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Today’s Email Announcements

Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s Ribbon Cutting for New Asheville Office, 1/18

Asheville, N.C. – It’s a new year, and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has a new home. Parkway lovers are invited to celebrate the opening of the expanded Asheville office from 4 to 6 p.m.,Thursday, January 18.

Guests will be welcomed to enjoy refreshments, door prizes, and a ribbon cutting with the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, and learn more about the Foundation’s mission to protect and preserve the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The organization’s new home is a recently renovated cottage built in 1949. The former office next door is now the headquarters for the Foundation’s Kids in Parks program, creating a mini-campus for the nonprofit. The renovation was completed by Atriax Group working with Frellick Brothers Custom Home Builders.   

Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation Open House and Ribbon Cutting
When: 4 to 6 p.m.Thursday, January 18
Where: 322 Gashes Creek Road, Asheville

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About the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is the primary nonprofit fundraising partner, 501(c)(3), of the Blue Ridge Parkway, helping ensure cultural and historical preservation, natural resource protection, educational outreach, and visitor enjoyment now and for future generations. Since its inception in 1997, the nonprofit has worked with donors to invest more than $12 million in critical projects along the scenic road. For more information, visit brpfoundation.org.

 

International Fly Fishing Film Festival® Coming to Jackson County, NC, 2/24

IF4 to be Held at Quin Theater in Sylva, NC on February 24, 2018

Jackson County, NC (January 10, 2018) – The International Fly Fishing Film Festival®, or IF4, will be held in Sylva, NC at the Quin Theater on February 24, 2018 at 7 p.m. Tickets to the festival are $15 and are available for purchase online (https://www.showclix.com/event/if42018sylvanc) and through the Tuckasegee Fly Shop in Sylva. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the local trout in the classroom program.

IF4 will showcase exclusive short and feature-length films produced by professional filmmakers from all corners of the globe, showcasing the passion, lifestyle and culture of fly fishing. This event and the films to be featured are already capturing the attention of anglers around the world.

“We are thrilled and honored to host the International Fly Fishing Film Festival in Sylva,” said Nick Breedlove, Director of the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority. “We are excited to welcome attendees from across the country and invite them to explore all that Jackson County has to offer. With Jackson County boasting the only fly fishing trail in the country, anglers in attendance will have no shortage of activities to explore and enjoy during their visit.”

“Those coming for the film fest should come a day early and stay a day later,” Breedlove said. “Make a weekend out of it. Late February fly fishing is incredible in Jackson County.”

Jackson County, a hotspot for fly fishing, is home to the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail and is North Carolina’s Trout Capital. The WNC Fly Fishing Trail is made up of 15 spots along the county’s 4,600 miles of streams and rivers. One of the most popular areas along the trail is the Tuckasegee River, where fly fisherman of all levels can test their skills in search of brook, brown, and rainbow trout. Request a free map in advance of your trip to the Film Festival at www.flyfishingtrail.com. Jackson County also houses the state’s longest contiguous stretch of Mountain Heritage Trout Waters with three points throughout Sylva, Dillsboro and Webster. Through the Mountain Heritage Trout Waters program, visitors can fish in the designated areas with a three-day permit for just $5.

For where to stay in Jackson County, please visit https://www.discoverjacksonnc.com/lodging/. To learn more about the film festival, please visit http://www.flyfilmfest.com/.

 

Watauga County Public Library Annual Reading Challenge
 
52 Reading Challenges

Join the 2018 Reading Challenge and broaden your horizons! 


Do you find that you gravitate toward the same genre when reading? Would you like to diversify your reading more and take a chance on other authors/areas that you normally would not read?

How about…
  • An Edgar Award Winner?
  • A Book With A Title (Or Has A Word In The Title) That Is A Palindrome?
  • A Cli-fi Book?

These are just a few of the categories for 2018! Want to participate? You can download a printable .pdf version of the categories at http://www.arlibrary.org/images/WatDocs/2018_Reading_Challenge_Form.pdf or you can pick one up in person at the library!

Each time you write a review, you will earn a ticket that can be used in a prize drawing at the end of the year!
 

Rollenhagen Named Executive Director at Life Care Center of Banner Elk

BANNER ELK, N.C. (Jan. 11, 2018) – Life Care Center of Banner Elk, a skilled nursing and rehab center, is welcoming a new executive director, Karen Rollenhagen.

“I just love the senior population,” said Rollenhagen. “When I started working with them, I felt an instant connection, and I love the interaction and getting to learn from them.”

Rollenhagen has 36 years of experience working in senior care, starting as a nurses aide.  She has been a registered nurse for 25 years and has worked as a floor nurse and as a director of nursing before becoming an administrator. She was also a state surveyor for the health department in her home state of Michigan.

“Karen is a terrific addition to the team of caregivers at Banner Elk,” said Chris Page, regional vice president. “She has an extensive clinical nursing background, a familiarity with the local area and a passion for long-term care that make her a great fit to lead the team in delivering quality care and services to the community.”

Rollenhagen has a master’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in business administration with a minor in health care management. She has been in North Carolina for six year and currently resides in Old Fort with her husband, Chuck. They have two sons, David and Christopher.

Life Care Center of Banner Elk, located at 185 Norwood Hollow Road, is one of two skilled nursing and rehab facilities in North Carolina managed by Life Care Centers of America.

Founded in 1976, Life Care is a nationwide health care company. With headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee, Life Care manages more than 200 nursing, post-acute and Alzheimer’s centers in 28 states. For more information about Life Care, visit lcca.com.