Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
May 8, 2008 issue
Things4Kids
County Government Essay Contest Deadline Friday…
As part of its centennial celebration, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners is inviting 10th grade classes in North Carolina public and charter schools to participate in an essay contest on county government. The topic of the essay is “How does my county government improve the lives of its citizens?” Essays are limited to 500 words. The winning student and his/her teacher will each receive $500 and will be invited to the NCACC’s Annual Conference in August to read the winning entry during a general session. The deadline to enter the contest is Friday, May 9. For details, including a complete set of contest rules, click to www.welcometoyourcounty.org/content/2008_essay_contest.shtm.
Movement for Developmentally Disabled Children and Adults May 12 to 16…
Developmentally disabled children and adults will get in the motion of creative expression through dance at the Turchin Center from Monday, May 12, through Friday, May 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Participants will explore how rhythm, gesture, emotion and ideas bring us together through dance. This event is presented as part of the Express Yourself program. Call 828-262-3017 for more info.
Second Annual Mountain Valleyfest May 17…
Don’t forget your family and your lawn chair for the second annual Mountain Valleyfest at Green Valley Park on Saturday, May 17, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This year’s musical lineup includes The Sunday Singers, The Forget-Me-Nots, Elkville String Band, Surefire Bluegrass Band, Wolfe Bros. String Band, Diana and Sarvis Ridge, The Worthless Son-in-Laws and Soul Benefactor. Kids’ activities include Myrtle the Turtle, several AirWalks, crafts and face painting. Talented craftsmen and artisans will be selling their wares, along with food offered by Earth Fare, Makoto Japanese Steakhouse and Cici’s pizza. Attendees will have raffle opportunities to win golf for four to Elk River Resort or a kid’s bike, four ASU home football game tickets, a Grandfather Mountain annual pass and many more. Admission is free, and parking is $2 and offers eligibility for a door prize. This fun-filled festival benefits two local nonprofits, Green Valley Park and Mountain Pathways School. For more info, email nancynjerry@charter.net or jscarroll@bellsouth.net or call 828-262-5787.
Camp Harrison Open House May 18…
Camp Harrison in Boomer, about 20 minutes from Wilkesboro and 45 minutes from Boone, is hosting an open house and family fun day on Sunday, May 18, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The afternoon is free for all ages and includes inflatables, face painting, hayrides, pontoon boat rides, archery, climbing walls and more. For more info, click to www.campharrison.org or call 800-514-1417.
Kids' Triathlon May 24…
Start training now for the second annual High Country Kids' Triathlon to be held Saturday, May 24, at 10:00 a.m. at the Watauga County Parks and Recreation pool and at the Greenway Trail. The 8 and under division will swim 100 meters, bike one mile and run a half-mile. The 9 to 12 division will swim 200 meters, bike three miles and run one mile. The 13 to 18 division will swim 300 meters, bike four miles and run 1.5 miles. The registration fee is $20 before Saturday, May 10, and $25 after. Forms are available at the county pool or online at www.active.com. Volunteers are also needed. Contact Paula Domermuth at 828-262-3788 for more info.
Over the Creek and Through the Woods Road Races May 31…
Watauga County Parks and Recreation will host the ninth annual Over the Creek and Through the Woods 5K and 10K road races and one-mile Kids’ Fun Run on Saturday, May 31. All three events will be held on the Greenway Trail, with the start and finish next to the Parks and Recreation office in Boone. The 10K race will begin at 8:30 a.m., the 5K race at 10:00 a.m. and the one-mile fun run at 9:30 a.m. Awards will be given to the top three overall finishers in both male and female groups. Awards will also be given to the top three finishers in each age division. The registration fee is $15 per runner for the 5K and 10K races and $10 for the Kids’ Fun Run. All participants will receive a race T-shirt. Registration is now being accepted at the Watauga County Parks and Rec office and will be accepted on the day of the event from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. All proceeds from the race benefit the High Country Senior Games. For more info, call 828-264-9511.
Camp Ginger Cascades Sessions in June and July…
Camp Ginger Cascades, located in the Brushy Mountains outside of Lenoir, will host more than 55 camp sessions during June and July for girls who will be in grades 2 through 12 in the upcoming school year. Camp sessions will assist in the development of life skills such as leadership, confidence, independence and teamwork through a wide variety of outdoor activities. Programs ranging from 3 to 6 days in length will be available to Girl Scouts and non-Girl Scouts alike. For more info or to register, click to www.cvgirlscouts.org.
Camp Broadstone Summer Enrichment Program in June and July…
Camp Broadstone, located in Valle Crucis, is now accepting applications for the 2008 series of Summer Enrichment Programs for academically gifted youth. This series of programs will provide students in grades 4 through 9 with the opportunity to explore a blend of enrichment classes and adventure programs designed to encourage and foster intellectual, social and physical growth. The two-week residential camp and one-week explorer camp will be available at three different periods throughout June and July at a cost of $1,750 and $1,000 respectively per session. The new one-week day camp sessions will be held at six different periods throughout June and July at a cost of $250 per session. For more info or to register, click to www.campbroadstone.com/summer.
Crocodile Puppet Theatre June 2 to 6…
The Turchin Center is hosting a puppet workshop on making, writing and performing for children 7 to 13 from Monday, June 2, to Friday, June 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The puppet characters will appear in a production written by the children and performed at the Saturday, June 7, Annual Puppet Festival. Preregistration is required, and the cost is $35 for Turchin Center members and $50 for nonmembers. Call 828-262-3017 for more info or to register.
Kids on Campus - Animal Studies! June 2 to 6…
Kids on Campus - Animal Studies! is planned for students who will be in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grades in fall 2008. If you are interested in a special summer enrichment opportunity for the young people in your life, sign up quickly because enrollment is limited to 12 students. Session I meets from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, June 2 to 6, and Session II meets Monday to Friday, July 28 to August 1. The program base is the ASU’s Rankin Science Building. Students will sometimes be in a lab classroom there, sometimes in the woods nearby and sometimes in other science labs at ASU. Animal Studies! students will have the opportunity to examine salamanders, lizards, snakes and turtles. They will also study both live and preserved mammal specimens, research water quality and explore the inhabitants of Kraut Creek. Monique Eckerd of the ASU Biology Department will lead this investigation of animals and local animal habitats. The fee is $125 per week. To register or for more info, contact Teri Reddick at reddickct@appstate.edu or 828-262-2530.
Mountain Quest Summer Camp June 9 to 14…
The first session of Blue Ridge Learning Centers’ Mountain Quest Summer Camp will be held from Monday, June 9, through Saturday, June 14. Activities include the challenge course; trips to Grandfather Mountain, Linville Caverns and Price Lake; rock climbing, survival skills and an overnight camp. Participants will meet at the Blowing Rock Conference center at 8:30 a.m. daily, and pickup time is 6:00 p.m. The $550 fee includes transportation, lunch and fees. To register, contact Sabrina Crawford at 828-265-0602 or Sabrina@brlc.org.
Camp Cotillion Day Camp in June…
The Girl Scout Council of the Catawba Valley Area is offering Camp Cotillion, a four-day summer day camp, from Monday to Thursday, June 16 to 19, in Hickory and from Monday to Thursday, June 23 to 26, in Boone. At the camp, girls will learn to appreciate and make the most of their good qualities, learn to be happy with their appearances and feel confident and poised, and learn to be at ease in new situations and know what to say and when to say it. Attendees will dine with finesse at a fancy restaurant, make the most of the fashions that flatter them and have fun planning and providing a mother-daughter banquet. The camp is open to girls who will be in grades four through eight in fall 2008. The cost is $95. Contact Pat at the Girl Scout Council at 828-328-2444 or 800-328-8388 for a registration packet.
Annual Puppet Festival June 14…
The Turchin Center will hold its free annual puppet festival on Saturday, June 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Children in the community are invited to come and perform their puppet plays or just come to watch. The Turchin Center has the theatre. To reserve a performance time or to ask questions, call the Turchin Center at 828-262-3017.
Camp Sunshine in Watauga County June 16 to 18…
High Country Hospice’s Camp Sunshine will be held Monday, June 16, to Wednesday, June 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Oak Grove Baptist Church. The day camp is free for children between the ages of 5 and 12 who are grieving the loss of a loved one. The overall goal is to help children learn to move through their grief through activities and interaction with other children who have experienced a loss. For more info about enrollment or to volunteer, call 828-265-3926.
Camp Sunshine in Ashe County June 23 to 25…
High Country Home Health & Hospice is hosting Camp Sunshine at the Ashe Baptist Campground from Monday, June 23, through Wednesday, June 25, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The day camp is free for children between the ages of 5 and 12 who are grieving the loss of a loved one. The overall goal is to help children learn to move through their grief through activities and interaction with other children who have experienced a loss. For more info, call 336-246-6443.
Camp Invention Begins June 23…
This summer, Appalachian Pathways at ASU is sponsoring Camp Invention, a weeklong summer camp for students in grades kindergarten through five. Camp Invention will take place from Monday to Friday, June 23 to 27, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Camp Invention is the highly acclaimed program created in 1990 by the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation. Camp Invention has a limit of 110 participants. Registration is $180 through Monday, March 31. After March, the fee is $205. The camp fee includes daily snacks and a T-shirt. To register or obtain more info, click to www.campinvention.org or call 800-968-4332.
Mountain Quest Summer Camp June 23 to 28…
The second session of Blue Ridge Learning Centers’ Mountain Quest Summer Camp will be held from Monday, June 23, through Saturday, June 28. Activities include the challenge course; trips to Grandfather Mountain, Linville Caverns and Price Lake; rock climbing, survival skills and an overnight camp. Participants will meet at the Blowing Rock Conference center at 8:30 a.m. daily, and pickup time is 6:00 p.m. The $550 fee includes transportation, lunch and fees. To register, contact Sabrina Crawford at 828-265-0602 or Sabrina@brlc.org.
Cre8tive Drama Day Camp June 23 to 27…
This weeklong day camp from Monday, June 23, to Friday, June 27, focuses on creative drama and movement. Children and teens from 6 to 16 are challenged to think creatively and encouraged to work collaboratively while exploring theatre and movement. ASU faculty member Gordon Hensley and his assistants will conduct these lively day classes for young people. The camp will meet in I.G. Greer Studio Theatre, as well as additional classrooms, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. This workshop is taught in several age blocks: for ages 6 to 8, ages 9 to 12 and ages 13 to 16. Preregistration is required, and each block is limited to 15 participants.
The camp cost is $50 for Turchin Center members and $75 for nonmembers. For additional information, contact the Turchin Center at 828-262-3017.
Camp Sunshine in Alleghany County June 30 to July 2…
High Country Home Health & Hospice is hosting Camp Sunshine at the Sparta Lions Club Pavilion from Monday, June 30, through Wednesday, July 2. The day camp is free for children between the ages of 5 and 12 who are grieving the loss of a loved one. The overall goal is to help children learn to move through their grief through activities and interaction with other children who have experienced a loss. For more info, call 336-372-8018.
ASU Math Camp July 7 to 10…
The ASU Department of Mathematical Sciences will sponsor Math Camp from Monday, July 7, through Thursday, July 10, for rising 6th through 12th graders. This is the 11th year that this popular summer enrichment camp has been offered. Math Camp will meet from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and the fee is $120. This camp is designed to actively engage students in mathematics. Students who love math, fear math, hate math, excel at math and/or need help with math, are all welcome and encouraged to attend. In addition, 10 math camp participants will be invited to participate in an Extended Math Camp from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. during Math Camp week. Dr. Anita Kitchens, a professor in the Department of Mathematics and author of the book, Defeating Math Anxiety, directs the camp. Register online at www.camps.appstate.edu. For more info, contact Kitchens at kitchnsan@appstate.edu or 828-264-0181 or 828-262-2368.
ASU Math Camp July 7 to 10…
Para el undécimo año, el Departamento de Matemáticas en Appalachian State University va a celebrar el Math Camp, el 7 a 10 del julio 2008, a las 6:00 a 9:00 en noche. Math Camp es una experiencia de enriquecimiento en el verano para estudiantes subiendo a los grados 6 a 12. Dirigido por Doctora Anita Kitchens, el campamento es modelado a cautivar estudiantes en matematicas. Estudiantes que enamoran matemáticas, detestan matemáticas, tienen miedo de matemáticas, tienen éxito con matemáticas, o necesitan ayuda con matemáticas son recibidos con agrado y deben participar. El precio del campamento es $120 por estudiante. Para mas información, el sitio web es www.camps.appstate.edu o puede llamar 828-264-0181.
Kids on Campus - Animal Studies! July 28 to August 1…
Kids on Campus - Animal Studies! is planned for students who will be in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grades in fall 2008. If you are interested in a special summer enrichment opportunity for the young people in your life, sign up quickly because enrollment is limited to 12 students. The session meets Monday to Friday, July 28 to August 1. The program base is the ASU’s Rankin Science Building. Students will sometimes be in a lab classroom there, sometimes in the woods nearby and sometimes in other science labs at ASU. Animal Studies! students will have the opportunity to examine salamanders, lizards, snakes and turtles. They will also study both live and preserved mammal specimens, research water quality and explore the inhabitants of Kraut Creek. Monique Eckerd of the ASU Biology Department will lead this investigation of animals and local animal habitats. The fee is $125 per week. To register or for more info, contact Teri Reddick at reddickct@appstate.edu or 828-262-2530.
Playhouse Family Music Festival with Billy Jonas August 16…
On Saturday, August 16, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., The Children’s Playhouse presents the Family Music Festival with Billy Jonas at the historic Cove Creek School in Sugar Grove, North Carolina. Along with music by Billy Jonas, Lost Ridge and more, the festival will feature great kids’ activities. Tickets are $13 for adults and $6 for children 2 to 12. Children under 24 months will be admitted free. Click to www.goPlayhouse.org for info on advance tickets discounts or call 828-263-0011 for more info.