Today’s Email Announcements

The Art Gallery Cellar Annual Holiday Open House, 12/16 

Join us this Festive Time of Year for an afternoon of Holiday Cheer, Seasonal Refreshments
and Good Tidings. Celebrate with us during our annual holiday open house on December 16th from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

What could be more wonderful than spreading art and cheer to everyone on your gift list!

We have artful suggestions for all your gift giving needs. There are many variations in sizes and colors, each is unique and created by our talented regional artists.

Email, call or stop by. We are happy to answer questions, share information and images of available work and help find just the right gift.

 Not sure what to select? Art Cellar Gallery Gift Certificates are printed and wrapped with a bow or sent in a holiday e-mail. It is available in any denomination to be used towards art or framing.

 Gift Wrapping and Shipping are Available.
 
Boosinger and Goforth Coming to Jones House, 12/3
 
Tickets are still available for the December 3, Sunday afternoon concert with acclaimed multi-instrumentalists and singers Laura Boosinger and Josh Goforth at the Jones House Cultural and Community Center.
 
Boosinger and Goforth hail from the Madison County-Asheville area, but they are known throughout the country for their dedication and passion for traditional American styles of music.  Much of their music focuses on the songs and styles of the Southern Blue Ridge region, but their knowledge of Americana music goes well beyond the mountains.  Together they present a varied set of old-time favorites, original songs, western swing-infused numbers, and lots of duet harmonies.  Their deep love for the music and heritage is apparent and infectious in their performances.
 
Boosinger discovered the banjo while a student at Warren Wilson college, starting her on an acclaimed career path as a musician, teacher, and arts promoter and organizer.  Boosinger joined the famed Luke Smathers Band as banjo player in the 1980s, playing mountain swing music and meeting many regional and national musicians.  She performed across the state of North Carolina for many years as a solo performer, presenting programs for schools on traditional music.  She spent several years performing and recording with bluegrass legend, George Shuffler, and she has been a musical partner with David Holt for many years.  Boosinger is an acclaimed shape note singer and singing leader, and she performs regularly at many of the regional festivals.
 
Goforth grew up in Madison County, and he started taking music seriously at a young age when he first heard ballad singer Sheila Kay Adams.  He started as a piano player in his church when he was just four years old, and after hearing Adams sing, he started diving into stringed instruments and other traditional music from the area.  Today, Goforth is a wizard on fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo, and about anything with strings on it.  He was featured in the 2000 film Songcatcher as a fiddler, and he has earned the title of “Master Fiddler” from the legendary Fiddlers Grove convention for having won the competition three times.  Goforth performs regularly with David Holt, and the two were nominated for a Grammy Award for their 2009 album Cutting Loose. 
 
Boosinger and Goforth are also both veteran teachers.  They have been on faculty of bluegrass, old-time, and gospel music camps across the country.  Boosinger is the director of the Madison County Junior Appalachian Musicians program, and Goforth is a graduate of the Eastern Tennessee State University bluegrass program.  They have both spent significant amounts of time in the musical classroom, as well as on stage.   Boosinger will give a clawhammer-style banjo workshop, and Goforth will give a fiddle workshop.  Both workshops start at 2:00 p.m. and are geared for players of intermediate levels.  The workshops are free, although advanced reservation is requested by contacting Mark Freed at mark.freed@townofboone.net or 828.268.6282.
 
This Sunday’s afternoon concert will begin at 4:00 p.m. with doors opening at 3:30 p.m.  Tickets for the concert are $20 per person. The venue can seat 40 people, and due to the limited seating, advanced reservations are recommended. 
 
For reservations to the concert or for more information on the community center, please visit www.joneshouse.org or call 828.268.6280.
 “The Town of Boone is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” 
 

’Tis the Season at Grandfather Mountain
Holidays bring Dollar Days, discounts, shopping and more

With winter on the way, Grandfather Mountain is decking its halls — and hills — for the holidays.

Visitors are invited to celebrate the season from a mile high, where they’ll encounter idyllic winter scenery, invigorating outdoor adventure and more at the Linville, N.C., nature preserve and attraction.

Two Ways to Save

Grandfather Mountain offers two simple ways to save on park admission during the holiday season.

As a gesture of support for local tree farmers, anyone who arrives at the mountain with a tree atop their vehicle or a receipt from a local tree farm will receive $2 off each adult admission and $1 off each child admission.

December also marks the return of Dollar Days for local residents. From Dec. 1-31, anyone who lives or works in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga or Wilkes counties will be admitted to the mountain for only $3 per person, with proof of local employment or residency.

In lieu of cash, Grandfather Mountain also will accept three cans of food from local residents for distribution to local food pantries. Christmas tree discounts may not be combined with Dollar Days discounts.

Nature Programs

During this time of year, Grandfather Mountain is often described as a winter wonderland. But what makes it so?

Join Grandfather Mountain’s naturalists for an open discussion on the mountain’s winter wonders. From Dec. 20 through Jan. 16, noon to 2 p.m., naturalists will host an interpretive booth in the second floor exhibit space of the Top Shop.

“We’ll talk about rime ice formation, the Fraser fir and red spruce forest, which you can think of as Grandfather Mountain’s wild Christmas tree forest, and Grandfather’s winter weather extremes,” director of education Amy Renfranz said.

Shopping

Located in the Nature Museum and Top Shop, Grandfather Mountain’s gift shops carry a variety of artisan crafts and goods, as well as signature Grandfather Mountain souvenirs, from apparel to hiking gear to drinkware and all things in between.

The shops, along with the mountain’s Entrance Gate, also offer Grandfather Mountain gift cards, which are applicable toward admission, souvenirs, food, fudge and more.

Adopt-an-Animal

Looking for a gift that’s warm and fuzzy? While Grandfather Mountain’s resident animals are not for sale, the Adopt-an-Animal program is the next best thing — and a lot less messy.

The program allows participants to sponsor any of Grandfather Mountain’s furry or feathered residents, including black bears, river otters, cougars, bald eagles and more.

By adopting an animal, individually or on behalf of a friend, family member or loved one, the sponsor will receive a special gift package. Gifts vary, depending on the donation level, and can include photographs, plush toys, plaster footprint castings, day passes and more.

Visit www.grandfather.com/preserving-protecting/adopt-an-animal/ to learn more.

Animal Wish List

Make an animal’s season merry and bright by treating them to enrichments. An enrichment is a special treat or toy designed to break up the animals’ routines and help keep them active and intellectually stimulated.

To see what the animals are hoping for this holiday season, visit their Amazon.com wish list at http://amzn.to/1Qr6gfU. For more information, emailhabitats@grandfather.com.

Guided Hikes

During wintertime, the weather outside isn’t always frightful, and Grandfather Mountain’s interpretive rangers are excited to share the mountain’s wonder in any season.

For adventure-seekers, give the gift of a guided hike through Grandfather Mountain’s rugged backcountry, including MacRae Peak, Attic Window and Calloway Peak, the latter of which reaches 5,946 feet above sea level.

Guided hikes have a two-person minimum, and reservations are required at least two weeks in advance. For more information, call (828) 737-0833, emailhiking@grandfather.com, or visit www.grandfather.com/things-to-do/walking-hiking/guided-hikes/.

Keeper for a Day

For animal lovers, help them get up close and personal with Grandfather’s resident animals.

The Keeper for a Day program provides a unique opportunity to spend a half-day shadowing and working alongside the keepers of Grandfather Mountain’s environmental wildlife habitats, observing various training sessions, animal behavior and the inner workings of the park’s habitats.

Keeper for a Day runs April through October, but reservations are accepted year-round. To learn more, email habitats@grandfather.com.

Fudge

The views aren’t the only thing sweet at Grandfather Mountain.

The mountain is also home to a fudge shop, which boasts a colorful variety of homemade, delectable and seasonal flavors.

New this season, the shop is offering fudge in reusable Christmas tins, starting at $8.50 for half a pound, $18 for 1.5 pounds and $30 for 2.25 pounds.

Although the shop is only open on weekends during winter, fudge will be available for sale daily in Mildred’s Grill, located in the Nature Museum.

Fudge is also only a phone call away. Orders can be placed for pickup or home delivery by calling (828) 733-6518 or (828) 733-1058.

 

Season Passes

For a gift that keeps on giving, shoppers can purchase an annual membership to Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club.

Starting at $30 for children and $70 for adults, Bridge Club membership offers unlimited, free admission to Grandfather Mountain for a year, exclusive discounts on and off the mountain, invitations to special member programs, a Bridge Club car decal and more.

Group passes are also available.

To learn more, visit www.grandfather.com/plan-your-visit/hours-and-rates/annual-passes/.

New Year’s Sunrise

Ring in an epic New Year on Grandfather Mountain with the first sunrise of 2018.

On Monday, Jan. 1, the mountain will host another New Year’s Sunrise event, offering guests the chance to start off their new year on a literal high note. Plus, attendees will be able to join in a community breakfast buffet with their fellow early risers.

Sunrise is at 7:38 a.m. Jan. 1, 2018, and Grandfather’s gates will open at 6:30 a.m. Due to safety regulations, participants may only visit the Mile High Swinging Bridge area during the event.

Admission to the New Year’s sunrise opportunity and breakfast costs $20, in addition to general admission. Guests are free to remain in the park all day, but those who leave before 9:30 a.m. will have their general admission charge refunded. Bridge Club members, who receive free admission to the mountain, will only pay $15 for the sunrise and breakfast.

The event is open to no more than 40 participants, and registration is required. To register, contact Judi Sawyer at (828) 733-2013 or judi@grandfather.com.

Grandfather Mountain is open daily throughout winter, weather permitting, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. When winter weather arrives, visitors are encouraged to call the Entrance Gate at (828) 733-4337 to confirm the day’s conditions and set the stage for a memorable outing. For more information, call (800) 468-7325, or visit www.grandfather.com to plan a trip.

 

The Board of Trustees of Appalachian State University Meeting, 12/7 and 12/8

A N N O U N C E M E N T
MEETINGS
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
OF
APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY

The Board of Trustees of Appalachian State University and its several committees will meet on Thursday and Friday, December 7 & 8, 2017, at the Plemmons Student Union (PSU) on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.  Meetings will be held according to the following schedule:

Thursday, December 7:

2:00 p.m.            Academic Affairs Committee 
                           Room 415 – Rough Ridge Room
        
2:00 p.m.            Student Affairs Committee 
                           Room 417 – Beacon Heights Room 
            
3:00 p.m.           Audit Committee
                          Room 417 – Beacon Heights Room
        
3:00 p.m.           Business Affairs Committee
                          Room 415 – Rough Ridge Room
                  
4:00 p.m.           Athletics Committee
                          Room 415 – Rough Ridge Room

Friday, December 8:

8:00 a.m.           Trustees’ Breakfast with Chancellor Everts
                          Room 417 – Beacon Heights Room

9:00 a.m.           Board of Trustees 
                          Room 420 – Parkway Ballroom