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Email Announcements We Are Receiving Today: See What’s Going On Around The Community

1) Take a Swing at Cancer on Aug. 17

Experience a great day of golf and help a great cause. The inaugural “Take a Swing at Cancer” golf tournament will take place at the Sugar Mountain Golf Club on Saturday, Aug. 17. Sponsored by the Avery County Cancer Resource Center, the tournament is open to individuals and teams. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the shotgun start is slated for 8:30 a.m. Prizes will be awarded at an awards picnic that will be held at 1 p.m. Tournament registration is $75 per person, which includes green fees, breakfast, favors, refreshments and the awards picnic. Many patients need financial assistance to help with the cost of their cancer treatments. Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation assists patients with basic financial needs through the Cancer Patient Emergency Fund. Between 2009 and 2012, more than $19,000 was used to help cancer patients in Avery County. The mission of the Avery County Cancer Research Center is to serve cancer patients though education, advocacy and services. The Center opened in 2006 and is staffed solely by volunteers. The Center offers access to programs sponsored by the American Cancer Society, transportation for patients who need to receive radiation or chemotherapy, fittings for mastectomy bras, printed educational materials and free wigs as well as referrals to other local agencies when necessary. Patients are assisted on an as need basis. 

2) Author Jill McCorkle to Speak at Appalachian Aug 15

Award-winning North Carolina Novelist Jill McCorkle will speak at Appalachian State University on Wednesday, Aug. 15 at 3:30 p.m. in Room 421 of Belk Library and Information Commons. An informal reception and book signing will be held following her presentation, which is the last in the library’s 2013 Summer Author Series. Parking will be available at the library deck on College Street. For more information, call Lynn Patterson at 828-262-2087. A Lumberton native, McCorkle has published five novels and three collections of short stories. She has the distinction of having her first two novels published on the same day in 1984. The New York Times Book Review said “one suspects the author of ‘The Cheer Leader’ is a born novelist; with ‘July 7’ she is also a full grown one.” Her other books include “Going Away Shoes,” “Carolina Moon” and “Crash Diets.” Her latest novel, “Life After Life” was published in March to enthusiastic reviews. McCorkle is a recipient of the New England Booksellers Award, the John Dos Passos Prize for Excellence in Literature and the North Carolina Award for Literature. McCorkle has taught at UNC-Chapel Hill, Tufts and Brandeis universities. She currently teaches creative writing in the master of fine arts program at N.C. State University. 

3) CASC Accepting Online Entries Through Sonicbids Beginning Aug 1

MerleFest, presented by Lowe’s, is proud once again to host the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. Beginning Aug. 1, aspiring songwriters may submit entries to the contest through Sonicbids. Early birds take note: During the month of August, all Sonicbids entries for the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (CASC) will receive an early entry discount price of $25 per entry. Mail-in entries for CASC will be accepted beginning Nov. 1 and will close on Feb 19. Now in its 22nd year, the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest is an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of this year’s volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy winning singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale. MerleFest takes place from April 24-27 2014. 

4) Needlework Class at Harrill Senior Center in Boone

We are now accepting registration for a new session of needlework class. Classes will meet at the Harrill Senior Center each Thursday from 1-4 p.m. beginning Thursday, Aug. 8. The instructor in Marianne Evans and the charge for the 12-week session is $36. Instruction will be available in knitting, needlepoint, embroidery, cross stitch and hardanger. Class size is limited. Any age may attend but priority is given to persons aged 60 and older. The deadline for registration is 12:30 on the first day of class. Please call the senior center at 265-8090 for more information. 

5) After Work Golf at Linville Land Harbor 

From 3:30-5:30 p.m., 9 holes for $12. For more information, call Bill Beller at 828-733-1080.

6) Grandfather Mountain State Park Volunteer Trail Work Day

Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 9 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. This will be a strenuous day of trail work on the Daniel Boone Scout Trail. Participants should be prepared to hike at least three miles and be involved in strenuous trail work like moving rock, shoveling, digging and more. Participants must bring their own food and water, must dress for the weather and wear protective closed toed shoes appropriate for trail work. Call 828-963-9522 if you have any questions.

7) Banner House Museum

Experience life as it was in the 1870s with a Docent guided tour through the 1870 home of Samuel Banner, one of Banner Elk’s founding families. Banner House Museum opened June 15 and remains open until Oct. 18 Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with final daily tour beginning at 3 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $1 for children ages 6-12. The Banner House Museum is located at 9770 Hickory Nut Gap Road in Banner Elk. For more information please call 828-898-3634.

8) Statewide Homeschool Conference at the Old Rock School in Valdese on Aug 3

The Love to Learn Conference, at the Old Rock School in Valdese on Aug 3 provides pertinent and accurate information for both beginning and experienced homeschoolers. Topics of interest presented by nationally renowned and experienced speakers will include beginning homeschooling, differing educational philosophies and learning styles, home school law, transitioning from home school to college, transcript writing, joyful parenting and more. Among the approximately 20 guest speakers, and of special note, is Cindy Gaddis, renowned speaker on right brain learning. She will be available to answer questions from the home school community. Of the multiple available sessions this year, several will address issues and provide information surrounding different learning styles and choices. Homeschooling in North Carolina is widespread, with more than 7,000 new home schools being registered each year. The Love to Learn Conference, as the only inclusive home school conference in North Carolina, strives to bring together homeschoolers without regard to religion, sexual orientation, parenting styles, homeschool method or any other characteristics protected by law. Conference sponsor Homeschool Alliance of North Carolina, Inc. was founded in 2007 as a nonprofit, inclusive, grass roots organization committed to the empowerment of all registered North Carolina Homeschoolers in making informed decisions regarding homeschooling in North Carolina.