1) Avery Humane Society Vows to Fix 1,000 Cats
Avery County Humane Society, in partnership with the Bill and Kathy Avery Charitable Trust, is financing a new spay-neuter program for residents of Newland. According to Bill Avery, “North Carolina puts down 168,000 cats every year because there is no place for them. We have set a goal to fix 1,000 plus animals in Avery County and we’re starting with Newland and expanding to other areas later. We hope our residents will round up their unfixed cats and bring them in for free spay or neuter. If needed, we will provide a rabies shot for the cat,” he added. Kathy Avery said, “Statistics vary, but it is usually agreed that one unfixed cat or dog can produce thousands of offspring over seven years. We are going to do our part to stop it. We tried a similar program two years ago for Newland residents and it was a huge success. This is not restricted by income, however, those who do qualify as low income will allow us to be reimbursed by the state and we will add that to fix more animals.” Bruce Malfatone, Executive Director of ACHS, agrees that this is the root cause of animals dying by the millions in the U.S. and tens of thousands in North Carolina. “I’m thrilled to be part of this exciting opportunity to take control of the roaming cat population in Avery County. We have been overwhelmed this year with kittens. I’ve never seen anything like it. We have no idea why this year’s feline population has been so large, but no sooner do we adopt them out that more come in,” he said. “So if you have a Newland zip code, round up as many cats as you can and make an appointment to get them spayed or neutered. If they need a rabies shot we’ll provide it at no cost, however, donations are always and happily accepted,” he added. Call 828-733-2333 to make arrangements for your animals. Proof of residency is required.
2) Pop’s Legacy Continues to Live on Through Local Scholarship
This year the Pop Jarvis Scholarship Committee was pleased to award five $1,000 scholarships to seniors who graduated from Avery High School. This year’s recipients are Shea Buchanan, Walker Carswell, Carson Clark, Paige Henderson, Bill Lien and Katie Winkler. These students are excellent examples of the scholarship committee’s commitment to help local children become educated and productive citizens. Without the support of those touched by Pop’s legacy of helping students, this scholarship would not be possible. The Pop Jarvis Scholarship Committee would like to invite everyone to join them on Saturday, July 20, for our annual country breakfast at the Crossnore Baptist Church Family Life Center stating at 7 a.m. Each year the church hosts this breakfast to raise money for “Pop’s” Scholarships. Past scholarship winners have expressed their gratitude for making this scholarship available to them because it really helps with the burden of paying for college. We are hoping to make this year’s breakfast the biggest ever, so come out, eat, see friends and give to this great cause.
3) Round Up with Boone Area Chamber of Commerce
Join the Round Up at the 64th Annual Meeting and Awards of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, Aug. 13 at Tweetsie Railroad. Dinner starts at 5:15 and the program begins at 6. Cost is $25 per person. Saddle up and enjoy the fun with dinner, entertainment and a train ride to boot! Cowboys and cowgirls are welcome. Please contact Wysteria White to reserve your seat.
4) Schaefer Popular Series Kicks Off with Idina Menzel on July 18
An Appalachian Summer Festival’s Schaefer Popular Series kicks off with Broadway superstar and Glee sensation Idina Menzel at the Grand Opening of the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts on July 18 at 8 p.m. Accompanied by the Eastern Festival Orchestra, Menzel will be performing some of her classic pop and musical theatre favorites, including hits from Wicked, Rent and her album Live: Barefoot at the Symphony. Tickets are still available.
5) Appalachian Regional Rheumatology Opening July 15
Do you suffer with arthritis? You are not alone, the Center for Disease Control reports that there are currently over 50 million people diagnosed with a form of arthritis. Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS) is pleased to announce an answer to this growing concern in the High Country to reopening the Appalachian Regional Rheumatology practice on July 15. The practice will focus on the treatment of arthritis, autoimmune diseases, pain disorders affecting joints and osteoporosis. Robert Johnson, director of Operations for Appalachian Regional Medical Associates said “We are extremely happy to reopen Appalachian Regional Rheumatology because it offers a convenient location for patients to access quality care.” The practice, which closed temporarily in December last year due to retiring physicians, is happy to announce the arrival of Dr. James Logan. Board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine as a Rheumatologist, Dr. Logan specializes in diagnosing, treating and medically managing patients with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. Dr. Logan received his medical degree at Louisiana State University School of Medicine. He completed an Internal Medicine internship and residency at the University of Arkansas and a Rheumatology fellowship at Tufts Medical Center. Dr. Logan joins ARHS with 22 years of experience, most recently as a member of the medical staff at Mercy Hospital Hot Springs located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Dr. Logam shared that he is “thrilled to be in the High Country and looks forward to partnering with his patients and area physicians to make life better.”
6) BeanStalk Little Theater Presents Night in the Wax Museum
BeanStalk Little Theater presents Night in the Wax Museum, July 26 at 7 p.m. and July 27 at 2 p.m. at Valborg Theater on ASU campus. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for students 12 and under. Directed by Amy Beane, produced by Andrea McDonough. Come out and see the local talent of adults and children of the High Country and support community theater. Tickets on sale at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts Box Office from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
7) Caldwell Arts Council Announces Music Camp 2013 with Caldwell Junior Appalachian Musicians
Hey kids! Pick up an instrument this summer and come JAM with us. Regardless of experience, Caldwell JAM camp is offering you a chance to pick up a tune or two in old-time and traditional music. Cost is $25 plus $10 registration fee (plus rental instrument fees if needed). Scholarships are available-please inquire. Caldwell JAM camp will be held Aug. 14-16 from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in downtown Lenoir, and on Aug. 31 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Happy Valley Fiddlers Convention. Registration deadline is Aug. 7. This first annual JAM camp will be tied into the Happy Valley Fiddlers Convention. Students will perform what they learn on stage at the festival. Camp will be open to any child ages 7-16. Classes will be taught in fiddle, guitar, banjo and mandolin (based on interest). Students must provide their own instruments (guitar and fiddle rental instruments will be available with $25 cash deposit). Students must be accompanied by paying adult to the last day of camp (Aug. 31 at the Happy Valley Fiddlers Convention).
8) The 22nd Annual Avery County Chamber of Commerce Fine art and Master Craft Festival
85 juried artisans showcase their unique handcrafted mediums in the quaint town of Banner Elk, July 18 through the 20. These High Country and international artisans are juried for their unique mediums and talents with each offering wares for the discriminating buyer to others creating whimsical wares for the fun in all of us. Free family event. Friday 4-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is one fathering of artists you won’t want to miss.
9) Grandfather Mountain Camera Clinic Registration Commences
Registration for the 2013 Grandfather Mountain Amateur and Professional Camera Clinic, held Aug. 17-18 begins July 15. The camera clinic, originally organized in 1952 by Hugh Morton, invites photojournalists to Grandfather Mountain each August to discuss the nuts and bolts of good photography and relevant topics and trends in the field of photojournalism. Today, the event is open to anyone and all levels of experience. The weekend event consists of four presentations and allows time for participants to get out and explore Grandfather Mountain. Special timing for sunrise and sunset opportunities has been built into the schedule as well. The Camera Clinic is celebrating its 61st year of existence this year and the 2013 speakers include Chuck Burton, Lauren Carroll, Roger May and Stanley Leary. Chuck Burton is a photographer for The Associated Press, based in Charlotte. His photos are distributed to newspapers and broadcasters in the U.S. and worldwide. Burton began his career shooting at The Charlotte Observer in 1978, where he was part of the team that earned a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for a series on Brown Lung Disease. Lauren Carroll is an award-winning staff photojournalist at the Winston-Salem Journal and a graduate of the University of Georgia’s journalism and German programs. She covered President Obama’s inauguration in 2009 as well as the 2013 Democratic National Convention and she has shot from a hot air balloon and from a B-17 bomber. Lauren was named the 2012 Hugh Morton Photographer of the year by the North Carolina Press Association. Roger May is an Appalachian American photographer currently living in Raleigh. He was born in the Tug River Valley, located in the West Virginia and Kentucky state line, in the heart of Hatfield and McCoy country. He is currently enrolled in the Certificate in Documentary Arts program at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, where he has also worked as a part time instructor. In the Spring of 2013, he launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund a book project for his body of work Testify: A visual Love Letter to Appalachia, due out in the fall in collaboration with Horse & Buggy Press in Durham. Stanley Leary is a freelance photographer based in Atlanta. His international assignments have taken him to Burkina Faso, Ghana, Haiti, Mexico and Ontario. Prior to freelancing, Stanley worked as a staff photographer for The Hickory Daily Record in Hickory, and for The Commission magazine in Richmond, Va. He was a staff photographer for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta for nine years. Registration for the event is required and begins on July 15 with a cost of $50 for attendees and free admission for members of the working press or Professional Photographers of America. Please visit the Camera Clinic page on their website for registration instructions and more event details including presentation descriptions. The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established to preserve Grandfather Mountain, operate a nature park sustainably in the public interest, provide an exceptional experience for guests and inspire them to be good stewards of the earth’s resources.