1) Blue Ridge Parkway Programs for Aug. 30
Walking the Footsteps of the Overmountain Men: This event will be held on Saturday, Aug. 30, at the Museum of North Carolina Minerals at milepost 331 at 10 a.m. A National Park Ranger will lead the guided hike and tell the story of the Overmountain Men and their connection to the area. This program will begin at The Mineral Museum and then caravan about five miles north to Hefner Gap. The 2.6 mile round trip guided hike is free and will take approximately two and a half hours. Remember to bring drinking water and wear appropriate hiking attire including hiking boots. This section of the trail is rated moderate by the National Park Service. For more information contact Valerie Baldwin at 864-461-2828.
Civil War in the Mountains: Civil War in the Mountains with Award-Winning Historian and Author will take place at 7 p.m. at Linville Falls Campground Amphitheater. In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, Civil War author and 2010 North Carolina Historian of the Year Michael Hardy will give a presentation on the Civil war in the Appalachian Mountains.
2) Watauga Soil and Water Board Meeting Aug. 27
The Watauga Soil and Water Board will hold a meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 11 a.m. at 971 West King St. in Boone. The public is invited to attend.
3) Community Appearance Commission Meeting Aug. 26
A meeting of the Town of Boone Community Appearance Commission will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m. in the Planning and Inspections upstairs conference room located at 680 W. King St.
4) The Walker Center Presents Ronnie Milsap on Sept. 5
The Walker Center, on the campus of Wilkes Community College, will present Ronnie Milsap on Friday, Sept. 5, at 8 p.m. This performance is sponsored by Carolina West Wireless. Born in Robbinsville, at the edge of the Smokey Mountains, he was enveloped in his early years by country – the region was crucial to such history makers as Jimmy Rodgers, Chet Atkins and Dolly Parton. Milsap subsequently received classical training at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, although he notoriously frustrated his teachers by banging out Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard rock and roll on the keyboard when he was supposed to be practicing Mozart and Beethoven. He attended college in the Atlanta area. Milsap grew a large fan base with his hybrid style of country blended with pop, rock and R&B elements. Milsap helped establish the boundaries for what country could be – then pushed them farther in a way that connected fiercely with the public. Milsap emulated James Taylor in his vocal approach to “There’s No Gettin’ Over Me,” a No. 1 record in country and pop; hooked ino=to the instructions he got playing piano on Elvis Presley sessions to build the sound of “Smokey Mountain Rain,” another major crossover hit; and recorded an entire album of songs made famous by late Country Music Hall of Famer Jim Reeves. He compiled 40 No. 1 country hits and accrued eight gold albums; his “Greatest Hits” made him one of the first acts in any genre to obtain double-platinum status after the Recording Industry of America introduced the multi-platinum honor in 1984. The industry responded as positively to Milsap as the public did. He won six Grammys; eight Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the year; and four more Academy of Country Music trophies, including the lifetime honor, the Pioneer Award. A limited number of tickets are available for this performance. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Walker Center Box Office at 336-838-6260 or walker.boxoffice@wilkescc.edu.
5) BIG Sale Raises $20,812 for Three Area Charities
The BIG Sale at Appalachian State University raised $20,812.09 for area charities on Saturday, Aug. 16, and diverted 70 tons of materials that otherwise might have been taken to landfills. Hundreds of students, faculty, staff and community members turned out for this thirteenth annual event sponsored by the university’s ACT office (Appalachian and the Community Together). Proceeds benefit F.A.R.M. Cafe, Habitat for Humanity of Avery County and the Farm Incubator Growers (FIG) Project Maverick Farms by providing energy efficiency mini-grants. Proceeds will also support and international service-learning scholarship for Appalachian students. Held at Legends on campus, The BIG Sale offers gently used items at rock bottom prices. The carpets, couches, TVs, clothes and many other assorted items had been salvaged from residence halls during last spring’s Don’t Throw It Away collections. Volunteers collected the materials that otherwise might have been hauled away to landfills.
6) Hearts for Hospitality to Meet Wednesday, Sept. 3
Hearts for Hospitality, an organization that acts as Ambassadors and Supporters of the Hospitality House, is hosting a meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at the Best Western Mountain Lodge located at 1615 Tynecastle Highway in Banner Elk. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. with a meeting to follow. Area women are invited to attend. Topics of discussion will include “The Turkey Trot,” a fundraiser scheduled for Thanksgiving Day that raises money for the hungry and homeless as well as several other topics. The Hospitality House is located in Boone and provides shelter, food and other services to the homeless and hungry in the counties of Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey. To find out more information or to attend the meeting please contact Eileen Gaddy at Gadaboutscaters@aol.com or Emily Stallings at ebstallings@att.net.