottomland Preserve 

Experience the richness and diversity of the Upper Little Tennessee in the Tessentee Bottomland Preserve. This nearly 70-acre tract of bottomland and river bluff land lies at the junction of Tessentee Creek and the Little Tennessee River. The Tessentee Preserve is stop #53 on the NC Birding Trail with the preserve’s bird list at Tessentee Bottomland Preserve Signage115 species and butterfly list at 42 species and counting. Here one can hike the most extensive trail system found on any LTLT property. Volunteers have also helped to restore the historic farmstead – by restoring the apple house, smoke house, and in recent months the foundation of the historic farmhouse. The Tessentee preserve is a wonderful place to walk and to appreciate the extraordinary richness and diversity of the Upper Little Tennessee. 

Directions: From Franklin NC -  Take the Georgia Rd (US 23/US 441) south for approx.5.2 miles, turn left onto Riverside Rd and follow for 0.5 miles, turn right onto Hickory Knoll Rd and follow for approx. 1.9 miles — the Preserve is located off a private drive (2249 Hickory Knoll Rd) on the right-hand side of the road; parking area is on the left, before the farm gate.

Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center Plans Future Expansion

The Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center,  located at 121 School House Road in Robbinsville NC, is a regional facility popular with locals and visitors alike. The Center is a non-profit organization formed by a group of local citizens dedicated to the preservation of mountain culture, the community and the old Stecoah School. Built about 1927, the rock school buildings and grounds have been restored to their original role as the center of the community. The Center includes performing arts, dining, an art and crafts gallery, classes and workshops and a variety of community and arts events.

The Master Plan and Site Design for The Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center was made possible through a grant to the Graham Revitalization Economic Action Team (GREAT) from the NCFS Urban and Community Forest Program through the Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) located at Virginia Tech.

CDAC worked with a stakeholders committee and the community, through community workshops, to develop an overall master plan for the 10 acre site. Project design includes enhancements to the existing 1/3 mile loop trail and playground, an outdoor restroom facility, a half basketball court, shuffleboard, picnicking areas with grills, tables, benches, and fire pits, horseshoes and/or corn hole, a wind garden and plantings that address storm water run-off.

The plan also includes cabinettes which could be used for overnight lodging or artist residences. Project implementation will begin  this summer starting with the half basketball court, shuffleboard, wind garden and outdoor restrooms.

Some funding for these project elements has been secured, but the Center needs to raise additional funds for further plan implementation. Please consider making a donation today and help this special place grow. Your tax-deductible donation to the annual General Fund campaign will help meet the ongoing costs of operations and  assure the continuation of the important programs at the Center.

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ABOUT DONATING

 

March Workshops from WNC Nonprofit Pathways

March 3, 2015  - Ethical Issues in Nonprofit Management Maintaining the public's trust is crucial to a nonprofit's continued work, yet the misdeeds of a few have made it hard for the rest of us. In this course, you will look at steps nonprofits can take to avoid ethical pitfalls, determine a course of action based on your agency's values, and learn how to develop an organizational code of conduct. Click here to register or get additional details for this class. Melissa LeRoy is a board member of the NC Center for Nonprofits, which has designated her as a nonprofit mentor for the western region of the state, and offers her services as a consultant through OnFire Non-Profit Consulting. 

March 10, 2015  - Nonprofit Fundamentals: Human Resources Your "human capital" is your organization's most important asset. How you manage HR and lead your employees will contribute to organizational success or decline. Along with basic human resources activities to help you become a more effective leader, we will cover: workforce planning, employment, performance leadership, total rewards and risk management basics, legal issues and best practices. Click here to register or get additional details for this class. Carol Rovello, President of Strategic Workplace Solutions, has 28 years of experience as an HR consultant and works with small to large organizations across industries, including nonprofits. 

Western North Carolina Nonprofit Pathways is a funders' collaborative dedicated to strengthening nonprofits vital to the future of our mountain region. Website: www.nonprofitpathways.org  Email: contact@nonprofitpathways.org , mailing address:  P.O.Box 7667 Asheville, NC 28802

"Meet the Press" - Carolina Public Press Open House

January 28, 2015 - Join Carolina Public Press from noon to 2 PM for an open house in their new offices at 50 S Grench Broad Avenue, near downtown Asheville, NC. This is your opportunity to meet the staff of WNC's favorite non-profit news publication.

Carolina Public Press is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit online news organization providing unbiased, in-depth and investigative reporting as well as educational opportunities to journalists, students and others in the 18 westernmost counties of North Carolina. Their vision is to promote an informed, engaged electorate to ensure government accountability by building the region's most reputable public interest news source. 

Support CPP with a tax-deductible contribution today!

Calorina Public Press Headlines and News for March 10, 2014

POLITICS Burr-backed bill could change decades-old child care subsidy program Along with requiring employees of participating child care providers to undergo background checks, the bill also calls for new health and safety benchmarks to be met.     READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT Duke CEO: Customers will pay coal ash clean-up costs     READ MORE

HEALTH CARE Director: State wants 4 groups to manage mental health in NC     READ MORE

WNC PEOPLE Honoring, remembering Sen. Martin Nesbitt State Sen. Martin Nesbitt, a mainstay in the Democratic Party and longtime representative of Buncombe County, died Thursday after battling stomach cancer. He was 67 years old. As the news spread, so did remembrances, photos, thoughts and reactions -- from across the political spectrum. His funeral is set for Tuesday.     READ MORE

REGIONAL BUZZ A curated selection of the day's top local, regional and statewide news: An exceptional kid; Bradley "Soul Man" Guffey is the No. 1 Cavalier fan (Daily Courier) Asheville's Larchmont apartments largely welcomed; concerns about impact mostly unrealized (Citizen-Times – subscription required) ASU leaders alter planned program cuts (Watauga Democrat) Chief’s Garden Kits will be distributed early this year (Cherokee One Feather) Gloria Steinem lectures at Western Carolina University (Western Carolina Journalist) Madison County candidate controversy (WLOS) NC Democrats promote Casey Mann to executive director post (News & Observer – subscription required) NC dental board seeks public help with new rules after suspected sedation deaths (Charlotte Observer – subscription required) New leak found at Dan River coal ash spill (WRAL) North Carolina deciding again on film incentives (News & Observer – subscription required) Possible Webster bird sanctuary designation raises specter of peacocks past (Sylva Herald) Primed for a fight: Buncombe Commissioners face primary challengers (Mountain Xpress) GO TO THE REGIONAL BUZZ (direct links in the right column on the homepage)

ENVIRONMENT Judge: Duke must take 'immediate action' on coal ash groundwater contamination     READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT State finds coal ash dam 'deficiencies' at Rutherford's Cliffside Steam Station     READ MORE

JOBS AND THE ECONOMY Report: Blue Ridge Parkway visitors spent $902M in area in 2012     READ MORE

NEWS ABOUT CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS CPP issues RFP for development consultant Carolina Public Press requires a fund development contractor or consultant to support its efforts in creating and implementing a development plan that results in a written operational proposal that clearly articulates measurable goals, objectives and strategies.    READ MORE

NEWS ABOUT CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS CPP seeks development assistant to join its team Carolina Public Press seeks a highly motivated, professional and experienced Development Assistant to join its nonprofit organization’s award-winning team.     READ MORE

NEWS ABOUT CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS CPP seeks investigative journalist to join its team The freelance investigative reporter will join its news team in producing enterprise, investigative and policy-oriented news with a regional focus but, often, including research and reporting on statewide impacts and implications.    READ MORE

CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS EXCLUSIVE RESOURCES: DATA, CONTACTS AND MORE FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA'S 18 COUNTIES Throughout the last year, we've published county-by-county resources highlighting Western North Carolina's elected officials, key agencies and public data on crime, homelessness, health care, education, demographics and more. Bookmark them, share them, and let us know what you think. We'll be refreshing these profiles regularly. With the start of the new year, many elected officials have changed; we'll update those as soon as possible. Contact us with questions, suggestions and updates.

STAY CONNECTED Join the conversation, and keep up with CPP throughout the day! Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Share photos on Flickr Friend us on Foursquare Like us on Google+ Follow us on Pinterest Follow and share on Instagram Submit a news tip, question or idea.

OUR MISSION

Public interest reporting is critical to an informed, engaged electorate and to ensuring government accountability. Carolina Public Press, a nonprofit online news service, provides Western North Carolina with unbiased, in-depth and investigative reporting as well as educational opportunities to journalists, students and others.

Visit us Monday through Friday for CPP news, the Regional Buzz and more at www.carolinapublicpress.org.

Like what you see? Your tax-deductible contribution means in-depth news in the public interest can thrive in WNC. Make a contribution right now. Thank you!

Carolina Public Press • PO Box 17595 • Asheville, NC 28816 

WNC Nonprofit Pathways Offers February Workshops

Avid gardeners spend the chilly days of winter perusing seed catalogs and choosing what to plant for spring and summer bounty. Smart nonprofit leaders will review our workshop offerings and select the topics that will most help them get the skills and tools for 2014 success.

Western North Carolina Nonprofit Pathways is pleased to provide nine workshops PLUS two signature not-to-miss trainings this winter and spring. Please read below and mark your calendar; choose the seeds that you will sow.

TO SEE THE FULL LINE-UP FOR WINTER-SPRING 2014, click here

These workshops in February can help you attract business sponsorships, craft targeted communications, and begin mapping a strategic plan for your nonprofit.

February 7 - Fresh Approaches for Securing Business Support (COLUMBUS)
Melissa LeRoy teaches how to market your cause to the private sector through tailored outreach and events that appeal to businesses. Info and registration here

February 20 - Nonprofit Fundamentals: Communication (ASHEVILLE)
Rachel Perry helps you identify your organization's unique attributes and how to best tell your story to target audiences. Leave with the outline for a Communications Plan tailored to your organization's needs. Info and registration here

February 26 - Sustainable Strategic Planning for Nonprofits (FLAT ROCK)
Steve Kallan provides the training and tools to help you create a framework for your organization's strategic plan. Info and registration here

50% SCHOLARSHIPS are available for nonprofit staff and volunteers working in western North Carolina. See info and request form here

These sessions are sponsored jointly by WNC Nonprofit Pathways and Duke University Nonprofit Management Program, which offers a certificate for 72 hours of coursework. 

Last Minute Charitable Deductions to support mountain nonprofits

There's still time to support your favorite NC Mountain organization and get a tax deduction for 2012. Whether you have $10 or $10,000 your donation will help insure the continuing good works of dozens of community and local nonprofits dedicated to preserving and protecting the mountains and their culture and heritage. Here is a list with links for some of the many organizations who need your help:


Friends of the Western North Carolina Nature Center - The Center is a special place in many ways including being one of only four U.S. zoos that saw the birth of red wolves in 2012.  With only 400 red wolves left in the world, the pups' birth in May 2012 was a major contribution to current and future conservation of one of our most endangered species.  In addition to conservation the WNC Nature Center offers year around education for all ages and is a living museum of plants and animals native to the Appalachian region. A variety of support options are offered for adopting an animal to Membership to cash donations. Get complete details and make online contributions HERE. 


Friends of the Mountain to Sea Trail - Donations help build, protect and promote the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. In 2012 an additional 42 miles of trail officially opened near Boone, in Pilot Mountain State Park and at Falls Lake. Volunteers also constructed more new trail west of Asheville, in Greensboro and in Alamance counties and along the Eno River.  The Mountains-to-Sea Trail connects Clingman's Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Jockey's Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks with 1000 miles of footpaths and temporary connectors. Donate by becoming a Member beginning at $10 for students.

Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina -  Donations help to protect the region's magnificent mountains, creeks, rivers and lakes, and productive farm and forest lands. Protected and supported areas include
include state parks at Lake James, South Mountains and Chimney Rock; game lands at Wilson Creek the Johns River and the Linville Gorge; and hidden gems like Catawba Falls in Pisgah National Forest. Your gifts also help us protect the region's fast-disappearing farmland and forests and water feeding the Broad, Catawba and Yadkin rivers. Learn more about donations to the Foothills Conservancy HERE.

iLoveMountains.org - An organization dedicated to ending mountaintop removal coal mining. Give a Gift to Appalachia this holiday and help support several exciting initiatives planned in the coming year. You contributions will be used to buy equipment to test wells and waterways, purchase materials for upcoming End Mountaintop Removal rallies, provide scholarships for emerging Appalachian leaders, and more. You can also shop online for several fund-raising products. By contributing to iLoveMountains.org you directly support the efforts of groups working to end mountaintop removal coal mining and help to counter Big Coal's efforts to destroy the mountains we love.   Learn more about donations HERE.   

Land Trust for the Little Tennessee - conserving the land, water, forests farms and heritage of the Upper Little Tennessee and Hiawassee  River Valleys in southwestern North Carolina. 2012 projects included the Town of Andrews' 930-acre watershed in Cherokee County, the four-mile Blue Ridge Parkway easement in the Balsam Mountains and many projects in between.  There are multiple ways you can give to LTLT before December 31st: cash, stock or an IRA distribution*. Get details about donating, joining of volunteering HERE.

Friends of the Smokies -  Assists the National Park Service in its mission to preserve and protect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by raising funds and public awareness, and providing volunteers for needed projects. Choose from a variety of way to give support: cash donations, membership, volunteering, shop for Smokies products and more. Click HERE for details.

HandMade in America -  Programs and initiatives that train artists and entrepreneurs, help small craft businesses, animate places, and spark development throughout the region. HandMade not only provides support and education for local artisans, their efferts spur revitalization, attract tourism, broaden markets, grow partnerships, and create job opportunities in Western North Carolina. Make a year-end donation to HandMade in America  by calling the office at (828) 252-0121, visiting the online website at indiegogo.com/HandMade or by mailing in your donation to our office, at 125 S. Lexington Ave., Suite 101, Asheville, NC 28801.