Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Saturday, January 23, 2021
Mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC National Mentoring Month
Jan 23 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC various branches

January is National Mentoring Month, and this year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is celebrating it by recruiting more adult and high school volunteers, as well as children and youth who need an extra someone on their side.


“One truth I know,” said Lelia Duncan, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North
Carolina, “is that we are all called to take care of one another, to encourage, to uplift, to hold a space for
others to be listened to and valued. There is nothing more important, nothing closer to the divine, than
to be present and to take a moment to nurture those around us, especially children and youth.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC is especially effective in helping young people feel valued and heard.
Surveys of school personnel in the 2018-2019 school year show that, among BBBSWNC Littles in
community- and school/site-based programs

National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested
in becoming a mentor is highest. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is
encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life.
Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a
young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through real-life decisions.

To learn more about becoming a Big Brother or a Big Sister in Henderson County, contact Program
Coordinator Morgan Harris at (828) 507-6644 or email [email protected]. You can learn more
about serving across the 18 county region by visiting www.bbbswnc.org.

Volunteer Opportunities at Blue Ridge Humane Society
Jan 23 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Blue Ridge Humane Society
a smiling girl holds up a bag of pet food

Volunteers are an essential part of the Blue Ridge Humane Society family.

Our Volunteer Program offers a wide variety of opportunities to use unique talents and skills to enhance the quality of life for animals in Henderson County.

We love to see families and friends volunteering together! We welcome volunteers ages 7 and up for some of our volunteer roles. Volunteers ages 16 and under must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who has also completed the appropriate volunteer training.

Still wondering whether you should give volunteering a try? Contact [email protected] for more information.

Please note, we do not fulfill pre-trial intervention community service hours.

How to Volunteer at the Blue Ridge Humane Society 

Our volunteers:

  • Improve the quality of living for animals in Henderson County.
  • Make a difference in their community through our community programs like our Spay/Neuter Incentive Program and Meals on Wheels Pet Pals.
  • Provide support for all departments and serve on our board and committees.
  • Help raise crucial funds in our Thrift Store.

It’s easy to get started!

  1. Fill out the Volunteer Application.
  2. Attend a Virtual Volunteer Information Session to learn more about Blue Ridge Humane Society and current volunteer opportunities.
  3. Pick a Volunteer Assignment! Decide what volunteer position works best for you! Some assignments can get started right away and some require prior orientation and training such as animal handling training that you can get started on.
  4. Start Volunteering! Get started in your position. Our volunteers make a huge impact in Henderson County to ensure both pets and their people are happy, healthy, and thriving. We wouldn’t be able to accomplish all we do without them.
Our hidden personality in everyday life
Jan 23 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Online

Our hidden personality in everyday life

We will begin a new book, so if you plan to do the reading, please order ASAP Naomi Quenk’s Beside Ourselves: Our Hidden Personality in Everyday Life. It’s also available in a different edition (which has different pagination): Was That Really Me? How Everyday Stress Brings Out Our Hidden Personality.

Psychotherapist Dr. Katherine Best will help lead our discussions.

What we’re about

We are Myers-Briggs introverted personality types: INTJ/INFJ, INFP/INTP, ISTJ/ISFJ, ISFP/ISTP. Since we’re introverts, it can be a little more difficult for us to be social and meet new people, so this group will break through those internal barriers. We’ll get together for casual social interaction and informally share our stories about how we relate to the world differently than the extroverted MBTI types (who are the majority of the population). We’ll meet over food and drink, board games, etc. — and please give me your suggestions so we can consider them as we plan together! ~Todd

Update on our group’s name: Since we’re not only introverts who gather to socialize but also to socialize in a distinctively introverted way, we are now the AVL Social Introverts Group.

Sunday, January 24, 2021
Meet Biblioboard, Buncombe Library’s Newest Digital Resource
Jan 24 @ 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
online w/ Buncombe County Libraries

Create, share, and discover with Buncombe County Public Library’s newest resource, Biblioboard.

BiblioBoard Library is an easy-to-use platform of high-quality digital content. Biblioboard offers books, articles, documents, images, audios, and videos. BiblioBoard Library is host to content from traditional publishers, indie authors, cultural institutions, and local thought leaders. Users can access BiblioBoard Library through the library’s website or on the device of their choice.

Some features of Biblioboard:

  • No waitlists or holds
  • Streaming audio and video are available on a wide variety of topics
  • Check out curated collections of the best indie authors.
  • Available for desktop, iOS, and Android devices

Local authors can submit their work for inclusion in the library catalog or publish books with Press Books. You can submit and share your work locally or nationally.

Interested? Check it out, and access Biblioboard today by clicking here.

Mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC National Mentoring Month
Jan 24 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC various branches

January is National Mentoring Month, and this year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is celebrating it by recruiting more adult and high school volunteers, as well as children and youth who need an extra someone on their side.


“One truth I know,” said Lelia Duncan, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North
Carolina, “is that we are all called to take care of one another, to encourage, to uplift, to hold a space for
others to be listened to and valued. There is nothing more important, nothing closer to the divine, than
to be present and to take a moment to nurture those around us, especially children and youth.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC is especially effective in helping young people feel valued and heard.
Surveys of school personnel in the 2018-2019 school year show that, among BBBSWNC Littles in
community- and school/site-based programs

National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested
in becoming a mentor is highest. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is
encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life.
Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a
young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through real-life decisions.

To learn more about becoming a Big Brother or a Big Sister in Henderson County, contact Program
Coordinator Morgan Harris at (828) 507-6644 or email [email protected]. You can learn more
about serving across the 18 county region by visiting www.bbbswnc.org.

Monday, January 25, 2021
Mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC National Mentoring Month
Jan 25 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC various branches

January is National Mentoring Month, and this year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is celebrating it by recruiting more adult and high school volunteers, as well as children and youth who need an extra someone on their side.


“One truth I know,” said Lelia Duncan, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North
Carolina, “is that we are all called to take care of one another, to encourage, to uplift, to hold a space for
others to be listened to and valued. There is nothing more important, nothing closer to the divine, than
to be present and to take a moment to nurture those around us, especially children and youth.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC is especially effective in helping young people feel valued and heard.
Surveys of school personnel in the 2018-2019 school year show that, among BBBSWNC Littles in
community- and school/site-based programs

National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested
in becoming a mentor is highest. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is
encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life.
Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a
young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through real-life decisions.

To learn more about becoming a Big Brother or a Big Sister in Henderson County, contact Program
Coordinator Morgan Harris at (828) 507-6644 or email [email protected]. You can learn more
about serving across the 18 county region by visiting www.bbbswnc.org.

Blood Drive – Hillman Beer
Jan 25 @ 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Hillman Beer - Asheville/Biltmore Village

Join us on January 25th from 2:00-7:00pm for a blood drive with Hillman Beer! All donors will receive a $20 Hillman Beer gift card! Make your appointment today: http://donate.thebloodconnection.org/…/drive…/153342

Science Fiction Book Club
Jan 25 @ 7:00 pm
Online w/ Malaprop's

This club will meet virtually via zoom during the Covid-19 pandemic. Please email [email protected] for the link to join!  

Join host and Malaprop’s Bookseller Allison Beatty to dive into the wreck of the wily and wonderful world of sci-fi, weird fiction, speculative fiction, literary horror, and disturbing fiction with a healthy mix of underappreciated classic and contemporary books. The club normally meets at Malaprop’s on the last Monday of every month at 7:00pm.

Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC National Mentoring Month
Jan 26 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC various branches

January is National Mentoring Month, and this year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is celebrating it by recruiting more adult and high school volunteers, as well as children and youth who need an extra someone on their side.


“One truth I know,” said Lelia Duncan, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North
Carolina, “is that we are all called to take care of one another, to encourage, to uplift, to hold a space for
others to be listened to and valued. There is nothing more important, nothing closer to the divine, than
to be present and to take a moment to nurture those around us, especially children and youth.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC is especially effective in helping young people feel valued and heard.
Surveys of school personnel in the 2018-2019 school year show that, among BBBSWNC Littles in
community- and school/site-based programs

National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested
in becoming a mentor is highest. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is
encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life.
Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a
young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through real-life decisions.

To learn more about becoming a Big Brother or a Big Sister in Henderson County, contact Program
Coordinator Morgan Harris at (828) 507-6644 or email [email protected]. You can learn more
about serving across the 18 county region by visiting www.bbbswnc.org.

Volunteer Opportunities at Blue Ridge Humane Society
Jan 26 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Blue Ridge Humane Society
a smiling girl holds up a bag of pet food

Volunteers are an essential part of the Blue Ridge Humane Society family.

Our Volunteer Program offers a wide variety of opportunities to use unique talents and skills to enhance the quality of life for animals in Henderson County.

We love to see families and friends volunteering together! We welcome volunteers ages 7 and up for some of our volunteer roles. Volunteers ages 16 and under must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who has also completed the appropriate volunteer training.

Still wondering whether you should give volunteering a try? Contact [email protected] for more information.

Please note, we do not fulfill pre-trial intervention community service hours.

How to Volunteer at the Blue Ridge Humane Society 

Our volunteers:

  • Improve the quality of living for animals in Henderson County.
  • Make a difference in their community through our community programs like our Spay/Neuter Incentive Program and Meals on Wheels Pet Pals.
  • Provide support for all departments and serve on our board and committees.
  • Help raise crucial funds in our Thrift Store.

It’s easy to get started!

  1. Fill out the Volunteer Application.
  2. Attend a Virtual Volunteer Information Session to learn more about Blue Ridge Humane Society and current volunteer opportunities.
  3. Pick a Volunteer Assignment! Decide what volunteer position works best for you! Some assignments can get started right away and some require prior orientation and training such as animal handling training that you can get started on.
  4. Start Volunteering! Get started in your position. Our volunteers make a huge impact in Henderson County to ensure both pets and their people are happy, healthy, and thriving. We wouldn’t be able to accomplish all we do without them.
Virtual Keynote Talk by Brittney Cooper – “Reimagining Black Liberation”
Jan 26 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Online w/ UNCA

Brittney Cooper
Brittney Cooper

Brittney Cooper, associate professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Africana Studies at Rutgers, will deliver the keynote talk – online only this year – for UNC Asheville’s annual commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. The talk, titled Reimagining Black Liberation, will be free and open to everyone, will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26. Check back closer to the date for Zoom access information. Cooper also will teach an online master class for UNC Asheville students at noon the same day.

Book cover for Eloquent Rage is text-only; no imagesCooper is the author of the memoir Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpowerand Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race Womenwinner of the 2018 Merle Curti Intellectual History Award from the Organization of American Historians.

A cultural commentator, Cooper has written for media outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Ebony, and The Root. She is active on Twitter @ProfessorCrunk and is co-founder of The Crunk Feminist Collective where she blogs as “crunktastic”; she is co-editor of The Crunk Feminist Collection – Essays on hip-hop feminism.

Wednesday, January 27, 2021
A Virtual Sandburg Story Slam
Jan 27 all-day
Online w/ Carl Sandburg House

Carl Sandburg Home NHS will host a virtual story slam in honor of Carl Sandburg’s January 6th birthday. Throughout the month of January, storytellers are invited to prepare a true five-minute story, take a video of themselves reading the story, and submit the video to be shared here on the official Carl Sandburg Home Facebook page.
Videos will be posted on Facebook from January 27-29, and the winners announced on Saturday, January 30, at 10am. Stories should reflect the theme of “seasons,” such as nature’s change of seasons, a story from a favorite season, or the seasons of life. Visit www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/slam.htm for submission information and video formatting tips. Submissions are due by January 22, 2021.
A panel of judges will rate the stories, with first place awarded $100, second place $75, and third place, $50. All storytellers will receive a small thank you gift for participating.
Support for the Slam is provided by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, the park’s fundraising partner, and Eastern National, the non-profit partner that operates the park store.

Meet Biblioboard, Buncombe Library’s Newest Digital Resource
Jan 27 @ 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
online w/ Buncombe County Libraries

Create, share, and discover with Buncombe County Public Library’s newest resource, Biblioboard.

BiblioBoard Library is an easy-to-use platform of high-quality digital content. Biblioboard offers books, articles, documents, images, audios, and videos. BiblioBoard Library is host to content from traditional publishers, indie authors, cultural institutions, and local thought leaders. Users can access BiblioBoard Library through the library’s website or on the device of their choice.

Some features of Biblioboard:

  • No waitlists or holds
  • Streaming audio and video are available on a wide variety of topics
  • Check out curated collections of the best indie authors.
  • Available for desktop, iOS, and Android devices

Local authors can submit their work for inclusion in the library catalog or publish books with Press Books. You can submit and share your work locally or nationally.

Interested? Check it out, and access Biblioboard today by clicking here.

Mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC National Mentoring Month
Jan 27 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC various branches

January is National Mentoring Month, and this year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is celebrating it by recruiting more adult and high school volunteers, as well as children and youth who need an extra someone on their side.


“One truth I know,” said Lelia Duncan, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North
Carolina, “is that we are all called to take care of one another, to encourage, to uplift, to hold a space for
others to be listened to and valued. There is nothing more important, nothing closer to the divine, than
to be present and to take a moment to nurture those around us, especially children and youth.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC is especially effective in helping young people feel valued and heard.
Surveys of school personnel in the 2018-2019 school year show that, among BBBSWNC Littles in
community- and school/site-based programs

National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested
in becoming a mentor is highest. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is
encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life.
Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a
young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through real-life decisions.

To learn more about becoming a Big Brother or a Big Sister in Henderson County, contact Program
Coordinator Morgan Harris at (828) 507-6644 or email [email protected]. You can learn more
about serving across the 18 county region by visiting www.bbbswnc.org.

Volunteer Opportunities at Blue Ridge Humane Society
Jan 27 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Blue Ridge Humane Society
a smiling girl holds up a bag of pet food

Volunteers are an essential part of the Blue Ridge Humane Society family.

Our Volunteer Program offers a wide variety of opportunities to use unique talents and skills to enhance the quality of life for animals in Henderson County.

We love to see families and friends volunteering together! We welcome volunteers ages 7 and up for some of our volunteer roles. Volunteers ages 16 and under must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who has also completed the appropriate volunteer training.

Still wondering whether you should give volunteering a try? Contact [email protected] for more information.

Please note, we do not fulfill pre-trial intervention community service hours.

How to Volunteer at the Blue Ridge Humane Society 

Our volunteers:

  • Improve the quality of living for animals in Henderson County.
  • Make a difference in their community through our community programs like our Spay/Neuter Incentive Program and Meals on Wheels Pet Pals.
  • Provide support for all departments and serve on our board and committees.
  • Help raise crucial funds in our Thrift Store.

It’s easy to get started!

  1. Fill out the Volunteer Application.
  2. Attend a Virtual Volunteer Information Session to learn more about Blue Ridge Humane Society and current volunteer opportunities.
  3. Pick a Volunteer Assignment! Decide what volunteer position works best for you! Some assignments can get started right away and some require prior orientation and training such as animal handling training that you can get started on.
  4. Start Volunteering! Get started in your position. Our volunteers make a huge impact in Henderson County to ensure both pets and their people are happy, healthy, and thriving. We wouldn’t be able to accomplish all we do without them.
Virtual Roller-Skating Party Collage Workshop with Anastasia Higginbotham
Jan 27 @ 6:00 pm
Online w/ Malaprop's

What You Don’t Know: A Story of Liberated Childhood (Dottir Press, JAN 26, 2021), is Higginbotham’s latest book about being young. It illustrates how families, teachers, counselors, and other “stars” are already beaming love at queer, gender nonconforming, and trans children, to protect and bless them as they are. The Roller-skating Party Collage Workshop lets kids put their community in the rink with them—real life people they know and  trust, as well as strangers or historical figures whose radiant and genuine presence (even in spirit) is liberation.

RSVP here to receive a PDF of the roller rink back drop and the link to attend the event by email.

Like most of our events, this event is free. If you decide to attend and to purchase books we ask that you purchase from Malaprop’s. When you do this you make it possible for us to continue hosting author events and you keep more dollars in our community. You may also support our work by making a donation or purchasing a gift card below. Thank you!

When you purchase What You Don’t Know: A Story of Liberated Childhood from Malaprop’s below, you will also recieve a pre-printed roller rink backdrop.

SUPPLIES for the Workshop:
•  Pens and pencils
•  Scissors
•  Glue stick
•  Squares or rectangles of plain brown grocery bag (or flattened out packing paper or  construction paper) for creating faces, bodies, and hands
•  Images from magazines and catalogs to make clothes, hair, jewelry, hats, shoes, skates,  wheelchairs, and assistive devices. Nothing has to be like it is in real life. Your people  can have wings and tails, dress in actual flowers, have hair made of fire! Animals can  skate!
•  IMPORTANT—There are no rules about the materials! A pencil or pen and paper is  enough! The back of an envelope or some newspaper is enough! Stick figures are  enough! You can write “my rebel auntie” and “my gay uncle” on a couple of popsicle sticks and skate them all over the rink.

Thursday, January 28, 2021
A Virtual Sandburg Story Slam
Jan 28 all-day
Online w/ Carl Sandburg House

Carl Sandburg Home NHS will host a virtual story slam in honor of Carl Sandburg’s January 6th birthday. Throughout the month of January, storytellers are invited to prepare a true five-minute story, take a video of themselves reading the story, and submit the video to be shared here on the official Carl Sandburg Home Facebook page.
Videos will be posted on Facebook from January 27-29, and the winners announced on Saturday, January 30, at 10am. Stories should reflect the theme of “seasons,” such as nature’s change of seasons, a story from a favorite season, or the seasons of life. Visit www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/slam.htm for submission information and video formatting tips. Submissions are due by January 22, 2021.
A panel of judges will rate the stories, with first place awarded $100, second place $75, and third place, $50. All storytellers will receive a small thank you gift for participating.
Support for the Slam is provided by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, the park’s fundraising partner, and Eastern National, the non-profit partner that operates the park store.

Black History Month – Book List for Young Readers
Jan 28 all-day
Online
Mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC National Mentoring Month
Jan 28 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC various branches

January is National Mentoring Month, and this year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is celebrating it by recruiting more adult and high school volunteers, as well as children and youth who need an extra someone on their side.


“One truth I know,” said Lelia Duncan, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North
Carolina, “is that we are all called to take care of one another, to encourage, to uplift, to hold a space for
others to be listened to and valued. There is nothing more important, nothing closer to the divine, than
to be present and to take a moment to nurture those around us, especially children and youth.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC is especially effective in helping young people feel valued and heard.
Surveys of school personnel in the 2018-2019 school year show that, among BBBSWNC Littles in
community- and school/site-based programs

National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested
in becoming a mentor is highest. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is
encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life.
Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a
young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through real-life decisions.

To learn more about becoming a Big Brother or a Big Sister in Henderson County, contact Program
Coordinator Morgan Harris at (828) 507-6644 or email [email protected]. You can learn more
about serving across the 18 county region by visiting www.bbbswnc.org.

Volunteer Opportunities at Blue Ridge Humane Society
Jan 28 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Blue Ridge Humane Society
a smiling girl holds up a bag of pet food

Volunteers are an essential part of the Blue Ridge Humane Society family.

Our Volunteer Program offers a wide variety of opportunities to use unique talents and skills to enhance the quality of life for animals in Henderson County.

We love to see families and friends volunteering together! We welcome volunteers ages 7 and up for some of our volunteer roles. Volunteers ages 16 and under must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who has also completed the appropriate volunteer training.

Still wondering whether you should give volunteering a try? Contact [email protected] for more information.

Please note, we do not fulfill pre-trial intervention community service hours.

How to Volunteer at the Blue Ridge Humane Society 

Our volunteers:

  • Improve the quality of living for animals in Henderson County.
  • Make a difference in their community through our community programs like our Spay/Neuter Incentive Program and Meals on Wheels Pet Pals.
  • Provide support for all departments and serve on our board and committees.
  • Help raise crucial funds in our Thrift Store.

It’s easy to get started!

  1. Fill out the Volunteer Application.
  2. Attend a Virtual Volunteer Information Session to learn more about Blue Ridge Humane Society and current volunteer opportunities.
  3. Pick a Volunteer Assignment! Decide what volunteer position works best for you! Some assignments can get started right away and some require prior orientation and training such as animal handling training that you can get started on.
  4. Start Volunteering! Get started in your position. Our volunteers make a huge impact in Henderson County to ensure both pets and their people are happy, healthy, and thriving. We wouldn’t be able to accomplish all we do without them.
American Red Cross Hosts Virtual Volunteer Fair
Jan 28 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Online w/ American Red Cross

Virtual Teams Session
RSVP required by 1/26/21

As we enter the new year, join Red Cross Team Members in a virtual session to learn how to use your skills and talents for others in the community. Volunteers can choose to be involved with blood drives, disaster response, leadership opportunities, and more!
– Must be 18+ to attend
– Volunteers can choose to assist virtually from home or in the community
– Interested volunteers must apply online at redcross.org/volunteer

Books and Wine! – A Book That Is The First In A Series
Jan 28 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Online

Come join us for a fun afternoon sampling some wine(s) and talking about books. As always, the book can be fiction or non-fiction ….. whatever……just so that it somehow involves whatever topic we’ve chosen for the month. And if you just want to join us to hear about the books we’ve read but haven’t read any yet yourself, come along anyhow. You’ll have a chance then to suggest a topic for us to read books on for future times. For now during these COVID times, we will be meeting via Zoom. When COVID is more under control, we will talk about starting to meet at Metro Wines again.

What we’re about

A non-committal Book Club! No pressure to finish a book or host a meeting. Just show up, Sip and swap! Bring books you’ve read. Sip wine (beer or cider) and swap books and conversation. There will be a monthly topic-specified event on the 2nd Thursday from 2-4 with other meetings thrown in from periodically.

Streamkeepers Informational Training Seminar
Jan 28 @ 6:00 pm
Online w/ GreenWorks
Alternate text

Asheville GreenWorks has spent the last 47 years organizing river, creek, and roadside cleanups. We know the sources of pollution and now we have a device that can keep most of it from reaching our river. As this program grows, we need additional support to help us maintain these new devices, manage projects, and keep an eye on our fragile waterways.

It’s time for the community to have a larger say in the health of their waterways.

We will be holding two Zoom introduction meetings on Jan 28thOne at 12pm and the other at 6pm that same day, where we will go over the following topics:

 

1) Equipment

2) Safety (COVID, SHARPS etc)

3) Point Source Pollution

4) How to clean out the Trash Trout

5) Reporting

6) Cleanups / Restorations

 

After the introduction meeting you can decide if you want to join in on this program. You can support this local initiative at your own pace. StreamKeepers will receive ongoing training seminars, access to AGW resources and tools, plus special GreenWorks gear.

Black Experience Book Club
Jan 28 @ 6:30 pm
YMI Impact Center

Man reading book

YMI Cultural Center and Buncombe County Public Libraries have partnered on a book club exploring modern Black authors. December’s selection is The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Asheville’s YMI Cultural Center (YMI) and Buncombe County Public Libraries (BCPL) are partnering to create a book club focusing on modern Black authors and readers. Beginning Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, the Black Experience Book Club will meet twice per month at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.

To maximize safety, meetings will be held in a hybrid in-person and online format during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone interested may join the meeting via Zoom or meet in person at the YMI Impact Center, 39 S. Market St., Suite A, Asheville, NC 28801. In-person meetings will be capped at 10 participants in order to observe social distancing.

To register to attend in-person, please call YMI staff at 828-257-4540 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Thursday or email [email protected] at any time. To receive the Zoom link or for questions regarding finding copies of book club titles, please contact Alexandra Duncan at [email protected]. You may also find information about upcoming titles and request the Zoom link through the library’s Events Calendar. Visit buncombecounty.org/library and click on Events Calendar at the top of the page.

In December 2020, the Black Experience Book Club will discuss The Water Dancer, by Ta-Nehisi Coates. In January 2021, members will discuss The Coldest Winter Ever, by Sister Souljah, and in February 2021, Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi. Selected titles for future months will be announced in book club meetings, on the library’s Events Calendar, and via YMI and BCPL social media channels. Readers may borrow any of these titles at any BCPL location or at the YMI. Copies will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so participants are encouraged to reserve their copies early.

Black Experience Book Club Sign Up
Jan 28 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Online and YMI Impact Center
Black Experience Book Club

Join us for a bi-monthly book club sponsored by the YMI Cultural Center and Buncombe County Public Libraries. This month, we’ll be discussing The Coldest Winter Ever, by Sister Souljah.

Join us for a bi-monthly book club sponsored by the YMI Cultural Center and Buncombe County Public Libraries. This month, we’ll be discussing The Coldest Winter Ever, by Sister Souljah.

The Black Experience Book Club is a hybrid in-person and online book club.

To attend in person, call the YMI from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Thursday at 828-257-4540 or email submit@ ymiculturalcenter.org. In person meetings are limited to 8 attendees. To attend by Zoom, click “Sign Up” on this event listing. There is no limit on Zoom attendance.

Books are available to borrow on a first-come first-serve basis at both the YMI and Buncombe County Public Libraries.

Friday, January 29, 2021
A Virtual Sandburg Story Slam
Jan 29 all-day
Online w/ Carl Sandburg House

Carl Sandburg Home NHS will host a virtual story slam in honor of Carl Sandburg’s January 6th birthday. Throughout the month of January, storytellers are invited to prepare a true five-minute story, take a video of themselves reading the story, and submit the video to be shared here on the official Carl Sandburg Home Facebook page.
Videos will be posted on Facebook from January 27-29, and the winners announced on Saturday, January 30, at 10am. Stories should reflect the theme of “seasons,” such as nature’s change of seasons, a story from a favorite season, or the seasons of life. Visit www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/slam.htm for submission information and video formatting tips. Submissions are due by January 22, 2021.
A panel of judges will rate the stories, with first place awarded $100, second place $75, and third place, $50. All storytellers will receive a small thank you gift for participating.
Support for the Slam is provided by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, the park’s fundraising partner, and Eastern National, the non-profit partner that operates the park store.

Black History Month – Book List for Young Readers
Jan 29 all-day
Online
Mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC National Mentoring Month
Jan 29 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC various branches

January is National Mentoring Month, and this year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is celebrating it by recruiting more adult and high school volunteers, as well as children and youth who need an extra someone on their side.


“One truth I know,” said Lelia Duncan, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North
Carolina, “is that we are all called to take care of one another, to encourage, to uplift, to hold a space for
others to be listened to and valued. There is nothing more important, nothing closer to the divine, than
to be present and to take a moment to nurture those around us, especially children and youth.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC is especially effective in helping young people feel valued and heard.
Surveys of school personnel in the 2018-2019 school year show that, among BBBSWNC Littles in
community- and school/site-based programs

National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested
in becoming a mentor is highest. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina is
encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life.
Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a
young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through real-life decisions.

To learn more about becoming a Big Brother or a Big Sister in Henderson County, contact Program
Coordinator Morgan Harris at (828) 507-6644 or email [email protected]. You can learn more
about serving across the 18 county region by visiting www.bbbswnc.org.

Volunteer Opportunities at Blue Ridge Humane Society
Jan 29 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Blue Ridge Humane Society
a smiling girl holds up a bag of pet food

Volunteers are an essential part of the Blue Ridge Humane Society family.

Our Volunteer Program offers a wide variety of opportunities to use unique talents and skills to enhance the quality of life for animals in Henderson County.

We love to see families and friends volunteering together! We welcome volunteers ages 7 and up for some of our volunteer roles. Volunteers ages 16 and under must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who has also completed the appropriate volunteer training.

Still wondering whether you should give volunteering a try? Contact [email protected] for more information.

Please note, we do not fulfill pre-trial intervention community service hours.

How to Volunteer at the Blue Ridge Humane Society 

Our volunteers:

  • Improve the quality of living for animals in Henderson County.
  • Make a difference in their community through our community programs like our Spay/Neuter Incentive Program and Meals on Wheels Pet Pals.
  • Provide support for all departments and serve on our board and committees.
  • Help raise crucial funds in our Thrift Store.

It’s easy to get started!

  1. Fill out the Volunteer Application.
  2. Attend a Virtual Volunteer Information Session to learn more about Blue Ridge Humane Society and current volunteer opportunities.
  3. Pick a Volunteer Assignment! Decide what volunteer position works best for you! Some assignments can get started right away and some require prior orientation and training such as animal handling training that you can get started on.
  4. Start Volunteering! Get started in your position. Our volunteers make a huge impact in Henderson County to ensure both pets and their people are happy, healthy, and thriving. We wouldn’t be able to accomplish all we do without them.
Saturday, January 30, 2021
A Virtual Sandburg Story Slam
Jan 30 all-day
Online w/ Carl Sandburg House

Carl Sandburg Home NHS will host a virtual story slam in honor of Carl Sandburg’s January 6th birthday. Throughout the month of January, storytellers are invited to prepare a true five-minute story, take a video of themselves reading the story, and submit the video to be shared here on the official Carl Sandburg Home Facebook page.
Videos will be posted on Facebook from January 27-29, and the winners announced on Saturday, January 30, at 10am. Stories should reflect the theme of “seasons,” such as nature’s change of seasons, a story from a favorite season, or the seasons of life. Visit www.nps.gov/carl/planyourvisit/slam.htm for submission information and video formatting tips. Submissions are due by January 22, 2021.
A panel of judges will rate the stories, with first place awarded $100, second place $75, and third place, $50. All storytellers will receive a small thank you gift for participating.
Support for the Slam is provided by the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, the park’s fundraising partner, and Eastern National, the non-profit partner that operates the park store.