News

LOCAL BRIEFS: Photos, greenway walk, Community Band, Mills River movie night

PHOTO BY LOIS VANREESE, FEATURED IN VIDEO BY JIM PIERSON

By Lightning Reports, Published: October 7, 2022

Shooting stars

Camera Club of Hendersonville members are displaying their photos in the Kaplan Room of the public library throughout the month of October. The club meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Chamber of Commerce. For more details and samples of the work visit cameraclubofhendersonville.com. Shown is Lois VanReese’s entry in the club’s “Golden Hour” competition in March.

Guided greenway walk will describe native trees

A guided walk along the Oklawaha Greenway at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, will focus on identifying and learning about trees, especially those native to the area. The walk is open to the public at no charge. Meet at Patton Park in the round pavilion near the basketball court. The walk will take about 90 minutes and returns to Patton Park. The hike will take place rain or shine. The program is co-sponsored by the Hendersonville Tree Board and Friends of the Oklawaha Greenway.

      Kristen Kelley, N.C. forest ranger for Henderson County, will lead the walk. The tour will offer a look at the types of trees — especially native trees — in the wetland forest along Mud Creek and the greenway. 

Community Band celebrates anniversary

Thirty-two seasons ago, well-known band director and symphony conductor Jim Stokes placed an ad in the Asheville Citizen-Times inviting interested musicians to meet about starting a community band.

He was hopeful that 12-15 people might show up. More 50 people did, instruments in hand, and Hendersonville Community Band was born. The celebration concert has twice been delayed by Covid, so it is now the band’s 32nd season, but its 30th anniversary celebration.
To commemorate the special event, HCB commissioned Bill Locklear to arrange the piece “Balm in Gilead,” which will be premiered at the concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, at Blue Ridge Conference Hall at BRCC.
Locklear will conduct this new piece and also his “Lullabye” and “A Praetorius Hymn.” HCB’s long-time music director and conductor, Winford Franklin, will conduct the exciting “Procession of the Nobles” (Rimsky-Korsakov), selections from “Les Miserables” (arr. Warren Barker), “The Beatles: Echoes of an Era” (arr. John Higgins) as well as “Queen City Suite” (Charles Carter), a three-movement composition representing life the Midwest.
Tickets are $10 and may be purchased in advance at the Visitors Center, Crate Wine Market in Laurel Park or at the door. For more information call 828-713-8590.

Mills River hosts movie night Oct. 21

The Town of Mills River is hosting its first outdoor movie night at Mills River Park on Friday, Oct. 21.

The event is free to attend and no pre-registration is required. The film “Hocus Pocus” (1993) is scheduled to begin at dark (approximately 7 p.m.). There will be lawn games, a photo booth and other activities available starting at 6:30 p.m. Cash only concessions will be available. Attendees should bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. Please leave all pets at home for this event. Free parking is available in the park and carpooling is encouraged.
This first-of-its kind event for Mills River is made possible as a result of the Town Council’s decision to expand Parks and Recreation services for the residents of Mills River by increasing staff support and earmarking funding for programs and events. This investment by the Council was supported by the Town’s Parks, Trails, and Recreation Advisory committee and the recently adopted Parks and Recreation masterplan.
Mills River Park is located at 124 Town Center Drive, Mills Rive. The event will take place on the multi-purpose fields. For more information visit www.millsriver.org/events, email recreation@millsriver.org or call 828-890-2901.

St. James Choir performs Choral Evensong Oct. 16

The St. James Choir will perform Choral Evensong at 5 p.m. Sunday Oct. 16, featuring Jack Osserwarde’s “Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in C,” Joanna Forbes L’Estrange’s “Prayers & Responses,” Charles Wood’s “This Sanctuary of My Soul” and Ben Ponniah’s “O Lord, Support Us.” The officiant will be the Rev. Christiana Olsen. The organist will be Tate Addis and the recitalist will be Brennan Szafron.
A native of Saskatchewan, Canada, Szafron is organist and choirmaster of Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Tryon, a position he has held since November 2021. At Holy Cross he oversees an all-volunteer ministry of singers and instrumentalists of all ages.

He also served for 18 years as the first full-time organist and choirmaster of the Episcopal Church of the Advent in Spartanburg. During that time, he expanded the church’s musical offerings and took choirs on several tours including Grace Church in New York City, the Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., and Lincoln Cathedral in Lincolnshire, England.

The church  is at 766 North Main St. Although concert admission is free, an offering will be received. For more information, contact Director of Music Brad Gee at 828-694-6925 or brad@stjamesepiscopal.com.