1) Evensong Held June 22 at St. Mary of the Hills
The choir of St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church will present choral evensong this Sunday, June 22 at 3:30 p.m. in the nave of the church. Service music will include Orlando Gibbon’s setting of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (short service) and the Smith 4-part Preces and Responses. The Introit will be Byrd’s Ave Verum Corpus and the anthem O sacrum convivum by Croce. The choir of St. Mary’s sings Evensong one Sunday each month through October and everyone is welcome. Donations support the Choral Scholarships Program at St. Mary of the Hills which provides financial support to students and budding young singers. The service of Evensong or Evening Prayer combines elements of two services, Vespers and Compline, which were part of the seven-service daily cycle of prayer in monasteries. It is said or sung everyday in the cathedrals and collegiate churches of England as well as in this country since 1785. The service is a fragment of the worship offered to God by Christian people at every hour in every part of the world. The form of the service has changed little since the 16th century, but the content dates back much earlier to the Psalms, the hymnbook of the Jewish temple, and the Canticles (Magnificat and Nunc dimittis) which are taken from the New Testament. The service is a lovely, quiet way to end your weekend. For more information please call 828-295-7323.
2) Peter Pedroni Memorial Charity Golf Tournament Held Aug. 21
The 8th Annual Charity Golf Tournament will be held on Thursday, Aug. 21 with shotgun starts at 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Join us at the Boone Golf Club as we host the Peter Pedroni Memorial Charity Golf Tournament, formerly the Casa Rustica Charity Golf Tournament. This will be a great day of golf, food, prizes and most importantly, proceeds will benefit High Country Caregiver Foundation. The tournament is a 4-man captain’s choice. The entry fee is $135 per player which includes greens and cart fee, mulligans and lunch. Dinner will follow provided by Casa Rustica at Boone Golf Club. Hole and banner sponsorships are available ranging from $100 to $1,500. For more information contact Rick Pedroni. There will be a $10,000 Hole-In-One prize along with many other prizes and raffles. Entry forms may be downloaded at BooneGolfClub.com or CasaRustica1981.com, or HCCGF.org.
3) 9th Annual Avery Caregiver Appreciation Evening
The High Country Caregiver Foundation is proud to present its 9th annual Caregiver Appreciation Evening on June 27 at the Avery Senior Center in Newland. This year’s theme will be “Hats Off to Caregivers.” The event will be an evening of dinner, entertainment, information and assistance, networking, fellowship and recognition for unpaid community members who are caring for an older family member, neighbor or friend. The evening will offer caregivers an opportunity to meet other caregivers from the community and learn about available resources in Avery County. A roast beef dinner will be provided and individuals from organizations offering assistance to family caregivers will be available to answer questions. Caregivers attending will receive a goody bag. There is no charge for this event but registration is limited. If you are interested in attending or know a caregiver who needs an enjoyable night out, please call 733-8220 to register.
4) 56th Annual Tour of Homes and Patron Party Held July 25
The 56th annual Tour of Homes will showcase five homes on Friday, July 25. Bradford Blessing, the home of Jan and David Bradford, Blythe Wood, the home of Gigi and Shawn Poole, Curt Andrew’s home Wintersweet, Mary Bickers’ and Mark Murphy’s home Buddy’s Hill and Bittersweet, the home of Steve Price and Chris Frye will be featured. All have their own charm and history to enjoy on what is sure to be a very special day. Transportation from the church will be provided from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. with the houses open until 5 p.m. Parking will be available nearby in the deck next to the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased online at www.StMaryOfTheHills.org or at St. Mary’s church office and at the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce on Park Avenue. They may not be purchased by mail. Other activities offered at the church will include lunch provided by Roots at the Church Cafe. Other favorites will include the Baked Goods Booth, with an Italian Marketplace that will have new items of homemade pasta and Italian breads in addition to traditional pies, cakes and desserts. A silent auction, Timeless Treasures offers opportunities to bid on unique items like original art, jewelry, a Wall of Wine, antiques, silver, Christmas items and plants. The event, which is expected to draw more than 1,500 people to downtown Blowing Rock, will also generate income to benefit community projects. All proceeds from the Tour support community projects and area nonprofit organizations. Chair Barbara Ballesty noted that, “last year the Tour generated $55,000 and over 25 organizations were the recipients of Tour grants.” Co-chairs Loy McGill and Garland Myers added, “Blowing Rock embraces the spirit of community and the entire town comes together for the Tour to raise money targeted for those in need and for worthwhile area programs.” The annual Patron’s Party, a much heralded event, will be held at the home of Kyle and Chuck Ball in Firethorn. Dress is black tie, optional for this elegant evening that will kick off the tour festivities. Grouse Manor will cater the party, chaired by Peggy Carlson and Nell Kline. Tickets are $150 and may be purchased at the church or by mail, with a check made out to St. Mary of the Hills-Patron Party, PO Box 1882 Blowing Rock, NC 28605. Attendance is limited. All proceeds from this event also go to local outreach programs and will help reach this year’s tour goal of $56,000.
5) LMC Cycling Announces Camp Date
Lees-McRae Director of Cycling Tim Hall is pleased to announce the dates for a Talent ID and Instructional Camp. The camp will take place from July 22-27 in Banner Elk. It is open to both men and women from ages 10-22. Each day riders will get the full experience of riding their primary discipline, either mountain bike or road. Preregistration is required and must be completed by July 20 at 9 p.m. The cost is $599 prior to July 11 and will increase to $699 afterwards.