The WNC Nature Center’s Young Naturalist program has been selected for aSignificant Achievement Education Award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The Young Naturalist teen (ages 13-17) volunteer program creates opportunities for staff and teens to build meaningful relationships with each other and with nature over several months in an experiential learning program in which teens from around the Southern Appalachian region volunteer as stewards and interpreters of their mountain home. The Young Naturalist program challenges the trend of indoor childhood by engaging teens in nature-based programming which ripples out into the community. The program has a powerful way of strengthening the community, developing leaders, and fostering a sense of stewardship for our mountain home. Learn more about the program here.
Funding:
Local events and festivals that both residents and visitors can enjoy in celebrating our community will receive a total of $110,000 in 2022from the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, as approved by the board at its Oct. 27 monthly meeting. The eclectic collection of 26 community festivals and cultural events receiving grants through the authority’s Festivals & Cultural Events Support Fund ranges from time-honored celebrations such as the Sourwood Festival in Black Mountain, Downtown After 5 and the Southern Highlands Craft Fair, to cultural events like Asheville Celtic Fest, Blue Ridge Pride Festival, GRINDFest 2022 and Hola Asheville, and new celebrations such as Flacktoberfest, honoring Black Mountain native and Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and pianist Roberta Flack. The Buncombe County TDA’s Festivals & Cultural Events Support Fund grant program started in 2016 to provide financial support for local events that support and preserve the cultural identity of the community and are enjoyed by residents as well as visitors. Funding for the program comes from unrestricted, earned revenue collected through advertising sales and lodging reservations booked on ExploreAsheville.com.
Happenings:
The City of Asheville will once again honor our local Veterans with a Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11. Due to health precautions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the public is invited to participate virtually. The Veterans Day ceremony can be viewed online on the City of Asheville YouTube channel. The program will begin at 11 a.m. The keynote speaker is Dr. Laura Tugman, Ph.D., Chief of Mental Health Services at Charles George VA Medical Center. Dr. Tugman is an Army Veteran enlisted from 1991-1995, where she served as a psychiatric specialist. Learn more here.
There’s plenty happening at Asheville Community Theatre in November! Clue is still running through November 7, 2021. The Youth Production Class will be presenting Clue (the High School edition), as well, November 6-14. On November 18, the storytelling series Listen to This returns to the stage with its first live show since early 2020. Lastly, The Autumn Players’ Readers Theatre presents The Outsider November 19-21. Learn more and buy tickets here.
Promotional Opportunity:
The holidays are right around the corner and Asheville Downtown Association has a few holiday promotions downtown businesses can participate in. First, the Downtown Holiday Windows Walking Tour: if you’re decorating your windows for the holidays, this is an easy way to get some publicity. You can also enter the Windows Contest. Second, the Gift Card Swap: You provide 5 $20 gift cards for your business, and in return, you receive 5 $20 gift cards from other downtown businesses. You can use these any way you’d like…hold a raffle, gift with purchase or reward your employees. Lastly, Holiday Shopping Promos: Share any holiday shopping promotions with us and we can help spread the word. If your business is interested in participating in any of the above, please fill out this short form.