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Local news briefs

By Bill Moss, Published: August 27, 2013

'Celebrate Jesus' is set for Sept. 15

"Celebrate Jesus," an event focusing on the love and goodness of God, will be held on Sunday, Sept.15 from 2-5 p.m. in Jackson Park. More than 50 area churches are participating to put on the event, which will include fellowship, food, testimonies and music for all ages.
A prime message, according to Pastor Bill Campbell, of First Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville and president of the Henderson County Ministerial Association, will be to bring Christians together to honor God as a visible expression of God's love and grace, extended to everyone.
Those planning to attend are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, or a blanket, and picnic food. To avoid scheduling conflicts, most local churches are planning to cancel Sunday evening events. In case of inclement weather, "Celebrate Jesus" will be moved to Upward Christian Fellowship, 991 Upward Road, Flat Rock.
"Celebrate Jesus" is sponsored by the Henderson County Ministerial and the Carolina Baptist Association.For more information, log onto Celebrate Jesus.com or contact CelebrateJesushvl@gmail.com. For information call (828) 290-9745.

Rug & Home gives to charities
Rug & Home, a family-owned home furnishings business with stores in Asheville and Kannapolis and Gaffney, S.C. — announced the winners of its 52 Weeks of Giving program. The special giveaway helps charities and nonprofits raise money by donating rugs that the organizations can sell at silent auctions or other means.
Through June 15, 2014, Rug & Home is giving one rug a week for the entire year to 52 different charitable organizations in need in the Carolinas.
Area organizations chosen to receive a handcrafted rug were Pardee Hospital Foundation, Four Seasons Compassion for Life, Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County, My Place Inc. in Hendersonville, Children & Family Resource Center and United Way of Henderson County.

Agency offers citizenship prep
Blue Ridge Literacy Council is offering free classes to prepare for the citizenship exam. Classes are typically three long and run for 13 weeks. For students that meet all criteria and complete all classes, the success rate for passing the citizenship exam is 100 percent.
The next sessions begin in September. For more information or to register, contact ESL coordinator Cindy Jefferson at 696-3811 or cjefferson@litcouncil.org.

Book Exchange sets half-price sale
FLAT ROCK — The Book Exchange will hold a sale of all used books on Saturday, Aug. 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All books except a few consignment items will be half price, including mysteries, general fiction, westerns, cook books, biographies, science fiction, classics, histories, decorating books and many others.Our already low prices are cut in half for this event to help us make room for new materials that have come in.
The Book Exchange is located at 2680 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock. It's run by volunteers and all proceeds go to local charities.

Literacy council sets tutor training
Blue Ridge Literacy Council is seeking adult volunteers interested in becoming tutors to help adults learn or improve their reading, writing and spoken English skills. Teaching experience or knowledge of another language is not required.
Tutors are matched with students and meet twice a week for 1½ hours. Volunteers must also complete a 10-hour training workshop and be at least 18 years of age.

An orientation for potential volunteers will be held 10-11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at the BRLC offices on the campus of Blue Ridge Community College. For more information or to register, call 828-696-3811.

Experts teach fall gardening
Henderson County Extension Master Gardener volunteers are offering a series of lectures for a fee of $5 per participant for each program. Proceeds support future educational efforts by the volunteers. The lectures are at 4 p.m. Mondays in the classroom at the Bullington Center.
Courses and instructors are:
• Sept. 16, Gardening For Your Health, Nancy Gilchrist.
• Sept. 30, Beauty From Bulbs, Pierre Hart.
• Oct. 14, 
Fall: Plan, Plant and Clean up, Dave Zorich.
To register for these or other upcoming events, call the Extension office at 828-697-4891. For more information on upcoming lectures go to http://henderson.ces.ncsu.edu.

Grant will fund parenting classes
The Community Foundation of Henderson County has awarded a $6,000 grant to the Children & Family Resource Center for its Parents as Teachers program, which provides parenting support and information. The program provides bilingual practical hands-on information and techniques that help parents be the best parent they can be.

"We are very grateful to the Community Foundation of Henderson County for their recognition and support of our Parents as Teachers Program," said Linda Carter, Director of Programs. "Funding from the grant will help cover costs such as travel, supplies for group educational sessions and children's books, to list a few, that are incurred as a part of the in-home parenting education visits."

Park Ridge supporters to 'Experience Hawaii'

The Park Ridge Health Foundation invites the community to "Experience Hawaii" at its 2013 Gala Thursday, Oct. 10, at 5:30 p.m. at the Double Tree by Hilton in Asheville.
This year's Hawaiian setting will whisk guests away to an island-themed getaway of fabulous food, entertainment and silent auction surprises. The program will feature live entertainment and a presentation of the Dr. P.J. Moore, Jr. & Dr. Arthur A. Pearson Award of Excellence to an outstanding member of the local community.
Proceeds will help fund renovations to Park Ridge Health's third floor, which includes the hospital's Medical-Surgical, ICU and Telemetry units. Proceeds of the live auction will benefit several important programs at Park Ridge Health, including the Breast Health Resource Room, which offers free prostheses, wigs and other resources to women with breast cancer; and Park Ridge Health's Perinatal Loss Bereavement program.
Various sponsorship levels are available for the "Experience Hawaii" gala for those interested in showcasing their business and generosity to health and wellness in our community.
Purchase your tickets or sponsorship today by contacting the Park Ridge Health Foundation at 828-681-2421 or foundation@parkridgehealth.org.

Youth OUTright sets movie nights
Youth OUTright WNC, an organization that offers discussion groups, social activities and support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth ages 14 through 23, will hold programs on the second Tuesdays from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Hendersonville, 1735 Fifth Avenue West, and on Sundays from 4 to 6 p.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown Asheville. The Hendersonville programs feature a series of movies.
• Tuesday, Sept. 10, "Torch Song Trilogy."
• Tuesday, Oct. 8, "Suddenly Last Summer."
For more information, go to www.youthoutright.org.