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Email Announcements Received Today: See What’s Going On Around The Community

1) Avery Chamber After Hours Held Aug. 26

Mark your calendars for the Avery Chamber August Afterhours Networking event. The event will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Aug. 26 hosted by Distinctive Cabinetry of the High Country located at 3990 N.C. 105 in Banner Elk beside Mountain Grounds Coffee Shop. Join us for refreshments and networking with other business owners just like you!

2) Sound Traveler Calendar Changes and Additions

The Grandfather Campground show originally scheduled for Aug. 16 has been changed to Flintlock Campground in Boone, same date and time, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. The Orchard at Altapass show was changed from Friday, Aug. 22 to Friday, Aug. 29 at the same time, 1:45-3:15 p.m. A show will be held at Cafe Portofino in Boone on Thursday, Aug. 21 and Thursday, Aug. 28 from 6-9 p.m. and a show iwll be held at Todd General Store in Todd on Friday, Aug. 29 from 7-9:15 p.m.

3) 15th Annual Mayview Madness 5K set for Saturday, Sept. 20

The fog-shrouded 2013 running of the Stick Boy Mayview Madness 5K race drew more than 360 runners, the largest in race history. This year’s event, the 15th annual 5K and the recently aded one mile kids fun run takes place here on Saturday, Sept. 20. Proceeds will benefit Blue Ridge Conservancy’s work with willing landowners and local communities to permanently protect land and water resources with agricultural, ecological, cultural, recreational and scenic value in northwest North Carolina. The scenic 5K run starts at 8:30 a.m. adjacent to the American Legion Hall and finishes in front of Bistro Roca restaurant, where post-race snacks will be provided and awards presented. The course winds through the historic Mayview neighborhood, with magnificent views along the route. With average race day high and low temperatures of 67 and 49 degrees respectively, conditions should be perfect for running. The Kids Run starts in the same location at 8 a.m. so parents can accompany their kids and still make the 5K start time. “The Blowing Rock community is always happy to host the Mayview Madness 5K race and its participants. We embrace a healthy lifestyle and outdoor activities, so the Mayview Madness fits right in. it’s really nice to see the kids getting involved now and participating in the One-Mile Fun Run. Because of the involvement of the community and our beautiful backdrop, we continue to see the event grow each year,” said Tracy Brown, Executive Director of the Blowing Rock TDA. The 5K race will have prizes donated by local businesses for the top three male and female finishers in each age of ten age groups including a separate category for masters finishers. Additional prizes will be awarded for best costume. Courtesy of Reebok, ZAP Fitness will give away a pair of running shoes to the male and female first place finisher in each category. As a lead-up to the event, ZAP fitness will be offering all preregistered participants a series of five free training sessions at Bass Lake every Wednesday evening from Aug. 20 until race day. Each clinic begins at 5:30 p.m. with a training run, followed by a coaching session. ZAP Fitness coaches will cover a different topic each week, including a training session designed for kids during each clinic. Preregistration is available online at active.com along with information on fees and schedules. Fees increase after Sept. 1 The Blue Ridge Conservancy is a private, nonprofit, non-governmental organization incorporated in North Carolina. Since its founding, it has protected close to 18,000 acres in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties. In addition to protecting working farmland, BRC’s efforts have resulted in the creation of state natural areas like Beech Creek Bog, Bear Baw and Bullhead Mountain.

4) Faces of Afghanistan Exhibit on Display at Lees-McRae through Sept. 26

Lees-McRae’s King-Shivell Gallery is proud to welcome North Carolina artist Skip Rohde and his 52 small-scale framed drawings titled “Faces of Afghanistan.” Each image depicts a native person Rohde encountered while traveling in the Kandahar Province of Afghanistan as part of the State Department’s stabilization team. This exhibit is free and open to the public. “This exhibit is a pictoral record of current people living in an area ravaged by war,” said Jason Sabbides, assistant professor of Communication Arts and Design and manager of King-Shivell Gallery. “It also gives us a glimpse at an artist that lived with these people during the current U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. His drawing technique can be juxtaposed with great masters like Rembrandt and is a fabulous opportunity for art majors and non-art majors to see such supreme skill.” The images focus on natives from the Maiwand District in Kandahar Province of Afghanistan. This area was the site of the Taliban resurgence in 2006 and is desperately poor, featuring poppy and marijuana as its cash crops and offering very few schools. According to Rohde’s artist statement, “My duties required me to meet with government officials and district elders on a near daily basis. Often, I would attend large meetings of district leaders as an observer. I usually had my sketchbook with me and if the opportunity arose, would quietly draw the participants. Sometimes, back on our base, I would make pastel drawings from photos or sketches. Rural Afghans have amazing faces, full of passion, intensity, humanity and the stress of living the past 30 years at war. I tried to capture their characteristics and show them as individuals. For that is how I saw them; each man an individual, yet rooted in the basic human desires to make a living, provide for his family and raise his children in a safe and secure environment.” The Communication Arts and Design program at Lees-McRae offers three concentrations, one of which is Art and Design. This concentration is designed for students interested in fine art techniques and 2-D design. Coursework within this concentration explores studio art and art history, which makes viewing the work of visiting artists a perfect addition to the work explored in the classroom.

5) Live Music Event at Rustic Aug. 16

Please join us on Saturday, Aug. 16 and every Art in the Park from 4-6 p.m. We will have live music with our favorite musician, Cody Mitchell, complimentary refreshments and tasty treats made with Art of Oil olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Who can resist brownies made with Blood Orange olive oil? So, so good! It is also a great opportunity to meet some of our local artists – so bring a friend and have some fun. We love our Summer Gatherings at Rustic. It is a great time to get together and enjoy a relaxing time with our customers.