Give!Local 2021 We have been chosen along with 45 other area nonprofits to participate in Give!Local again this year – 100% of your donation goes to your chosen nonprofit. Literacy Together (Literacy Council of Buncombe County)  Literacy Together’s mission is to transform lives and communities through the power of literacy. We serve students in four programs: Adult Literacy, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Youth Literacy and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. INCENTIVES  Donors who give $50-$99 will receive a $5 coupon for Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café. Donors who give $100 and up will receive a $15 coupon for Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café. The coupons will be available for pickup at Malaprop’s one week after the donation is processed. They will be redeemable for in-store purchases at Malaprop’s through the end of February and would need to be used in one visit. Donations of $50 or more receive coupons to Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe. Thank you to Mountain Xpress, Blue Mountain Pizza, and our friends Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe for their support!  To donate click below. Thank you! GIVE LOCAL

Come Write In! Libraries Encourage Writers to ‘Come Write In’ during November’s NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel during the thirty days of November.  Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand-new novel.

If you are doing NaNoWriMo this year, the Buncombe County Public Library wants to support you in your endeavors. Join us for the following virtual events throughout the month to keep you invigorated and motivated. All events are free, but you do need to register. To sign up, visit the Library’s event calendar and click on the event on the calendar. Additional events may be added, so be sure to check back throughout the month.

Jumpstart your Creativity with Nina Hart
Wednesday, November 3, 7 – 8:30pm

Nina is a writing coach who has been there, done that with NaNoWriMo and has inspiration to share. This fun, supportive online session will give you tools to keep going when the writing gets stuck.  Sign up and get your creative juices flowing for the rest of the month. Space is limited.

Virtual Come Write-In
Thursday, November 4, 7-8pm

Come Write-In virtually with encouraging BCPL librarians and other writers! We would love to write with you in a Zoom Room.  We’ll have some prompts and space for discussion and encouragement, but mostly this will be a time to schedule yourself for some dedicated writing time while others on the call do the same.

Virtual Come Write-In with Author Beth Revis
Friday November 5, 12-1pm 

Come Write-In virtually with local author Beth Revis. Beth Revis is a NY Times bestselling author with books available in more than 20 languages. She is the co-owner of Wordsmith Workshops and the author of the Paper Hearts series, both of which aid aspiring authors. A native of North Carolina, Beth is currently working on multiple new novels. She lives in rural NC with her son and husband. Visit her at bethrevis.com.

Virtual Rise and Write-In
Saturday, November 6, 9 – 10am

Sometimes it helps to be in the presence of like-minded people with a similar goal. This NaNoWriMo we’re hosting a virtual come write in quiet hour. All you need to do is log in, wave hello, or not, and get to writing.

We’ll have some tips on the screen to help get your thoughts flowing. We promise there will be no ‘get to know you questions’ or writing prompts to complete, just you in a virtual room holding yourself quietly accountable for achieving your novel writing dreams amongst others. One quiet hour on a Saturday morning to start NaNoWriMo off where you can even keep wearing your pajamas or cozy robe.

Virtual Come Write-In
Tuesday, November 9, 7-8pm 

Come Write-In for this librarian-led, hour-long, writing sesh! We’ll have timed word sprints, optional word prompts, and overall good vibes as we all work toward our NaNoWriMo word counts. So drop in, hang out, and get those creative juices flowing!

Virtual Come Write-In with Author (and BCPL Librarian) Alexandra Duncan
Wednesday November 10, 3-4pm    

Come Write-In with local author Alexandra Duncan, who is also a Buncombe County librarian. She writes science fiction, fantasy, and horror for teens and adults alike. Visit her online at alexandra-duncan.com.

Virtual Come Write-In Cafe
Friday, November 12, 2 – 3pm

Come Write-In virtually with an encouraging BCPL librarian and other writers! This session will have a caffeinated theme, with some background coffee shop noise, and a virtual cafe atmosphere. This will be a time to schedule yourself for some dedicated writing time while others on the call do the same in a casual and supportive space.

Virtual Come Write-In with Thomas Calder
Saturday, November 13, 11am -12pm

Come Write-In and join local author Thomas Calder for word sprints, discussion, and encouragement as we all work to meet those NaNoWriMo goals!  Take part in an hour of guided writing followed by a brief Q&A to pick Thomas’ brain about his own creative experiences.

Thomas Calder earned his MFA in creative writing from the University of Houston. His work has appeared in Gulf Coast, Miracle Monocle, The Collagist and elsewhere. His debut novel, The Wind Under the Door, was published in March 2021. Learn more at thomas-calder.com.

Virtual Come Write-In with Author Rebecca Petruck
Tuesday November 16, 7-8pm          

Come Write-In with local author Rebecca Petruck. Rebecca Petruck is a Minnesota girl, though she also has lived in Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, England, Connecticut and, currently, North Carolina. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from UNC Wilmington. Petruck’s novels are published by ABRAMS/Amulet. You may visit her online at www.rebeccapetruck.com and on Twitter at @rebeccapetruck.

Online Creative Writing Group
Wednesday, November 17, 4 – 5:30pm

Join us for creative writing online! We’ll meet on Zoom and do several rounds of writing prompts. The group is simple – we just write and read our writing to each other.  This is a supportive and fun environment that gets your creative juices flowing with low stakes and lots of fun.

Virtual Come Write-In with Author Jennie Liu
Friday November 19, 4-5pm

Come Write-In with local author Jennie Liu. Jennie Liu is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Having been brought up with an ear to two cultures, she has been fascinated by the attitudes, social policies, and changes in China each time she visits. She lives in Western North Carolina with her husband and two young sons. You can visit her online at www.jennieliuwrites.com.

Virtual Come Write-In
Saturday, November 20, 2021, 11am – 12pm

Come Write-In virtually with encouraging BCPL librarians and other writers! We would love to write with you in a Zoom Room.  We’ll have some prompts and space for discussion and encouragement, but mostly this will be a time to schedule yourself for some dedicated writing time while others on the call do the same.

You Wrote a Novel, So Now What?
Tuesday November 23, 7 pm 

Imagine that it’s December 1. You’ve finished NaNoWriMo and you have a book that’s ready to get out into the world. Congratulations! What do you do next? In this webinar, BiblioLabs Community Engagement Manager Emily Gooding will show you how to format your novel by using the PressBooks resource available to you for FREE from the library.  You will also learn how you can submit your novel to the Indie Author Project and have a digital version of your novel available to readers in the Library!

Virtual Rise and Write-In
Wednesday, November 24, 9 – 10am

Sometimes it helps to be in the presence of like-minded people with a similar goal. With that in mind, we are hosting a virtual come write in quiet hour. All you need to do is log in, wave hello, or not, and get to writing.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and gratitude, we will have some gratitude related quotes and writing prompts available on screen to help inspire you. However, we promise there will be no ‘get to know you questions’ or participation requirements, just you in a virtual room holding yourself quietly accountable for achieving your novel writing dreams amongst others. One quiet hour before the holiday weekend to work on finishing NaNoWriMo strong.

Virtual Come Write-In
Thursday, November 30, 7-8pm

This will be our final Virtual Come Write-In event for 2021. The focus of this online writing session, hosted by local author and librarian Alexandra Duncan, will be writing sprints and last-minute support.

Save the Date for GivingTuesday: November 30th

GivingTuesday is a global movement unleashing the power of radical generosity to transform communities and the world. We invite you to consider all the ways you can express generosity for your community and the environment. Whether it’s participating in a neighborhood cleanup, sharing Forests and Justice news with friends, signing a petition, or giving to Dogwood Alliance—everyone has something to give. And every act of generosity counts. GivingTuesday is on November 30th, but you can get a jump start today!

This year Eblen celebrates 30 years of serving our community and helping those in need. 

Our mission is to provide assistance to families and individuals in our community during times of crisis and hardship whether medical, financial or an emergency need.

We would like to celebrate our 30th with the Eblen Charities $30 for the 30th fundraising event.

Due to the generosity of a long-time friend, our first $10,000 in donations will be matched! Please help us take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. 

We would like to encourage you to leave a comment about what it means to you to support Eblen Charities.

Thank you for all that you do, because we do it all together!

ASAP is currently hiring for several positions and internships.  Applications are accepted only by email. Please do not call or come by the office.

Growing Minds Program Coordinator will assist in the design and implementation of farm to school programs, including trainings/workshops for educators, farmers, community partners, parents, and volunteers; curriculum and resources; networking and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders; providing community outreach and engagement; assisting with grant writing and reporting; and other tasks in support of the organization.

The Assistant Market Manager is responsible for providing operational and promotional support to the ASAP Farmers Market/Asheville City Market year round (the current location is at 340 Victoria Rd., Asheville, but is subject to change). This is an hourly contract position scheduled for at-market shifts. Hours will vary based on market schedules and will average from 5-7 hrs./wk. Related responsibilities or support for other Local Food Campaign programs may be assigned as needed.

The Farmers Market Intern will support theASAP Farmers Market/Asheville City Market. Internships run 8-10 weeks, 6 hours weekly, and are available in the winter, spring, summer, and fall. Responsibilities include supporting market operations, including set-up; running special events; and, optionally, providing content for social media posts and weekly newsletters.

WORK OF THE WEEK Jeff Koons’s One Ball Total Equilibrium Tank (Spalding Dr. J Silver Series) is currently on view in the Museum’s Artistic Tribute: Representation of the Athlete exhibition. Keira Ezzo, summer 2021 communications – multimedia storytelling intern, shares her take on this work for our Work of the Week. Read more about this work on the blog.

ENGAGE WITH THE MUSEUM FROM HOME

• Explore the Collection and exhibitions virtually on our website.
• Get to know our staff and volunteers, take deeper dives into artwork with our Works of the Week, and more on the Museum blog.
• Catch up on past virtual programs, check out artist interviews, and learn about the history of Pack Square on our YouTube channel.
• Play “I Spy” with your kids using artwork from our Collection.
• Color our Collection (kids and adults) with downloadable coloring sheets and note cards.
• Follow us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Check back often for new content that provides inspiration, calm, comfort, and yes, even some fun during this unprecedented time.

November 5, 2021 – January 9, 2022: 47th Annual Christmas at Biltmore

Holidays arrive at America’s largest home in style. More than a century ago, George Vanderbilt chose the holiday season as the time to unveil his new home to family and friends. This year’s Christmas at Biltmore promises another extravagant celebration, complete with dozens of Christmas trees, miles of ribbon, garland and lights. Festive menus in estate restaurants and holiday wine tastings make for a memorable visit.

Asheville Community Theatre is Seeking Santas!

We team up with Claxton Elementary each year to find folks who’d love to provide gifts for students who would otherwise go without. If you’re looking for a way to give back this season, these children need you!

Once you sign up, we will match you with a child and email you a printable ornament with their sizes and wish list!

You can drop off gifts at Asheville Community Theatre.
ACT staff will deliver the gifts to Claxton Elementary!
More specific details will be included in an email after you sign up.

SIGN-UP BY:

December 1, 2021

WHERE TO DROP OFF GIFTS:

Asheville Community Theatre
35 East Walnut St. Asheville NC 28801

DROP OFF GIFTS BY:

December 6, 2021

Growing Minds has announced a new Jumpstart Grant for farm to school projects. Pre-K through 12 schools, homeschool groups, teacher and nutrition education programs, and community organizations serving children and families within the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina may apply for $500-$1,000 to provide children with positive local food and agriculture experiences. Eligible projects include edible school gardens, farm field trips, local food taste tests, or meals. In addition to funding, grantees may request supplemental training and/or technical assistance from the Growing Minds staff to help implement their project.

Grant applications are due Jan. 15, 2022.

There’s still time to get your soil samples to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services before Thanksgiving and take advantage of free testing. Samples received after November 30, 2021 through March 31, 2022—the peak soil testing season—are charged an analysis fee of $4 per sample. 

Soil test kit

Get soil test kits at the Extension office
Soil test boxes, sample information forms, and instructions are available outside the front door at the Buncombe County Cooperative Extension office, 49 Mount Carmel Road, Asheville. 

Taking the sample
The instruction sheet, A Guide to Soil Sampling—A Soil Test Is Only as Good as the Soil Sample Taken!, explains how to take your sample. Using a clean, stainless steel or chrome-plated trowel, dig about 6 inches deep in 4 or 5 spots in the testing area. Place the soil samples in a clean plastic bucket or bowl and mix well. If the soil is wet, wait for it to dry out before mixing. Fill the soil test box to the fill line and label the box. 

Where to sample
Take several soil samples from different areas of your yard and use a separate box for each sample. Suggested sample areas include: lawn, vegetable garden, flowerbeds, landscape trees and shrubs, roses, azaleas, rhododendrons, blueberries, and other fruits and berries. 

Complete the sample information form and mail
Complete an information form for each soil sample, note any lime applications you’ve made in the last 12 months, and indicate the Lawn and Garden Planting Code for the area sampled. You’ll also need to provide an email address to receive your results.

Place the information form on top of your soil test boxes in a cardboard box and mail to the address listed on the form. It is helpful to keep a record to remind yourself of where you took each sample.

After the lab has tested the soil samples, you will receive a test report with recommendations for fertilizer and pH amendment. During the winter it takes about one to two months to receive your test results.

Scavenger Hunt
How well do you know the Fairview Public Library? Throughout the month of November, a library scavenger hunt will challenge everything you think you know about FPL! The scavenger hunt is in-doors and DIY. Ask for the clues at the circulation desk

A valuable research tool conceived in Buncombe County’s Register of Deeds is bolstering its database and garnering statewide attention. Thanks in part to a $294,000 grant, the Slave Deeds of Buncombe County Project has partnered with UNC Greensboro adding 50,000 names from 12 other North Carolina counties that will help African Americans learn more about their past. “It’s an amazing resource for African Americans trying to find their ancestral stories,” explains County Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger. “It’s always going to be difficult for African Americans to do this challenging research, but hopefully this tool will make it easier for those who want to.”

After the success of the initial cataloguing of Buncombe County slave deeds, Reisinger partnered with the North Carolina Office of Archives and History and UNC Greensboro to secure a National Archives grant that would further this groundbreaking and important work. “This initiative is made exponentially more impactful to be statewide and even nationally, because slaves were bought and sold across county and state lines,” notes Reisinger. The grant not only expanded the project’s research, it also helped secure the database within the state-based Digital Library on American Slavery.

Thinking back on the original intent of the project, Reisinger is happy to see these previously overlooked public records start to migrate to accessible databases and gain consciousness among Black populations, researchers, and others who can utilize this information. “Once we learned Buncombe County had records of slavery, I knew it was our duty to make these ancestral records available in same way we make white people’s ancestral records available,” says Reisinger.

While Reisinger and his fellow research team are hopeful the additional names help families and archivists, he’s looking to expand the project even further with hopes of this clear proof of concept will begin to garner more grant money. Reisinger notes the discovery of the additional 50,000 names wouldn’t be possible without thousands of hours of research from UNC Greensboro students and faculty as well as volunteers from across the State of North Carolina.

You can search thousands of slave deeds and their images via the Digital Library on American Slavery here. For more information on the initial Buncombe County slave deeds project, click here.

Various times

His masterworks have been displayed around the world for over a century… but never like this. Described as “an unforgettable multi-sensory experience,” Van Gogh Alive is a powerful and vibrant symphony of light, color, sound, and scent that compels you to leave the world behind and immerse yourself in Van Gogh’s paintings. Simultaneously enchanting, entertaining, and educational, Van Gogh Alive stimulates all the senses and opens the mind.

Our virtual angel tree is up for this holiday season. This gift tree provides our broader YWCA community a path to join us as we aim to support our program participants and their families with a holiday season full of love and support.

If you are able to, please select a gift from our Amazon wish list by December 10, 2021. Gifts from the list will be mailed directly to our building and will be sorted and distributed by our YWCA elves. All items on the list have been selected by the families and are items they are wishing for or are in need of this holiday season.

If you would like to go further and adopt a family this holiday season please email Katie Zambrano in our Women’s Empowerment Department to get the details of how you can fulfill a family’s holiday wish.

All gifts must be ordered by December 10.

Programs Served by the Angel Tree

MotherLove
YWCA’s MotherLove program supports pregnant and parenting teens throughout Buncombe County. Our goals are to help young parents to stay in school and graduate, access higher education and vocational training, develop the skills and knowledge needed to become strong parents, and delay another teen pregnancy.

Getting Ahead In a Just Getting By World
YWCA’s Getting Ahead program aims to provide financial empowerment for low-income women of all ages and backgrounds to make choices that positively impact themselves, their families, and their community.

Early Learning Program
YWCA’s Early Learning Program provides 5-star childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our experienced and compassionate teachers not only provide exceptional care for little ones, but also prepare young children to succeed cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. We prioritize families using childcare vouchers or caring for children in the foster care system.

Empowerment Childcare
The YWCA provides up to 12 hours of free childcare per week for parents who are in transition, continuing their education, accessing social services, or looking for employment. ECC works closely with the Family Justice Center, Buncombe County Health and Human Services, A-B Tech, Green Opportunities, and Mary Benson House.

Holiday Season Volunteering

During the holiday season, our volunteer shifts usually fill up very quickly. If you are interested in volunteering during the holidays, please contact us as early as possible (at least 6-8 weeks in advance). Due to increased call and email volumes at this time, please allow for 4-5 business days to receive a reply.

Hunger does exist year-round, and we often have a greater need for volunteers during January and February. If you have flexibility in your volunteering schedule, please consider volunteering after the holidays.

It’s Memorable, Fast, and Easy! Also, 15% of your purchase will directly be applied to Full Moon Farm, not only will mom be getting great wines, but you will also be supporting a great cause.

Use code GBFULLMOON19 at checkout to donate 15% to Full Moon Farm.

Give!Local 2021 We have been chosen along with 45 other area nonprofits to participate in Give!Local again this year – 100% of your donation goes to your chosen nonprofit. Literacy Together (Literacy Council of Buncombe County)  Literacy Together’s mission is to transform lives and communities through the power of literacy. We serve students in four programs: Adult Literacy, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Youth Literacy and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. INCENTIVES  Donors who give $50-$99 will receive a $5 coupon for Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café. Donors who give $100 and up will receive a $15 coupon for Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café. The coupons will be available for pickup at Malaprop’s one week after the donation is processed. They will be redeemable for in-store purchases at Malaprop’s through the end of February and would need to be used in one visit. Donations of $50 or more receive coupons to Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe. Thank you to Mountain Xpress, Blue Mountain Pizza, and our friends Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe for their support!  To donate click below. Thank you! GIVE LOCAL