Calendar of Events
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.
Wednesday, February
23, 2022
Nonprofit Wristband Partner Applications for 2022 Events Available Now
Organic Educator Award Nominations are OPEN!
Share Your Support for Public Restroom Facilities
Stay Informed. Sign Up for Buncombe Alerts with CodeRED
Student Poetry Contest – “Ambition”
The 13th Annual Student Food Drive
The Black Mountain – Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund: Local Nonprofits Encouraged to Apply for Grants
Van Gogh Alive at Biltmore Estate
Red Cross Buncombe County – Blood Drive Volunteer
12th Annual Battle of the Badges Blood Drive
Support Veterans Going to College – A-B Tech’s Vet’s Cafe
Swannanoa’s Charles D. Owen Park: New children’s playground!
Mission Accelerator class
Build A Kit for Students
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Community Update
Nominations are Now Being Accepted for the 15th Annual ATHENA of Henderson County Award
Spread a Little Love with the Dog Therapy Program – A-B Tech
Tours: Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site
House tours are offered daily at half past each hour. Last tour leaves at 4:30 pm.
VIDEO RECAP: Commissioners’ Briefing/Regular Meeting
“Weaving Across Time”
A Catalog Card Community Art ShowShow
Additional Financial Assistance Available for Housing + Heating Needs
Billie Jean King Cup 2022: “Parade of Racquets” Program
COFFEE + equli-TEA TIME
Need Tax Help? Buncombe Libraries Offer Free Assistance: Pack Memorial Library
Second Gear Winter Consignment Sale!
SHOWCASE OF EXCELLENCE
YMCA Splash Volunteer Opportunity
2022 WNC Regional Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition
A Hand in Studio Craft: Harvey K. Littleton as Peer and Pioneer Exhibition
Each year, the Asheville Downtown Association selects local nonprofits to sell wristbands at its events. The nonprofit receives a grant of $2,000 and has the opportunity to display marketing materials to share their program of work with large audiences.
Nonprofits provide 30 volunteers over 18 to work in two shifts between 5 and 9:30pm. Volunteers check IDs and sell wristbands to patrons. The nonprofit will also have an opportunity to receive its check on the stage and share remarks with the crowd. Applications are due by March 1 and selections will be made around March 9.
Click here to access the application form. Please communicate with your colleagues to ensure only one form is submitted per nonprofit.
Each year at the OGS Spring Conference, we recognize a local leader for their dedication, steadfastness, civic commitment, and responsibility for organic education.
Last year, Tamarya Sims from Soulfull Simone Farm and Patryk Battle from Living Web Farms won the Organic Educator Award!
In the last few years, we’ve given the Organic Educator Award to folks who have been at it for decades, but this year, we wanted to recognize those folks who may be just getting started but are already making a profound impact.
This award honors the individuals in our midst who have made ongoing and important contributions to the sustainable agriculture community in Western NC and the Southern Appalachians.
Have someone in mind?
| We recently learned that additional permanent public restroom facilities with 24/7 access was not prioritized in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. The need for facilities has been brought forth by the business community, homeless resource providers and downtown residents.
We encourage you to take a minute to write to Asheville City Council and urge them to find a way to fund this basic, but necessary, service for our downtown community. You can reach all of Council using this email address: [email protected] |
If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it’s to be ready…
Sign up for BC Alerts, and you’ll get emergency information sent directly to you in real time.
Buncombe County residents have a new, customizable solution for receiving notification and emergency alerts. Buncombe County Government is in the initial phase of migrating to the CodeRED community notification system to send important alerts and time-sensitive messages to staff members and residents. Along with emergency and critical messages, the CodeRED notification system will also enhance community engagement via the release of important but non-emergency information such as vaccine site notifications, inclement weather closures and schedule changes, and other county service information.
Sign up for BC Alerts by texting BCAlert (not case sensitive) to 99411 or visit buncombecounty.org/codered to sign up for the new system.
January through April
Actors portray characters from Carl Sandburg’s Rootabaga Story “Three Boys with Jugs of Molasses and Secret Ambitions.”
NPS Photo
Educators in grades 3-12 are invited to submit original poems written by their students in February. The poems will be judged and winners announced in April. Find the 2022 Poetry Contest Information and submission guidelines here. The theme “Ambition” is from one of Carl Sandburg’s Rootabaga Stories, to celebrate it’s 100th year of being published. “An ambition…creeps in your heart night and day, singing a little song, ‘Come and find me, come and find me.”
Students are invited to submit a poem to Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site’s annual Student Poetry Contest. The contest encourages youth to explore writing their own poetry, and is open to students nationwide!
Submissions are accepted from grades 3-12 and must be postmarked by March 1, 2022. See below for submission rules.
Winners will be notified by April 8, 2022, and will be invited to participate in a special virtual program on April 22.
2022 Contest Rules
Theme – “Ambition”
Carl Sandburg wrote millions of words reflecting on the American experience of the 20th century. Though his words often focused on war, labor, and social injustice, as a father of three, he also wrote imaginative, zany, and fantastical children’s stories, called “Rootabaga Stories.” Carl Sandburg’s “Rootabaga Stories” were first published in 1922 and celebrate 100 years of entertaining readers of all ages this year. The theme “Ambition” is from one of these stories. “An ambition…creeps in your heart night and day, singing a little song, ‘Come and find me, come and find me.” Read the story here.
Poems submitted for the 2022 contest should reflect the theme of “Ambition.” By definition, a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. Or setting goals to achieve success.
Submission Rules
- Poetry accepted from 3-12th grades only. Poems will be grouped for judging by 3-5th, 6-8th, and 9-12th.
- Poems must be submitted by a teacher (traditional classroom or homeschool teacher).
- No more than three poems per class. Teachers with multiple classes, can submit up to three poems per class period.
- Poem will be judged on its ability to communicate the theme.
- Poem can be written in any style, but must not exceed one-page in length. No illustrations.
- Poems must be typed, no handwritten entries, using standard computer fonts, like Times, Arial, etc…
- Do not place any identifying information (name, school, grade, etc…) on poem sheet, that will go on the accompanying submission form.
- Submission form must be complete to be accepted:
- Paperclipped to poem, no staples
- Must be signed by parent, student and teacher
- Submissions must be postmarked, faxed, or e-mailed to [email protected], by March 1, 2022. Emailed submissions must be docs, .pdfs or scans. Low resolution pictures of the submission will not be accepted.
Judging
Judges from the literary community will make the decision for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place within each grade category (3-5th, 6-8th, 9-12th).
Poetry Partners
The 2022 Poetry Contest is a result of tremendous community support including the Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, and literary volunteers who serve as judges. Thank you.
Poetry Resources
You may also find curriculum resources to use in the classroom at the park’s website: www.nps.gov/carl/learn/education/index.htm.
Send Submissions to:
Carl Sandburg Home NHS
Attn: Poetry Contest
81 Carl Sandburg Lane
Flat Rock, North Carolina 28731
Fax 828-693-4179
Email: [email protected]
#MANNAStudentChallenge2022
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Local Nonprofits Encouraged to Apply for Grants
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The Black Mountain – Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund, an affiliate of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC), is currently accepting applications for its spring grant cycle from nonprofits serving the Swannanoa Valley. The grants will range in size from $2,500 – $10,000, and will focus on projects and programs relating to health and wellness, education, cultural and natural resources, and human services. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on March 1, 2022.
The online application can be accessed at cfwnc.org/grants/black-mountain-swannanoa-valley-endowment-fund. For more information about the Endowment Fund’s spring grant program, please contact Virginia Dollar at CFWNC, 828-367-9907, or [email protected].
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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.
Before you even begin thinking about volunteering, ask yourself – Am I well enough to volunteer?
Your safety and limiting the spread of COVID-19 is everyone’s main priority. We encourage you to review and adhere to the recommendations on the Buncombe County readiness site on how best to avoid COVID-19 and what to do if you think you might have it.
The American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that helps communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. Activities of the American Red Cross Western North Carolina Chapter include: Blood Services, Training Services, Disaster Services, and Home Fire Campaign.
Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood and one blood donation can save up to three lives. Help support lives in North Carolina by signing up to become a Blood Drive Volunteer today.
Time Commitment:
Blood drives occur M-F and volunteers are expected to attend one blood drive a month to remain an active volunteer. This position is flexible as volunteers can sign up for shifts that work for their schedule and instructions for shift selection will be sent after responding to the opportunity.
Volunteer Roles:
- Warmly greet donors and assist with registration in reception area.
- Assist with initial intake and hand off through blood donation process.
- Ensure donors have relevant information and all questions are answered appropriately.
- Maintain proper sanitizing and cleanliness of reception and hospitality areas.
- Attend canteen area in support of donors.
- Thank donors for their contribution.
- Alert staff immediately if a donor shows signs of feeling unwell.
- Inform donors of current and upcoming donation promotions.
- Make reminder/cancellation calls.
- Reschedule donor appointments.
- Perform follow-up activities as directed.
Volunteer Requirements:
- Modeling excellent customer service behaviors.
- Knowledge of technology needed for position (training provided)
- Donor checkin, donor tablet, rapid pass, donor app.
- Comfortable working with people from diverse communities and backgrounds
- Dependable, punctual, and professional
- Adhere to all Red Cross guidelines
- Ability to remain calm in crisis situations
- Adhere to CDC safety guidelines regarding COVID-19 precautions
- Safety First! Our need for volunteers is constant and our guidelines reflect the latest CDC safety recommendations and follow the national and local government laws. COVID-19 vaccination will be required for in-person volunteer roles beginning January 3, 2022.
The countdown to the 12th Annual Battle of the Badges Blood Drive is on. Buncombe County and Asheville first responders face off every year for a lifesaving cause.
Local heroes are rolling up their sleeves and encouraging the community to do the same. Just one donation can save up to three lives. Sign up to donate today and support your favorite badged department. Last year’s blood drive collected 158 units of much needed blood and Buncombe County Sheriff’s took home the trophy. Use these last few days before the blood drive to focus on recruitment so your favorite first responders can take home the trophy and the bragging rights for 2022!
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (A-B Tech) is a comprehensive two-year college and one of 58 colleges in the North Carolina Community College System, serving students in five locations in Buncombe and Madison Counties. A-B Tech, through its dedication to student success, strives toward its mission to deliver quality education to enhance academic, workforce, and personal development. A-B Tech envisions changing lives and strengthening communities.
We are seeking volunteers to help support our Veteran’s Cafe. A-B Tech recognizes that student military veterans benefit significantly from fellowship and networking with their peers. To meet this need, the College created the Vet’s Cafe, a supportive gathering place where students can relax, network, connect with resources, use a computer and enjoy complimentary coffee or pre-packaged snack.
Volunteer Responsibilities:
- Hosts, ensuring the Cafe is welcoming and supportive.
- Setting out snacks and coffee
- Helping students with computers, and tutoring/mentoring as appropriate
- Volunteers also act as a conduit between students and the A-B Tech Veterans Advisor to ensure students get all the support they need to succeed.
Time Commitment:
- 3 hours per shift (8am-11am, 11am-2pm, 2pm-5pm 8am-5pm)
- 1 volunteer per shift, couples are welcome to volunteer together.
Qualifications:
- Must have patience and understanding while volunteering at the Cafe
- Military experience is preferred but not required
- Must be computer literate
Requirements:
- Must be 21 years old
- Complete volunteer application with A-B Tech
- Complete FERPA & HIPAA forms
- Submit to a criminal background screening
- Attend an in-person interview and orientation with A-B Tech Campus Volunteer Coordinator
Health & Safety:
- A-B Tech is following all CDC guidelines for higher educational institutions
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Over a period of several weeks in January, the old playground — which was very small and suitable only for young children — was removed and replaced with a large, state-of-the-art playground, complete with climbing walls, multiple slides, a 4-person seesaw, and much more. The colorful new playground equipment is designed for children ages 5-12, and makes quite a visual splash as you drive into Owen Park.
The upgraded playground is part of a series of improvements the county has made at Owen Park over the last couple of years, including the addition of a GaGa ball pit, outdoor exercise equipment, a musical “garden,” a wheelchair-accessible swing, and a TRACK Adventure Trail that teaches kids about the flora and fauna that can be found in the park.
Owen Park is located at 875 Warren Wilson Road (behind National Wiper Alliance). In addition to the amenities listed above, the park boasts several reservable picnic pavilions, a fishing pier, basketball courts, baseball fields, and a level, 1-mile walking path around the ponds. Owen Park is truly a gem in our community, and it keeps getting better all the time!
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Take your Business to the Next Level with the Mission Accelerator Program
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Companies in 2022 will face a business landscape disrupted by a pandemic: staffing issues, supply chain issues, new business models, shift in consumer purchasing patterns, revenue disruptions, and new applications of tech just to name a few.
The 2022 Mission Accelerator class can help organizations you know develop new tools and strategies to proactively successfully navigate the ever changing business environment that 2022 will be.
Registration is open through January 24th. The program begins January 26th and will meet every-other Wednesday from 8:30 am – 1 pm through June 1st. The cost for the program is $295.
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Not sure if your business could benefit from this program? Take the self-assessment below to rate your success.
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Blue Ridge Community College and the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce have partnered once again to offer the Mission Acceleration Business Accelerator, a five-month, ten-course program.
January 26, 2022
Business Best Practices and KPI (Key Performance Indicators) Checklist by Department Identifying Opportunities for Acceleration
February 9, 2022
Management and Leadership
February 23, 2022
Human Resources, Legal and Insurance
March 9, 2022
Capital and Purchasing
March 23, 2022
Competition and Competitive Advantage
April 6, 2022
Branding, Marketing and Sales
April 20, 2022
Customer Service and Information Technology
May 4, 2022
Business Logistics: Best ways to meet customer needs
May 18, 2022
Accounting and Finance
June 1, 2022
Business Acceleration Plan Presentation and Graduation
Sessions run Wednesdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. except 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on January 26.
Cost for the course is $295.
Before you begin thinking about volunteering, ask yourself – Am I well enough to volunteer?
Your safety and limiting the spread of COVID-19 is everyone’s main priority. We encourage you to review and adhere to the recommendations on the Buncombe County readiness site on how best to avoid COVID-19 and what to do if you think you might have it.
UWABC is committed to collaborating with donors, volunteers, community partners, and those most affected by inequity and poverty to co-create a community where all share equal access to the resources necessary to attain the education, financial stability, and health needed to thrive.
Currently, UWABC is seeking individuals, teams, and corporate partners to support students engaged in learning pods and satellite learning centers by Building Kits that provide resources such as items to support resiliency, personal care packs, school supplies, and more.
Volunteers will be responsible for purchasing agreed-upon supplies, assembling and delivering the supplies directly to the learning site. Build a Kit items/supplies will be shared with volunteers after responding to the opportunity.
Build A Kit Options:
- Art Kits
- Personal Care Kits
- Resiliency Kits
- School Supply Kits
- Snack Packs
I’m interested, How do I participate?
- Respond to this opportunity as an individual or as a team.
- After you respond, a UWABC staff will reach out to share the pre-approved Build A Kit list and timeframe.
- Think about your price point.
- How much can you or your team realistically spend?
- There is no minimum or maximum of kits needed at this time as these items are always needed and welcome.
- Determine kit options and begin the process of ordering and assembling kits based on the pre-selected and approved lists.
- Volunteers are asked to only purchase the pre-approved items to ensure each student receives the same items.
- Coordinate with UWABC staff around delivery location(s) and point person on-site.
- Deliver kits to a specified location(s).
- Track all volunteer hours of participating individuals in Hands On.
Health and Safety:
- This is a remote opportunity and larger groups are responsible for the health and safety of their team members’ participation.
- Any time groups are together, UWABC encourages volunteers to follow CDC guidelines of:
- Practicing social distancing of 6 feet apart;
- Practicing hand hygiene often and wearing gloves when appropriate;
- Wearing a mask when around other volunteers.
- We ask volunteers to wear masks when delivering items.
Buncombe County face covering requirement expires as COVID-19 metrics continue to improve.
COVID-19 metrics are continuing to improve overall. Since Jan. 18, there has been a 67% drop in new cases per 100,000 per week. The current new case rate is 386 new cases per 100,000 per week. Buncombe County is continuing to see a fairly rapid decline from week to week in new cases. Additionally, the percent positivity continues to decline and has fallen from 19.6% last week to 15.5% this week.
Hospitalization indicators are now more favorable and there has been a considerable drop in inpatient hospital beds occupied with COVID-19 from last week to this week. Last week, the percent of inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 was 13.4% and is now 8.8%. As of Monday, there were 104 total patients with COVID-19 in the Mission Health System as compared to a peak of 196 patients three weeks ago. ICU utilization continues to fall and is now well below 30%.
Deaths, unfortunately, have increased. Sadly, 21 new deaths were added to the dashboard, however, only 9 of these occurred in the last week. The remaining deaths occurred in weeks previous but were delayed in being reported. This has caused the local death rate to jump to 8 new deaths per 100,000 per week. It is likely that the death rate will fluctuate for several more days or weeks as deaths are the most lagging of all the indicators.
The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, Pardee UNC Health Care, Optimum/Morris Broadband, and Judy Stroud/State Farm Insurance are pleased to announce the 15th Annual ATHENA Leadership Award in Henderson County in memory of Vanessa Y. Mintz. Nominations are now being accepted for the ATHENA Leadership Award, which will be presented at the Professional Women’s Luncheon in May to an exemplary leader who has achieved excellence in their business or profession, served the community in a meaningful way, and, most importantly, actively assisted women to achieve their full leadership potential.
Founded over 30 years ago, ATHENA International is a women’s leadership organization that supports, develops and honors women leaders through the programs it administers. ATHENA’s flagship program, the ATHENA Leadership Award Program, has honored over 6000 women leaders from hundreds of cities and eight countries since its inception in 1982.
Vanessa Y. Mintz brought the ATHENA award to Henderson County in 2008 and she embodied the values underlying ATHENA 
International’s philosophy of incorporating the talent and expertise of women into the leadership of our businesses, our communities, and our government. Reflective of a quote attributed to Plato, “What is honored in a country will be cultivated there”, the ATHENA Leadership Award honors and illuminates the leaders and leadership styles of individuals others would emulate.
The program is facilitated locally by the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, a licensed ATHENA host organization. Nominations are sought throughout the community. Recipients are selected by a diverse group of out-of-town professional judges, based on Athena leadership criteria.
ATHENA Leadership Award Recipients hail from all professional sectors. The award’s rich history, international scope, and emphasis on mentorship make this award unique and amongst the most prestigious leadership awards one can receive. Past Henderson County ATHENA Recipients Include:
Kathy Streeter Morgan (2021)
Barbara Volk, City of Hendersonville (2020)
Barb Morgan, Project Dignity of WNC (2019)
Lee Henderson Hill, Community Foundation of Henderson County (2018)
Roxanna Pepper, Children & Family Resource Center (2017)
Judy Stroud, State Farm Insurance (2016)
Judith Long, Free Clinics (2015)
Caroline Long, St. Gerard House (2014)
Annie Fritschner, First United Methodist Church (2013)
Myra Grant, Pardee Hospital Foundation (2012)
Joyce Mason, Four Seasons Compassion for Life (2011)
Pat Shepherd, Pat’s School of Dance (2010)
Ragan Ward, Carolina Alliance Bank (2009)
Robin Reed, Bares It All (2008)
ATHENA Leadership Award Recipients are presented a hand-cast, bronzed and crystal sculpture that symbolizes the strength, courage, and wisdom of ATHENA Recipients.
Before you even begin thinking about volunteering, ask yourself – Am I well enough to volunteer?
Your safety and limiting the spread of COVID-19 is everyone’s main priority. We encourage you to review and adhere to the recommendations on the Buncombe County readiness site on how best to avoid COVID-19 and what to do if you think you might have it.
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (A-B Tech) is a comprehensive two-year college and one of 58 colleges in the North Carolina Community College System, serving students in five locations in Buncombe and Madison Counties. A-B Tech, through its dedication to student success, strives toward its mission to deliver quality education to enhance academic, workforce, and personal development. A-B Tech envisions changing lives and strengthening communities.
We are currently seeking registered Therapy Dog Teams to have regular routes on campus, visiting public areas, classrooms and staff offices. Our A-B Tech Therapy Dog program aims to spread compassion, empathy, and, most importantly, “pawsitivity” across our campus. A-B Tech Community College recognizes the positive influence that therapy dogs can have on student and staff.
Volunteer Responsibilities:
- Therapy dog teams (owner and dog) will visit public areas on campus, classrooms, and staff offices
- Therapy dog teams will also assist with special requests such as visiting classrooms before exams, counseling sessions or special events on campus.
Time Commitment:
- 1 hour once a week
- Therapy Dog teams are scheduled to ensure they are not in the same building or area at the same time as other teams.
Requirements:
- Must be 21 years old
- Complete volunteer application with A-B Tech
- Complete FERPA & HIPAA forms
- Submit to a criminal background screening
- Attend an in-person interview and orientation with A-B Tech Campus Volunteer Coordinator
- Provide copies of Therapy Dog Certification (Dog Teams must be certified by an accredited Therapy Dog Agency before starting).
*As of 2021, the Volunteer Program accepts Therapy Dog certification from the following agencies, Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Therapy Dogs International, Pet Partners (previously Delta Society).
Health & Safety:
- A-B Tech is following all CDC guidelines for higher educational institutions
Old Kentucky Home -The Thomas Wolfe Memorial
American Novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)
Considered by many to be one of the giants of 20th-century American literature, Thomas Wolfe immortalized his childhood home in his epic autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe’s colorful portrayal of his family, his hometown of “Altamont” Asheville, North Carolina, and “Dixieland” the Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse, earned the Victorian period house a place as one of American literature’s most famous landmarks.
House tours are offered daily at half past each hour. Last tour leaves at 4:30 pm.
Group tours by reservation.
Adult – $5.00
Student (ages 7-17) – $2.00
Adult Group (10+) – $2.50 each
Student Group – $2.00 each
6 & under – Free
Hours of Operation
The Board of Commissioners’ Regular Meetings take place on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. at 200 College Street in room 326 in downtown Asheville. To view the agenda, previous meeting videos, or to view future meeting agendas – you can visit buncombecounty.org/commissioners.
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Check this out!
Do you remember card catalogs? What happened to all those analog “cards” once they were replaced with computers? The Black Mountain Center for the Arts, in collaboration with the Black Mountain Library has obtained a few hundred old catalog cards and we want to use them to make art! We invite everyone in our community to participate. After creating your artwork on a catalog card, drop it off at BMCA or the BM Library to be included in our community art show entitled “Check This Out!”
Pick Up Your Catalog Card at BMCA, the BM Library, or Chifferobe December 13 – February 4
(or until we run out)
All artwork must be submitted by February 7 @ 5:00 pm to be included in the show.
Do you need help paying your mortgage, rent, or utilities? Buncombe County might be able to help. Additional financial assistance will be available soon for qualifying County residents. At its Feb. 1 regular meeting, the Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve budget amendments accepting nearly $4 million in state and federal funding for emergency rental and low-income energy assistance.
Economic Services Director Phillip Hardin also provided the Board an overview of emergency housing spending of $8.2 million to date that has helped aid more than 3,000 residents. Additional funding in the amount of $2.2 million has been received from the state’s allocation of emergency rental assistance to be used following the same guidelines for rent and utility payments. Hardin noted there is still $4 million in funding from the previous allocation that is available immediately to support community members impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic who need help with rent or utilities. Call 250-5500 for assistance.
Heating Assistance
The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program is a seasonal program that provides for a one-time vendor payment to help eligible households pay their heating bills. NC DHHS is providing funding from two sources to the County for a total of $1,887,432. All funds will be disbursed through Eblen Charities. The County will share more information as it is available on how residents may apply for this assistance.
Parade of Racquets Will Offer 50 Hardwood Racquets to Local Businesses, Organizations, & Youth/School Groups to Participate
Each decorated racquet will be auctioned off at the April 15-16, 2022, event to benefit Asheville Tennis Association’s youth outreach programs.
With the Billie Jean King Cup (formally known as Fed Cup) returning to Asheville for a third time, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) is looking to infuse the local community like never before. We’re asking artists, school groups, and teams to create racquet artwork with the spirit of Asheville and tennis for the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup on April 15-16, 2022. The racquet artwork will serve as an iconic visual to commemorate the return of Team USA to Asheville, NC.
The Harrah’s Cherokee Center will provide the 2′ x 4′ wooden racquets to be decorated with the spirit of Asheville and Tennis at no cost, on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. Approximately 60 racquets will be available via pre-registration here: https://paradeofracquets-bjkc2022.eventbrite.com— while supplies last. Pick up information will be emailed directly to registrants. All decorated racquets must be returned to the venue no later than Tuesday, March 1, 2022 for display. ABOUT BILLIE JEAN KING CUP
The U.S. Billie Jean King Cup team will return to Asheville, N.C. for the third time in five years in April with a spot in the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas Finals at stake.
The USTA has selected Harrah’s Cherokee Center as host for the team’s qualifying tie against Ukraine, which is scheduled to be played from April 15-16. Team USA previously played at Harrah’s Cherokee Center— Asheville in 2018 and 2019, when the competition was called Fed Cup. The two events combined generated more than $8 million in economic impact for the region and spurred increases in tennis participation at the grassroots level.
EVENT HISTORY
The Billie Jean King Cup, the premier international women’s tennis team competition formerly known as the Fed Cup, was officially rebranded in honor of the legendary Billie Jean King in late 2020. Some of the greatest tennis players in the history of the game have suited up for Team USA, helping it win a record 18 titles in the competition since the event began in 1963.
Log on and spend some time with our diverse group of LGBTQ+ 55+ community. A time and place for you to share your thoughts about our 55+ community. Ask questions, encourage involvement, advocate and learn. Laugh, joke, meet new family and greet others.
Every 4th Wednesday of the month at 10AM
registration required
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89174547267?pwd=TlVQcDFSNTUxVk0xeW1CWmpLR1NoZz09
Do you need help preparing your taxes? If so, Buncombe County Pubic Libraries can help. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in cooperation with the IRS, NC Department of Revenue, Buncombe County Library System, and Council on Aging, Inc. will offer free tax preparations for taxpayers of low and moderate-income, with special attention to those age 60 and older from Feb. 1-April 15.
You will need an appointment to speak with a tax help aide. At your appointment, you can drop off your tax documents and you’ll be given another appointment in about two weeks to pick up your paperwork and completed tax form.
How it works
1. Pick up a tax record envelope and instructions at Black Mountain, West Asheville, Weaverville or Pack Library during library hours.
2. Complete the Intake/Interview Booklet in your envelope by answering all questions. Then sign and date the last 3 pages. Place all your tax forms and any information relating to your tax return in your envelope.
3. Make an appointment to drop off your Tax Record Envelope and meet with a Tax-Aide volunteer.
Wednesdays, appointments available between 10am-4pm
To make an appointment on Wednesday at Pack Library, email [email protected] with your name and telephone number. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment. If you don’t have access to email, someone at the library can email AARP for you. At your appointment a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents in 1 or 2 weeks.
Showcase of Excellence features the exceptional artistic talent of high school students in our area. This premier event is a juried fine arts competition that offers young artists their first taste of a professional gallery environment. Cash prizes are awarded for the top student artists and teachers.
High school teachers in North and South Carolina are invited to submit their students’ best work in painting, drawing, sculpture, mixed media, printmaking, and photography.
First Prize and Best in Show students are awarded a cash prize to encourage their artist pursuits. Winning teachers are awarded a Be Inspired Grant that they may use for classroom projects. These prizes are made possible by our generous donors.
The 2022 Showcase of Excellence will held from February 19 – March 12 in the Parker Gallery at TFAC.
Information about registration and Showcase rules can be found below.
Y-Splash
What: Teach water safety skills, prepare children for drowning emergencies, decrease the number of deaths due to drowning in children and youth. Volunteer in the water or on land.
When: Shifts available from February 23 – April 22, Tuesday thru Friday from 10 AM – 12:30 PM.
The world is 70% water. Children are 100% curious. In an area with so many natural bodies of water, drowning prevention isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.
Y Splash is a volunteer-led program that challenges the startling childhood drowning statistics. Between the months of February and April, every public school second grader comes through the Y to participate in critical drowning prevention skills. We are searching for volunteers with a passion for water safety,
working with youth, and serving our local community.
Olivia Jones, Face Vessel, Ceramics & Glass, Silsa-Asheville High School, Grade 12. 2022 WNC Regional Scholastic Art Awards, Gold Key award.
The Asheville Art Museum has announced the regional award recipients of the 2022 Scholastic Art Awards and artworks will be on view at the Museum.
The regional program is judged in two groups: Group I, grades 7–8 and Group II, grades 9–12. Out of 540 total art entries, 190 works have been recognized by the judges, and Gold and Silver Key award-winning artworks are featured in this exhibition while honorable mentions will be featured digitally. The 2022 regional judges include local artists and educators Brandy Bourne, Jenny Pickens, and M. Paige Taylor. Those works receiving Gold Keys have been submitted to compete in the 99th Annual National Scholastic Art Awards Program in New York City. Of the Gold Key Award recipients, five students have also been nominated for American Visions, indicating their work is the Best in Show of the regional awards. One of these American Visions Nominees will receive an American Visions Medal at the 2022 National Scholastic Art Awards. Award winners include students from public, private, homeschools, and charter schools in Buncombe, Burke, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Madison, McDowell, Rutherford.
Since the program’s founding in 1923, the Scholastic Art Awards have fostered the creativity and talent of millions of students, and include a distinguished list of alumni including Andy Warhol, who received recognition in the Awards when he was a teen.
National Gold Key medalists will be announced in March 2022 and honored during a special awards ceremony in June 2022.
For more information about the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit the Scholastic Newsroom: mediaroom.scholastic.com/artandwriting.
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