Nov. 28 This Week in the Swannanoa Valley

Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry needs 

As temperatures drop, needs for the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry grow. The Black Mountain-based nonprofit is currently seeking toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and sop. Coats for children and men, gloves, blankets and children's winter clothing are needed, as well.

SVCM's homeless shelter is seeking regular coffee, decaffeinated coffee, laundry pods, disinfectant wipes and gloves. The SVCM Johnny Raines Program is now seeking sponsors for families. The program has expanded this year to include children ages 13 - 18. 

Monetary donations designated to food, the shelter or the Johnny Raines Christmas Program are also welcome and can be sent to P.O. Box 235, Black Mountain. 

Items can be dropped off at 101 North Ridgeway Avenue, Black Mountain.

Celebrate Recovery meetings

Are you or someone you know struggling with anger, codependency, eating disorder, love & relationship addiction, abuse, alcohol, drug of other forms of addiction? Celebrate Recovery, which meets every Tuesday evening at Mountain View Church on 2221 North Fork-Right Fork, features inspiring teaching and testimonies of God’s healing power by our family in recovery.

Meetings begin at 6:15 p.m. with a free meal, before worship, testimony, or lessons begin at 7 p.m. Small groups take place at 8:00 p.m. for open share and 12-Step studies,before dessert is served at 9 p.m. Free child care is available. For more information contact Connie at 669-1981 or Jeanie at 669-4146.

Poker night at the VFW

VFW Post 9157 is now hosting Thursday night poker night. The weekly tournaments are open to the public, with the first one beginning at 5 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. tournament. 

Dinner plates are available for $5. A $5 credit will be awarded to the winner of each tournament.

Free GED tutoring

Free tutoring for the GED is offered every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 5:30 - 8 p.m. at the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Opportunity House on 101 North Ridgeway Avenue, Black Mountain.

Tutoring is available in all subjects. For further information contact Martha Hubert at 828-231-5748.

Red House Gallery presents Mountain Rhythms holiday show 

Red House Gallery, home of the The Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League, is hosting Mountain Rhythms, a holiday show that will run through Sunday, Dec. 29. The exhibit features features artwork, gifts, and ornaments handcrafted for the holidays and inspired by mountain life.

Non-functional and functional work, painting in all mediums, photography, collage, mixed media, jewelry, sculpture, assemblage, clay, metal, glass, fiber, and wood are represented in this broad ranging show, which also features creative holiday trees decorated with artful ornaments.All artwork is for sale. 

Red House is open Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Johnny Raines Christmas Cheer Program needs sponsors

Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry is in need of sponsors for the Johnny Raines Christmas Cheer Program. SVCM has expanded the program this year to include youth ages 13 to 18 years of age, and is in need of many more sponsors than in years’ past. 

Please consider sponsoring a family this year and making a child’s Christmas morning a happy one.  Answers to questions and additional details can be found by contacting SVCM at 669-9404 or by emailing Executive Director Cheryl Wilson at svcmdirector@gmail.com. 

Assistance with Affordable Care Act healthcare plans

Assistance with Affordable Care Act (ACA) Healthcare Plans is available at the Black Mountain Library and Swannanoa Libraries by certified assistants from Pisgah Legal Services.

The confidential assistance is provided until Sunday, Dec. 15. It includes completion of the applicationnand enrollment in healthcare plans. The plans are effective on January1, 2020.

Appointments can be made by calling 828-210-3404.

And coming up...

Owen High School hosts presentation for parents regarding drug addiction

Owen High School will host a two-part parent session, 6 - 8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 2 and Monday, Dec. 16, regarding drugs and addiction. The program is funded by Kiwanis Club of Black Mountain-Swannanoa and will feature specialist Kriya Lendzion. 

The information provided will help parents raise teenagers during these challenging times. Free child care will be provided and light refreshments will be served. 

Holly Jolly and the Black Mountain Christmas Parade return

The Black Mountain-Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce will present a pair of holiday traditions, beginning with Holly Jolly, from 5 - 9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 6 and the Black Mountain Christmas Parade, beginning at 4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7. 

Holly Jolly will feature Santa in Town Square and purchases of $25 or more with participating merchants will be eligible to receive a $25 gift card. 

The parade, which begins at the intersection of Flat Creek Road and East State Street, will travel west along U.S. 70, where it will end at Cragmont Road. Edd Buchanon and Earl Snypes will serve as Grand Marshals.

Montreat College holds annual Christmas concert

Montreat College’s Christmas Concert, “A Christmas Tapestry” will be held at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, in Anderson Auditorium. The concert will feature Montreat College choir and orchestra students as well as community performers. This event is free to the public. Join us for this special evening, and together we will celebrate the beginning of the Advent season.

Connie Regan-Blake’s Slice of Life

After the dust has settled from the Black Mountain Christmas Parade, join nationally celebrated storyteller Connie Regan-Blake for an evening of stories in "A Slice of Life" showing at 7:30 p.m, Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door and on sale now. Regan-Blake welcomes to the stage her workshop participants Catherine Yael Serota, Steve Tate, Rick Bowers, Jane O. Cunningham, Christine Westfeldt, and Pepper Ellis-Hagebak. Their diverse stories and personalities illuminate the stage like a string of holiday lights.

'The Santaland Diaries' tickets on sale

Tickets are on sale now for "The Santaland Diaries" by David Sedaris, presented by The Black Mountain Center for the Arts Theatre, Dec.13 - 15 and 20 - 22. Showtimes on Fridays and Saturdays are 7:30 p.m., Sunday performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20.

The one-man seasonal staple stars David Broshar as Crumpet the Elf in this adult comedy. For more information or to purchase tickets call 828.669.0930 or visit blackmountainarts.org.

Catch the Holiday spirit at Swannanoa Winterfest

The first annual Swannanoa Winterfest will bring the sights and sounds of the season to Grovemont Square (adjacent to the Swannanoa Library, 101 West Charleston Ave.), from 4 - 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 14. Modeled on traditional European holiday markets, the Swannanoa Winterfest will feature a variety of artisans and vendors selling holiday-themed items.

Delicious food, European-style treats and hot drinks will be available for purchase. Warm your hands over a fire while enjoying caroling, sing-alongs, festive holiday lights, and even a visit from Olaf the Snowman. 

This free event is brought to you by the Swannanoa Community Council, Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS) and Friends of the Swannanoa Library. For more info, call 828-250-6486.