Maggie Valley NC Food Drive at October Leaves Crafts Show

October 12-13   Maggie Valley Methodist Church Food Pantry has joined with the organizers of the October Leaves Craft Show to conduct a food drive to replenish their bare shelves.

In order to make the Food Drive a successful event, the Maggie Valley Craft Show will conduct a raffle of handmade crafts donated by many of the talented artisans. All you have to do is bring a non-perishable food item or a donation to the October Leaves Craft Show at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds and you will receive a raffle ticket.  This ticket will give you the opportunity to win one of the many crafts donated. You do not have to be present to win. The Maggie Valley Methodist Church will provide volunteers to help with the collection and distribution process.

John C Campbell Gala and Benefit Auction

June 11  The John C Campbell Folk School Gala and Benefit Auction will be held at the Folk School at 5:00 PM.  This special evening will give attendees the opportunity to support the Folk School by bidding on pieces of art and craft of the highest quality. Attendees will also enjoy delicious Southern fare, drinks, and live music as they peruse the sundry items available for the bidding. A silent auction will kick off the evening, followed by local auctioneer, Bob Grove, leading the spirited bidding during the live auction.

Pieces represented in the auction include works of pottery, basketry, woodturning, metalwork, textiles, jewelry, painting, woodcarving, and more. Talented local and national artists generously donated some of their finest pieces for this year's auction. Proceeds from this annual fundraiser will benefit general programming at the Folk School. Get more information about the artists and the items available to bidders. The Folk School also offers items on eBay auctions!

Ticket prices: $20 in advance; $25 at the door; $15 for “Friends of the Folk School” (donors who have donated over $500 to the School in 2011). Tickets include admission, food and two drink tickets. Heavy hors d'oeuvres and wine/beer will be served at this event. Tickets are now available and may be purchased online and in the Folk School  Craft Shop

RiverLink June donations get Matching Funds

NOW is the time to make a donation to RiverLink! Thanks to a generous donor every dollar you donate will be matched dollar for dollar from now until July 1, 2011. DOnations to Riverlink are among the most productive in the charitable and nonprofit industry. 87 cents of every dollar donated is used on projects that make local rivers fishable, swimmable, drinkable and accessible for all of our children's children and everyone to enjoy.

Whether you measure in trash bags filled, tires removed, kids educated, water quality or acres of greenspace preserved forever in the riparian corridors, RiverLink's impact on the watershed is enormous. RiverLink receives foundation, state and federal grants for big projects such as greenway purchases or historic land and building along with our many stream restorations but these funds do not support our daily operations.

This is a real opportunity to double your support of the organization that acquired the old speedway now transformed into Carrier park - the old EDACO junk yard - soon to be added to the greenway after a phytoremediation (clean up petroleum using plants) and continues to spearhead greenway and adaptive reuse of historic buildings along the river corridors. RiverLink is making the French Broad River watershed a destination for everyone to live, work and play.

Riverlink teaches 5,000 school children a year, is developing river access and overnight camping sites, holds conservation easements in the riparian corridor for future generations and hosts a variety of events throughout the year

The Voice of 1,000 party in honor of donors will be held again this year at the home of Barbara and Don Layden in September.

Riverlink is close to the $200,000 goal - donate today at riverlink.org or by calling  828-252-8474, ext 10 , or using snail mail at P.O. Box 15488, Asheville, NC 28813-0488.

We truly appreciate your support and need your help today to meet our goal! Thank you in advance for your support.  - Karen Cragnolin, Executive Director RiverLink

Special Benefit Performance at Diana Wortham Theatre

Asheville's Diana Wortham Theatre presents: A Special Benefit Performance for the Diana Wortham Theatre featuring a VIP Reception and Show. At 7 PM enjoy a delightful reception with sparkling wine, desserts and music by the Sara Fields Jazz Trio. The reception is followed at 8 PM by a mystifying presentation by Craig Karges, an artist whose performance defies description.

Come see why millions of audience members have been astounded by Craig Karges and his mental feats of phenomena!

VIP Ticket = $75 ($35 of which is a tax deductible contribution) includes the 7pm VIP reception and orchestral seating.

Performance Only at 8pm with Balcony Seating = $50 ($20 of which is a tax deductible contribution)

The benefit evening is sponsored by The Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa and by Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

                         CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Diana Wortham Theatre is located at 2 South Pack Square in Asheville, NC

Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina Membership Drive

submitted by Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina

Catawba Falls by Rich Stevenson

Join the Foothills Conservancy during April and be entered into a drawing for two tickets to the Foothills Wine Festival 11am-5pm on May 14, 2011 at the Inn at Glen Alpine. Help save the places you love in the Blue Ridge & Foothills of North Carolina.

Are places like the South Mountains, Linville Gorge, Lake James, Wilson Creek, Catawba Falls and Chimney Rock important to you? Do you believe clean water is critical to the health of your family? Is the loss of farmland that produces local food a concern to your community? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then join hundreds of others who support Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, your local land trust working to preserve and protect the natural resources in the Blue Ridge and Foothills.

Membership in the conservancy comes with no obligations but plenty of benefits including invitations to hikes and outings to beautiful places and special events throughout the year, regular newsletters, and, for those interested, volunteer opportunities. The biggest benefit of membership by far is the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to leave a legacy of protected lands and waters across our beautiful region.

Our members are the backbone of our organization. They care deeply about preserving our region’s beauty, open spaces and natural resources. Over the last 15 years, Foothills Conservancy has helped protect more than 45,000 acres across the Blue Ridge Foothills, including new public state park and wildlife lands that benefit the region’s economy.

Join Foothills Conservancy during this month (April) and be entered into a drawing for two tickets to the Foothills Wine Festival 11am-5pm on May 14, 2011 at the Inn at Glen Alpine.  Make your tax-deductible contribution TODAY. Join at www.foothillsconservancy.org or call 828-437-9930. 

Farm Soiree Fundraiser at Asheville's Orange Peel Features the Firecracker Jazz Band

March 5th, 2011 from 8pm-12am at the Orange Peel (101 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC. In conjunction with the 18th annual spring conference, the Organic Growers School will host FarmSoiree, a benefit event. The event will feature a combination of spoken word and live music. From 8-9:30 pm, selected community leaders will present on a theme of “FOOD” using a unique presentation style known as “Ignite”. Ignite presenters will use 20 picture slides of their own creation, and each slide will auto-advance every 15 seconds, for a total presentation time of just 5 minutes.

The Organic Growers School has assembled a group of 8 citizens, from farmers to politicians, to present an Ignite presentation at the FarmSoiree event. (see below for a full list of the speakers, and their bios.) Presenters will cover the topic of food from many unique perspectives, and enlighten the audience in the quick-fire style of Ignite.

Following the Ignite presentations, there will be a performance by Asheville’s own Firecracker Jazz Band.
Doors Open at 7:30 pm. Buy Tickets Now $15.00 for Adult $7.00 for Children or purchase your ticket for only $12.00 with your OGS conference registration! You may also buy tickets at the door. 

Vote for PAWS to win $10,000

PAWS (Placing Animals Within Society) has entered the "Shelter Challenge"  offered through through www.theanimalrescuesite.com. They will have an opportunity to win $10,000 for the PAWS shelter and YOU can make it happen.

Go to www.theanimalrescuesite.com, click on the purple button that says "Click here it's

free". A window opens which will bring you to the next page to click on the "VOTE" button on the

top right. Scroll down and fill in the following voting info.

Shelter is: PAWS Animal Shelter,
State is: NC

and then click on the search button. Then confirm your vote by identifying the animal that comes up on the next page.

You can vote on more than one computer, cellphone or anything that has an internet connection. You need to vote everyday through March 20th. You cannot vote on the same computer more than once a day. So if you have a computer at work and at home, vote on both!

Currently PAWS is in 6th place for the state of NC and up to 190th place for the entire country! For asmall shelter with big needs $10,000 will have a great impact for our fury friends.

Fourth Annual Winter Warmer Beer Festival Tickets now on sale

Tickets are on sale now for the Fourth Annual Winter Warmer Beer Festival on Saturday, January 22, 2011, from 3 PM to 7 PM at the Asheville Civic Center. Tickets are $38 per person and will include a souvenir mug, samples during the event, live music, and food provided by a local caterer. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to RiverLink, a local non-profit working to revitalize the French Broad River as a place for everyone to live, work and play.

The Winter Warmer was started in 2008 by Mark and Trish Lyons of Asheville Brews Cruise in an effort to help the Asheville community "shake off the winter blahs." Every year the event has sold out and grown -- so much so that this year's event has moved from the Haywood Park Hotel to the Civic Center.

Brushfire Stankgrass returns as the headlining band with the Leigh Glass Band opening. Brewing participants from Asheville and WNC include French Broad Brewing Co., Highland Brewing Co., Green Man Ales, Wedge and Craggie. Visitors from other areas include Catawba Valley Brewing Co., Foothills

Duck-Rabbit, Triangle and Big Boss from North Carolina; Yazoo from Tennessee and SweetWater from Atlanta.

Tickets are available for online purchase now. Tickets purchased prior to January 14 will be mailed, with any tickets purchased online from January 16-22 available at will call.

All funds donated to RiverLink from this event will be used to build more greenways and open space. Last year RiverLink received $1,500 from this event, which it added to funds from their deed of support sale toward the purchase of the Waller Tract, a future greenway in West Asheville.

E-mail requests for more information can be sent to info@ashevillebeerfest.com.

Can you hear me now??? Riverlink Cell Phone Recycling Program

Asheville NC nonprofit conservation organization RiverLink is calling for used, unwanted cell phones for their ongoing recycling and fund raising program. The public may bring phones to the RiverLink office at 170 Lyman Street in the River Arts District of Asheville.  The office is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm.

The Cell Phone Recycling Program, which began in September, allows RiverLink to provide a recycling service for the community while raising money for educational and outreach programs.

RiverLink has teamed with GRC Wireless Recycling (www.grcrecycling.com), a Miramar, Florida company that specializes in cell phone recycling & fundraising programs. GRC works with over thousands of organizations in 50 states and has contributed over $5,000,000 to participating organizations.

The Christmas Elves at Sears Hometown Store are at it Again!

Tammie and Paul (AKA the Christmas Elves) of Sears Hometown Store invite you to a 1-day only "Give With Your Heart" Event on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 8am-6pm where you can SAVE with low sale prices plus Sears will GIVE 2% of the entire day's proceeds to Ashe County Habitat for Humanity. Also, this weekend get 20% off all Kenmore appliances PLUS and extra 10% off Kenmore brand when you use your Sears card. Receive 25% off all Craftsman Lawn and Garden and outdoor storage. It's all happening at both their locations in West Jefferson and Lenoir.

12th Year of Holiday Giving Tree at City Lights Bookstore

City Lights Bookstore in downtown Sylva NC is pleased to begin the 12th year of its annual Holiday Giving Tree, a program designed to put books in the hands of local children during the holiday season.

Each year since 1998, the store has worked with local social service agencies to come up with an anonymous list of Jackson County children in need. Bookstore customers are invited to buy a book for a child at a 20% discount and put it under the store's Christmas tree. Books will be picked up by the social service agencies and delivered to children in time for the holiday.

A bookmark identifying the age and gender of the child is available at the bookstore, and customers can buy for that child. The store has a wide selection of Spanish-language books, as well, for bi-lingual and Spanish-speaking children in our community. (Language choice is also designated on the bookmark, so that customers know the recipient's preference.) Books may be given in honor of someone on your gift list, and City Lights will provide you with an acknowledgment card. Or you may give in your own name, or even anonymously.

The deadline for participation is Sunday, December 19th, when the store is open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  For questions, call  828-586-9499.

GOT TREE? Get Free Trees from Riverlink

RiverLink is giving away trees! Autumn is the best time to plant trees and RiverLink has free trees for Western North Carolina. In what has become an annual event, RiverLink is the lucky recipient of a donation of trees. Most of them are in one-gallon containers, and include Silver Maple, Holly, Sugar Maple, Red Maple, White Oak, White Pine and Red Bud. Our anonymous donor grows them simply to make our area greener. All he asks for is the containers back so he can grow more for next year.

While the trees are free, RiverLink is accepting donations if recipients are interested. Trees save energy and money by shading your house in summer, then dropping leaves and letting the sunshine in during Winter. Trees in a city slow stormwater runoff, cool our city and clean our water and air. And trees are just plain beautiful.

Why wait until Arbor Day to get a tree growing in your yard? Contact RiverLink's Dave Russell at (828) 252-8474, ext. 11, or dave@riverlink.org to arrange pickup of free trees today.

A Two Million Dollar Licnese Plate

Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains Park

submitted by Holly @ Friends of the Smokies

Have you seen one of those green license plates with a black bear lately and wondered what that was all about? Well, that handsome plate is now worth over $2 million in support of our Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park has now raised a grand total of $2,051,320 through its specialty license plate program in North Carolina. The Smokies specialty plate program began in late 1999.

"The $2 million mark represents a considerable milestone in the Smokies plate program in North Carolina," said Dale Ditmanson, Superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. "Almost anywhere you go in the park in North Carolina, these tag funds are making a positive difference for both park resources and park visitors. We sincerely appreciate everyone involved in this program's success."

Friends of the Smokies has utilized the plate funds to help protect black bears, elk, and other wildlife; to educate tens of thousands of North Carolina school children; to protect Fraser fir trees and hemlock trees from harmful exotic insects; to improve backcountry trails; to create exhibits for the new Oconaluftee Visitor Center now being built near Cherokee; to support volunteer programs; and much more.

"Reaching $2 million in sales doesn't happen overnight," said Stephen W. Woody, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Friends of the Smokies. "We thank everyone involved, from the park staff to the State of North Carolina to the people in the tag offices and all of the drivers. Of course, our work to help the Smokies is far from over. We have many more opportunities to preserve and protect the park and enhance the visitor experience, and we hope North Carolinians will continue to support the Smokies license plate for many more years to come."

The Smokies plate is available any time from any local North Carolina license plate agency office. Of the extra $30 annual fee for the specialty tag, $20 goes to Friends of the Smokies to support projects and programs on the North Carolina side of the park. More information is available online at www.FriendsOfTheSmokies.org or by calling (828) 452-0720.

Duck Invasion on the Rocky Broad

 Aug 21, 11AM, The 1st Annual Red Cross Rubber Duck Regatta - Ducks will be sent down the Rocky Broad river with the winner receiving the grand price of $500 and runner up prizes for the first 25 ducks. Events include games for children, face painting, water balloon toss, free blood pressure clinic, Blood Drive.  Adopt a duck for $5 (Do not have to be present to win!)

You can adopt a duck at the following locations:
Both RBC Locations, Hills Hardware, Scoggins, Medicine Box in Rutherfordton, Big Dave’s, Greenhill Store, Lake Lure Salon and Spa, and at the Chapter House of the Red Cross. Call 828-297-5916 - the race will be held on the Rocky Broad, behind the Lake Lure Town Hall, Lake Lure North Carolina.

2010 Friends Across the Mountains Telethon Tonight

Give now, or tune in tonight to WBIR-TV in Knoxville or WLOS-TV in Asheville  for the 2010 Friends Across the Mountains Telethon.  Over the last 16 years the Friends Across the Mountains Telethon has raised more than $2.2 million to help preserve and protect Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  50+ volunteers will be available tonight to take  pledges & gifts.

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park assists the National Park Service it its mission to preserve and protect Great Smoky Mountains National Park by raising funds and public awareness, and providing volunteers for needed projects.

Calling all "Yachts" for Riverfest 2010!

August 14 from noon to 6PM - RiverLink's biggest event of the year, RiverFest 2010: Save the French Broad  takes place at French Broad River Park. There is still time to put together a team and a yacht for RiverLink's annual "Anything that floats" raft race, one of the many fun activities at RiverFest. RiverLink will allow day-of registration, and those who do not want to construct a vessel can rent watercraft from the Asheville Outdoor Center on the day of the event.

Because it's heaps of fun,RiverLink encourages everyone to gather coworkers, friends and family members and create a raft for the yacht race. A panel of local celebrity judges will judge them based on criteria such as Fastest, Most Creative, Green Machine Award, Ugliest, Best Theme, Funniest and Rubber Racer. About the only rule is that your craft must float, and it must be removed from the festival grounds upon completion of the race.

Landlubbers will find plenty of fun activities at RiverFest 2010, like the Music Showcase & Competition featuring local great music acts. In between music acts, be entertained by some of the best groups in the Asheville area including Asheville Aerial Arts and Baraka Mundi belly dancers. Local restaurants will be serving up some yummy treats which you will need after some friendly competition in volleyball, bocce ball, badminton, Frisbee golf and the local favorite, corn hole. Don't forget the kids! Kids can ride, skate, walk, run and skip in costume with opportunities to win prizes for most creative, cutest and funniest in the Kids Parade.

North Carolina Log Cabin Raffle Benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina announces the 1st Annual Smoky Mountain Cabin Raffle. A limited number of raffle tickets will be available for purchase through the October 7, 2010 deadline on our specially created event website at www.LogCabinRaffle.org   The Grand Prize Drawing will take place on October 14, 2010 and will be open to the public.

The Smoky Mountain Cabin Raffle will also include bonus drawings throughout the three-month event. Buy your ticket(s) EARLY for a chance to win the bonus drawings which include a one-week stay at a cabin provided by Hidden Creek Cabins, a Whitewater Rafting trip for 4 down the legendary Nantahala River provided by Paddle Inn Rafting and a $1,000 cash prize drawing.

This beautiful Smoky Mountain Cabin, located in Bryson City North Carolina, is a fully furnished 2 bedroom 2 bathroom Log Cabin with custom hardwood floors, granite countertops, hot tub, pool table and a rocked fireplace.

Raffle participants can give back while also having the exciting chance to win a beautiful custom log cabin in the Smoky Mountains. Proceeds from the 1st annual Smoky Mountain Cabin Raffle will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina in its continued effort to recruit, screen, train and support caring adults who want to make a difference in the life of a child.

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

Annual Rocky Broad River Tiki Tumble Race

May 22, 3147 Memorial Hwy Lake Lure, North Carolina  (Behind the Geneva Riverside Tiki Motel on the Rocky Broad River). Fun in the sun beginning with the Advanced Kayak Race. Great prizes and all levels of kayakers welcome. Bring any boat, raft or floatable to compete in the “Any Ole Boat” race. There will be prizes for most creative, most spirited and others. The third race is the Rubber Ducky Race. Buy your rubber duck at the Tiki Bar and enter the race that starts at 4pm. Great prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Proceeds benefit the Lake Lure Youth Center. For details: http://www.genevarivermotel.com/

Riverlink Calls for Oil Spill Clean-up Supplies

RiverLink is asking citizens to bring used (but clean) towels and bedsheets, toothbrushes, paper towels, soft scrub brushes, rubber gloves, extension cords, kennels for dogs or cats, dish soap (such as blue Dawn) and Pepto Bismol for collection and donation. Though the oil spill may be capped and contained in the near future, the cleanup effort will be ongoing. RiverLink asks the public to think of this effort on shopping trips and perhaps pick up an extra bottle of Dawn or roll of paper towels.

Donations can be dropped off at the Riverlink office at 170 Lyman Street in Asheville's River Arts District. Business hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday thru Friday. For more information, contact RiverLink's Volunteer Coordinator Dave Russell at (828) 252-8474, ext. 118, or (828) 545-9099.

Be a Guest of Bent Creek Lodge at MANNA Foodbank's 11th annual Blue Jean Ball

BENT CREEK LODGE  in Asheville North Carolina is a sponsor of this year's Blue Jean Ball and is extending a special invitation open to the first 4 guests who let us know they would like to attend. Please give us a call ( 828- 654-9040) the list of guests needs to be completed by May 14th.

The Blue Jean Ball, held this year on June 5th, has grown to be one of the premier entertainment and fund raising events in Western North Carolina. Last year the money raised from the ball allowed MANNA Foodbank to provide food for more than 307,000 meals. The evening is spent on the banks of the Swannanoa River enjoying music from a variety of bands and food from more than 20 of the best local restaurants in the area.

Bent Creek Lodge offers an incredible Mountain setting and views, fireplace, WIFI and delicious breakfast. Accommodations include 10 distinctly decorated rooms plus a 3 bedroom vacation rental. There are hiking trails on site, large decks and wrap-around porch, whirlpool tubs. $145-$185 per night, $913-$1166 per week.