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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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shopwestasheville_2014We’re all over the board today, as usual…

Karen Kicks Cancer event: Put this one on your calendar. Registration is open for a this running event that will benefit Karen Chavez, a reporter for the Asheville Citizen-Times. She’s well-known for her coverage of the running community in Asheville. In fall of 2013, Chávez was diagnosed with breast cancer and since then has been dedicated to her own recovery and to educating individuals across Western North Carolina about the disease, according to a press release. More:

The Karen Kicks Cancer event is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 1. Sponsored by the Asheville Track Club, the non-competitive run will begin at Carolina Day School (1345 Hendersonville Road, Asheville) and take participants along a rolling, four-mile course through Biltmore Forest. The event also includes a two-mile walk, random prizes, a raffle and a silent auction. Registration for the event is $15 and is available online now here. Participants also will be able to register beginning at noon on the event day.

For more information about the run, including how to volunteer, email [email protected] or check out and share the link to the Karen Kicks Cancer Facebook page.

Pageant call for entries: The Ms. Wheelchair North Carolina Pageant has an open call for entries. The annual pageant will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2015 in Asheville. The application deadline, along with the $150 entry fee, is due by 5 p.m. on February 28, 2015. Interested contestants should contact the State Coordinator, former Ms. Wheelchair N.C., Brandee Ponder: [email protected].

Shop West Asheville: The West Asheville Business Association (WABA) is promoting shopping (and dining) in West Asheville this holiday season with Shop West Asheville. On Saturday, Dec. 6 and Saturday, Dec. 13 – folks will find sales and specials. Last year, more than 35 restaurants and retail shops offered specials and deals and many more are expected this year with Haywood Road’s huge influx of new businesses. Urban Orchard will host the wrap-up party the evening of Dec.13 with announcement of raffle prizes and window decorating contest winners.

Choose-and-cut Christmas tree outing: At 11 a.m. on Dec. 7, the nonprofit WNC Alliance is hosing an outing to a Christmas tree farm outside Boone that offers trees grown without the use of synthesized chemicals. For Asheville-area folks who want to ride share, we’ll carpool from Earth Fare at the Westgate Shopping Center to Curtis Creek at 9 a.m. To RSVP, go here. For more information, please contact WNCA Outings and Education Coordinator Rachel Stevens at [email protected] or by calling (828) 258-8737, ext 215.

Asheville chef in need: Bill Dissen, chef at The Market Place, tells me that his sous chef, Josh Widner, lost his home and possessions in a West Asheville fire last week. There’s a gofundme effort seeking $5,000 from the public to assist Widner.

Local jewelry on display: The Asheville jewelry store Mora is turning over all of its display cases to jewelry made in Asheville on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 10 am until 7 pm. Fifteen local jewelers will be participating, and Mora is hosting an afternoon reception to meet the jewelers from 2-5 pm. The event is free, and all are invited to attend.

Toy drive at Aloft: The Aloft Asheville Downtown Hotel is teaming up with Eblen Charities’ St. Nicholas Project and inviting guests to donate a toy for children ages infant through 18. The drop-off point is the hotel’s Wxyz bar. For each toy a customer provides, Aloft is offering a discount on bar and menu items at the lounge. The bar is open seven days a week, Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., and from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

AFK fundraising push: My man Stu Helm at Asheville Flyer for Kids has launched a gofundme campaign asking the public for $9,120 to help support his free monthly newspaper that’s just for kids. From the page:

Published by two local artists, Stu Helm (Cheesy Graphics, Stu Helm: The Food Crtiic) and Tim Arem (AKA DJ T-Bone) Asheville Flyer for Kids has been providing the children of WNC with “puzzles, and pictures, and stuff to read while your parents do something completely boring” for over two years, and is wildly popular with the kids… and adults!

“Our goal is to raise the funding to run the paper for 1 YEAR, so the campaign will be going on for the entire year. In order to keep the campaign fun, not boring, and not just like begging, we’ve added a bunch of rewards, that include subscriptions (for the first time), back issues, T-shirts, and more! It’s like ordering schwag on line, but part of the money goes towards printing costs.”

“You can still buy ad space, only now you can also do it directly through our GoFundMe page! We still believe very much that we are a good vehicle to advertise your business, school, camp, or event through. 10,000 copies of anything that’s printed and distributed monthly is nothing to sneeze at!”

Black Mountain holiday events: Here’s a quick list of a few happenings if you’re out that way:

Saturday, November 29: Light Up Black Mountain – – Town Square Lighting at 6 p.m.

November 29 – December 31: Deck the Trees – View 20 Christmas trees decorated beautifully at the Monte Vista Hotel.

Friday, December 5: Holly Jolly – Downtown, 5-8 p.m. Shops open with refreshments, Cherry Street/Sutton Avenue blocked off and special entertainment at Old Caboose Stage. Black Mountain News open house, Black Mountain Center for the Arts Pottery Market. Holiday gift market at Red House Studios and Galleries next to Monte Vista Hotel, 5- 8 p.m.

Saturday, December 6: Black Mountain Annual Christmas Parade “It’s a Wonderful Life” – 4 p.m. on State St.- moving west from Flat Rock Rd to Craigmont Rd.

 Homeward Bound fundraiser: From the press release:

Homeward Bound announces the Dec. 1 launch of “Cut the Risk for Women At Risk”, a fundraiser for the Women At Risk program. Fifty locally owned spas, salons, massage therapists, and hair stylists donated services to Homeward Bound, which will then be sold to the community at reduced prices. All funds go directly to the Women At Risk program.

Women At Risk keeps women out of jail and prison by connecting them to services that address the real root causes of their criminal behavior. Women At Risk advocates for treatment as an alternative to jail and prison, providing clinical outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment to help women overcome self-destructive and abusive behaviors. This work supports women working to make positive changes in their lives, keeping their families intact and reducing their risk of future homelessness.

90% of Women at Risk graduates successfully complete probation and stay out of jail and prison – and stay in their community. Like Homeward Bound’s other programs, Women At Risk is relationship-based, spending time with women who are at their most vulnerable, treating them with respect, meeting them where they are, and valuing them for who they are.

For more details on participating businesses, visit www.homewardboundwnc.org.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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