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West Henderson earns Safe Sports School award

Hendersonville Life

LOCAL BRIEFS: Ringers, Immaculata, grant schedule

The Blue Ridge Ringers, a community handbell ensemble based in Hendersonville, will present five free concerts during the month of December. Founded in 1995, the ensemble is in its 20th year of performing. Robert Currier of Brevard is the group's music director, Karen Grady is assistant music director, and Connie Engle is founder and managing director. Joella Newberry is flutist and Blaine Russell, also a ringer, is percussionist. The schedule of concerts: Friday, Dec 4 - Henderson County Public Library, Hendersonville -- 2 pm Tuesday, Dec 8 - Transylvania County Public Library, Brevard - noon Friday, Dec 11 -- Immaculate Conception Church, Hendersonville -- 7pm Friday, Dec 18 -- Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Brevard -- 7 pm Sunday, Dec 20 -- Hendersonville Presbyterian Church, 4 pm A freewill offering will be asked at the final two concerts. For more information, call 828-692-4910 Immaculata teams win crowns   The girls volleyball team and boys soccer team at Immaculata Catholic School won their the division in the Western Carolina Christian Middle School Conference. Immaculata Catholic School is SACS accredited and serves children from Pre-K 3 and 4 through 8th grade and welcomes families from all denominations. For a tour and welcome packet, please contact our office at (828) 693-3277 or visit www.immac.org. Immaculata alumni honored Immaculata Class of 2013 graduates Carlin Compton, Jenna Burns, Lauren Kanipe and Terry McCurdy were inducted into the Valentine Chapter of the National Honor Society at Hendersonville High School. Inductees were chosen by faculty based on character, leadership and service. Students are given automatic points based on grade point average.   Playhouse reinstates season ticket flex plan The Flat Rock Playhouse has reinstated the flexible ticket plan for 2016 after patrons said they wanted it back.The plan launched on Sept. 1 that consisted of three packages: Plan A, one ticket to all nine shows in the 2016 season; the Summer Musicals Plus Package, one ticket for “The Music Man,” one ticket to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and eight tickets to do however the buyer wants (when purchasing, but with flexible dates); and the Music on the Rock Package, one ticket to each of our Music on the Rock concerts.The packages, at over 20 percent off regular ticket prices, ofered twice the savings that the Playhouse had offered in previous years and boosted box office sales $100,000 better than a year earlier.“Many patrons were very concerned that we modified the Flex Plan,” marketing director Dane Whitlock said. “We received calls, emails, Facebook posts. The concern was they needed more flexibility. They didn’t want to pick their shows in advance.”The Playhouse reinstated the Flex Plan, offering the eight-ticket package for $280 plus tax to any show (except Music on the Rock). Subscribers who have already purchased subscription plans for 2016 and want to exchange their packages for the Flex Plan may do so by calling the box office before Dec. 11.To buy tickets call 828.693.0731 or visit the box office in Flat Rock or downtown Hendersonville. United Way opens process for funding The United Way of Henderson County announced the process for applying for funding for the 2016-17 fiscal year. Nonprofit agencies must show work that advances the United Way’s long-term goals in the areas of Education, Income and Health. Programs providing Crisis and Basic Needs services will also be considered for funding. Applicants must be able to show results that align with goals that address Kindergarten Readiness; School Success; Financial Stability; Affordable Housing; Reducing Obesity; and Healthy Youth Behaviors. Details on the goals and strategies UWHC has adopted to achieve the goals can be found at www.liveunitedhc.org under “Our Work.”Applicants must meet eligibility requirements in order to apply for funding. Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) or public, tax-exempt health and human service organization with at least a two-year history of providing health and human service programs to the residents of Henderson County. Other eligibility criteria can be found on the United Way website. All application materials must be completed through the United Way’s online portal.Eligibility criteria are due at noon Friday, Dec. 11. Applications are due
at noon Friday, Feb. 5. Funding decision notification takes place in June. Current funded community partners can access materials beginning Nov. 20.New agencies interested in applying for funding must contact Sarah Kowalak, UWHC Director of Community Impact, by Nov. 20 for orientation information. Kowalak can be reached at 828-692-1636 ext. 1103 or skowalak@liveunitedhc.org. Community Foundation sets application deadline Nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organizations or IRS-equivalent or accepted fiscal agents wanting to be considered for Community Foundation of Henderson County’s next competitive General Grant cycle are invited to submit applications to the Community Foundation by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1.Guidelines, the application form and more details about CFHC’s General Grants program can be found at www.CFHCforever.org/generalgrants. Questions also may be directed to Senior Program Officer Lee Henderson-Hill at LHenderson-Hill@CFHCforever.org or (828) 697-6224, Ext. 15 or to anyone at the Community Foundation.Founded in 1982, Community Foundation of Henderson County’s mission is helping people who care make lasting contributions to causes that matter. CFHC accepts gifts from individuals, families, businesses and organizations to create a permanent pool of charitable capital from which grants are awarded. This past fiscal year, CFHC donors provided awards of more than $2.6 million to charitable causes. Learn more about Community Foundation of Henderson County at www.CFHCforever.org, at the Community Foundation’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages, and by calling (828) 697-6224. Trinity invites donors to fill ‘The Mitten Tree’ Trinity Presbyterian Church is inviting the community to decorate “The Mitten (and more) Tree” in the church atrium as part of its Advent celebration.Through Dec. 20 donors may contribute warm clothing for children in need including mittens and gloves, wool hats, toboggans and stocking caps, socks, underwear and other small clothing items. The gifts on the Mitten Tree will be given to the children in the community through Interfaith Assistance Ministry. Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) is at 900 Blythe Street. For information visit www.trinitypresnc.org.   Read Story »

Flat Rock Life

Maybank, Rhett families to fund nature center at park

Two families have committed pledges and gifts itotaling $40,000 to help develop the nature center at the Park at Flat Rock, the Rock Park and Recreation Foundation Inc. announced on Wednesday.   Read Story »

Fletcher Life

LIGHTNING PHOTOS: The scariest house in town

FLETCHER — Standing amid skeletons, hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns, spider web-draped trees and grinning zombies covered in blood, Jody Chandler declares, “I’m afraid of the dark.”   Read Story »

Hendersonville Life

Beam to compete in Miss Teen pageant

Kathlene Beam of Hendersonville has been selected to participate in the 2015 Miss Teen pageant competition on Sunday, Nov. 15.   Read Story »

Hendersonville Life

Disco ‘Stayin’ Alive’ at Playhouse Downtown

The unforgettable three-part harmony of the Bee Gees comes to life when the popular tribute show opens this week at the Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown.   Read Story »

Flat Rock Life

Playhouse seeks young actors for world premiere musical

The Flat Rock Playhouse will hold auditions Aug. 13 and 14 for young actors to perform in the upcoming world premiere of the new musical Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz. Conceived and produced by New York City-based Tina Marie Casamento Libby, Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz chronicles the life of a young Judy Garland and explores the extraordinary journey to stardom that culminated in one of the most popular films of all time, The Wizard of Oz. Chasing Rainbows will feature such songs as “Over the Rainbow,” “I Can't Give You Anything But Love” and “Broadway Rhythm,” which have been reconceived by Musical Supervisor David Libby in a revelatory contemporary sound. In addition to signature Garland songs, the musical incorporates songs from the MGM era culled from the Sony Feist/Robbins Catalog. Chasing Rainbows is written by Marc Acito and will be directed by Jeff Whiting. Acito won the Helen Hayes Award for Best New Play with his comedy Birds of a Feather, which has received six other productions. Acclaimed as a "director with a joyous touch" by the New York Times, Whiting is a director and choreographer for theater, opera, television, special events and concerts around the world. On Broadway, he has been asociate director of Bullets Over Broadway, Big Fish, The Scottsboro Boys, Hair, Young Frankenstein and Wicked (5th Anniversary) and has directed national touring productions of Young Frankenstein, the upcoming Bullets Over Broadway and the Brazilian production of Hairspray. ​Whiting will be casting 20 local youth in this production to act alongside professional actors brought in from New York. The production team will also use youth who wish to learn more about the creative process as assistants to the production staff. Auditions for Chasing Rainbows will take place at Flat Rock Playhouse Studio 52 (formerly the YouTheatre) on Aug. 13 and 14. Signup begins at 6 p.m. The last appointment will be seen at 9 p.m. Callbacks will be held Aug. 15. For those interested in auditioning, Studio 52 is conducting a weeklong audition prep class from Aug. 3-7. This is not mandatory but encouraged for those wishing to hone their audition skills. The cost of the class is $100 and open to all ages. For more information on the class, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org/education. Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz will run from November 27th through December 19th. The show will cast  the following roles: SHIRLEY TEMPLE: (Age 5 – 10) A tiny girl with a big voice and big personality, and a very strong tap dancer to play Shirley Temple. BABY FRANCES: (Age 5 – 10) A sweet girl with a big voice and extraordinary charisma to play young Judy Garland when she was known as Baby Frances Gumm. FEMALE YOUTH ENSEMBLE: (Age 11 – 18)The ensemble plays numerous roles throughout the early life of Judy Garland, including fellow school friends and Judy’s sister, Virginia, this energetic bunch must dance well and have very strong singing voices. MALE YOUTH ENSEMBLE: (Age 11 – 18)The ensemble plays numerous roles throughout the early life of Judy Garland, from students/peers of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland to rising Hollywood actors, this energetic bunch must dance well and have very strong singing voices. Girls should prepare either “Baby Song” or “Shirley Song.” Sheet music and vocal tracks can be downloaded from www.flatrockplayhouse.org/news. Boys should prepare their own song with music accompaniment. All should be prepared to read from the sides which can also be downloaded from www.flatrockplayhouse.org/news. A dance combination will be taught at the audition. In attendance will be: Tina Marie Casamento Libby – Creator and Producer Jeff Whiting – Director/Choreographer David Libby – Musical Supervisor Nicole Kastrinos – Executive Producer Lisa K. Bryant – Artistic Director, Flat Rock Playhouse   Read Story »

Hendersonville Life

Mr. Weakley directs, HHS grads star in original play

Hendersonville High School theater teacher Todd Weakley will direct the premiere of an original play that stars two of his former students.   Read Story »

Hendersonville Life

WEEKEND TIPOFF: Craft beer and horses, yoga and bicycles

Here are this weekend's events in and around Hendersonville.   Read Story »

Flat Rock Life

Pardee sponsoring first Fall into Flat Rock Fun Day

Pardee UNC Healthcare has signed on as the presenting sponsor for the first Fall into Flat Rock 5K and Family Fun Day on Saturday, Oct. 17, at The Park at Flat Rock.   Read Story »

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