Community Tidbits – Spring ’25
Following you’ll find information on local events and programs, interesting people and a variety of opportunities from innovative organizations and businesses.
The Most Exciting Derby Party in the High Country | The Spirit Ride Therapeutic Riding Center will hold its always-popular annual Kentucky Derby Fundraiser on Saturday, May 3 at the Broyhill Equestrian Preserve in Blowing Rock (the site of America’s oldest continuous outdoor horse show). Spirit Ride provides Equine Assisted Services (EAS) in an effort to achieve goals that enhance physical, emotional, social, cognitive, behavioral and educational skills for children ages 3-17 with a wide array of diagnoses. This May event is the primary method of raising funds for the organization’s operating costs. Spirit Ride also welcomes in-kind donations for the event. You can learn more, donate, and purchase tickets at SpiritRideNC.org.
The Nexsen Ringers Present “Spring Ring ‘25” | Come and enjoy an afternoon of musical talent on Sunday, May 18, at 4 p.m. in the Sanctuary of Boone United Methodist Church. The Nexsen Ringers, the High Country’s Community Handbell Choir, consists of musicians of all ages and from all walks of life. Director Dana Davis is joined by Guest Conductor Brian Childers for this fun spring event. Enjoy the technical display of teamwork, as the group comes together to share their unique love of handbells across all musical genres. There is no charge for this event, though donations are appreciated. Your support funds new bells, sheet music, and more. “Every contribution, big or small, makes a lasting note in our community’s harmony.” Boone UMC is located at 471 New Market Blvd, Boone.
Booneumc.org/Spring-Ring
Artists in Residence at Edgewood Cottage | Heading to Blowing Rock? Visit Edge-wood Cottage! Charming Edgewood Cottage, the restored original home and studio of renowned American artist Elliott Daingerfield, opens its doors every May to welcome local juried artists. Each artist shows, tells and sells their art to visitors from near and far. In past years, visitors have come from three different countries and over 30 states to enjoy local outstanding art. The first show begins May 26 – June 1, with shows every week through September 7. Get to know the resident artists at artistsatedgewood.org.
Helping Hands Concert Series | Elk River Helping Hands is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to assisting with the needs of people of the High Country who have experienced a devastating crisis. Elk River Helping Hands is unique in that it provides expedited emergency relief directly to residents of Avery and Watauga Counties in North Carolina, and Carter County in Tennessee. As of early spring, the organization had given $600,000+ directly to residents for storm repairs and recovery.
As they continue to support victims of Helene, Elk River Helping Hands will hold its Helping Hands Concert Series beginning this spring—these benefit concerts, held at Hayes Auditorium at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, will raise additional funds to help area residents. Concerts scheduled at the time of publication include: Jimmy Fortune with Darin & Brooke Aldridge on June 6; John Oates and Jim Lauderdale on June 20; and Gary Morris and Presley Barker on August 8. For information and tickets, visit elkriverhelpinghands.org.
Trunk Show Exclusives at Abode Home | Get ready for summer with Abode Home’s exclusive trunk shows, featuring the latest collections from Ro’s Garden, Clara Williams, In2Design, and more. Don’t miss out on the chance to shop these stunning pieces. For dates and details, be sure to follow @abodebymtm on Instagram. Abode Home is located at 4004 NC Hwy 105, Suite 1 in Banner Elk.
Meet the Wildlife Ambassadors | As in past years, the Lees-McRae Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will offer wildlife presentations to the public beginning this spring. Meet students and animal ambassadors at these fun and informative sessions that the whole family will enjoy. Sessions will be held at two locations this year, including Tate-Evans Park in Banner Elk every Friday, May 23 – July 25, 1 – 2 p.m, and Grandfather Mountain every Saturday, May 24 – July 26, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. facebook.com/BlueRidgeWildlifeInstitute
“Surge” Wins Most Awards in WHS History | For the third time in four years, Watauga High School’s Pioneer Playmakers took to the national stage—this time in Baltimore, MD—during the Southeastern Theatre Conference in late March. Their production of “Surge” captured five top honors, including three “All Star Acting and Composition” awards, “Best Original Play Concept” for the original play about the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, and “Excellence in Ensemble Acting” which, in an unusual move by the adjudicators, was the only one presented at the festival. WHS drama teachers and co-directors Sarah Miller and Zach
Walker noted that it was the most wins ever for the Boone high school. Walker said that he is “so proud of these students for sharing such personal work and showing vulnerability beyond their years.” Remarkably, only five of 19 cast and crew members involved in the production are graduating seniors, leaving a solid majority of participants to carry on the play festival tradition next season.
Lees-McRae Mountain Day of Service | Lees-McRae College expanded its annual Mountain Day of Service tradition this year to include alumni, families, friends, and members of the local community along with students and college employees. On March 28, a total of 600 volunteers completed projects at 35 sites around Avery, Carter, and Watauga counties, primarily focusing on helping with hurricane recovery. Groups cleaned up debris at multiple locations on and off campus, live staked river banks with MountainTrue, sorted donations at Feeding Avery Families, and helped rebuild damaged property. Those who participated were thrilled to come together as ONE Lees-McRae to give back to the High Country in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Happenings at Our Local Humane Societies | Over at the Avery Humane Society (AHS), the “Rescue Readers” program is under-way; this unique program pairs kids with shelter cats for reading sessions. Kids improve their reading skills in a fun, relaxing, non-judgmental environment. If you know any book-loving kids or kids who just want to improve their reading skills, reach out to Volunteer Coordinator Jennifer Gregoire for more information at 828-733-2333 or [email protected].
Be sure to SAVE THE DATE for Avery Humane Society’s annual fundraiser—There’s No Place Like a FUREVER HOME—on Thursday, August 28, at The Venue at Boulder Creek. Tickets and updates for the event can be found at averyhumane.org.
Over at the Wautaga Humane Society (WHS), they’re celebrating a record-breaking year for their “SNIPs” (Spay/Neuter Is a Positive Solution) public pro-gram! During 2024 the SNIPS program funded 395 surgeries for community owned pets. Funding came from various sources including Dining Days with local participating restaurants, Sow & Grow plant sales through the Food Hub, and Crafts for Critters craft sales out in the community and in the WHS lobby. Over $30,000 went toward offsetting surgery costs for owned pets, “and it was all be-cause of volunteer help and supporters like you!” wataugahumane.org
Avid Cyclists, Save the Date! | Online registration is currently open for the popular Ashe County event, Blue Ridge Brutal, celebrating 35 years! This year’s event is scheduled for August 16. The Blue Ridge Brutal Bike Ride takes serious riders through some of the most beautiful scenery in North Carolina. Routes include 100, 70, 50 or 25 miles, and the start and finish point for all rides is Jefferson Town Hall in Jefferson, NC. Blue Ridge Brutal’s proceeds benefit the group’s scholarship fund for graduating seniors. More information can be found at blueridgebrutal.org and on the event’s Facebook page.
Manage Your Energy Budget with Greater Ease | Sometimes people need a little extra flexibility when it comes to monthly bills. A “pay-as-you go” prepaid electric service, Blue Ridge Energy’s FlexPay billing option lets you structure your payment schedule to meet your budget needs, readily view your daily electricity usage, and receive account status notifications. For propane customers, Blue Ridge Energy offers a Budget Billing program designed to give participating customers set monthly payments (interest free) and the convenience of auto-fill delivery service (for those who meet eligibility requirements). Learn more about these options at blueridgeenergy.com.
Singing on Grandfather | On June 22, celebrate gospel music with a variety of musicians and speakers. This gospel music and worship festival has been ongoing since 1924. Learn more at https://www.singingongrandfather.com/.
Keep the “Wild” in Wildlife | This summer, please refrain from feeding deer. According to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, feeding deer can:
– provide food sources that are often less nutritious and that can compromise the animals’ digestive systems; deer are adapted to adjust as their diet changes throughout the year–eating anything they don’t feed on naturally can cause severe illness or even death.
– discourage deer to forage for themselves, which in turn makes them less resilient.
– increase disease risk (which can spread to other deer).
The biggest action High Country residents and visitors can take to encourage healthy deer populations in our area is to keep them dependent on their natural food sources. White-tailed deer by Ken Taylor, courtesy of NCWRC
We’re Better Together | The “Together We Recover 828” design (pictured above) is an iconic image seen throughout western NC, as all of us in the 828 area code continue the recovery efforts. This beautiful design was created by Leigh Ann Cairns of Snow in July Designs. “My mission with this design is to spread it far and wide to let people know we will recover together and that ALL PROCEEDS from any use of it go to Hurricane Helene Relief.” Learn more and purchase “Together We Recover 828” merchandise at snowinjulydesigns.com. (Photo taken at Grandview Restaurant in Foscoe)
Tour the Historic Banner Elk School | The historic 1939 stone building in downtown Banner is home to the Town’s Cultural Arts Center and one of the many stops on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails (https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/blue-ridge-craft-trails/). Shop for local arts and crafts at BE Artists Gallery (www.beartistsgallery.com), book tickets for live theatre performances at the Ensemble Stage Theater (ensemblestage.com), “bring a book, take a book” at the Banner Elk Book Exchange (BannerElkBookExchange.com), learn about the Lees-McRae student organization, Common Ground, at commongroundlmc.org, enjoy yoga at Playful Heart Studio, and pick up an extra copy of CML at the CML Magazine “headquarters.” (CMLmagazine.online)
Let Us Hear from You! Have an event or tidbit you’d like to share with CML readers? Send your information to the editor at [email protected].