Weekly Village Update 12.7.17

Chamber Events & News

Friday, December 8th An Evening of Fun & Celebration in Blowing Rock!

Ribbon Cutting at 4:30 pm Blowing Rock Art & History Museum Join us for a ribbon cutting celebration at the NEW gift shop at BRAHM! While you're there, be sure to do some holiday shopping! It's a great opportunity to pick up something special for family or friends! Beer, wine & champagne will be provided - it's a celebration!

Holiday Stroll, 5 pm - 8 pm Downtown Blowing Rock Hit the streets of Blowing Rock and finish (or start) your holiday shopping! Stores will be open late with refreshments & specials. Enjoy a visit from Santa, carolers, live music, dancers and much more! The Stroll continues at Tanger Outlet, 8 pm - 10 pm!

Moonlight Sip & Shop, 8 pm - 10 pm Tanger Outlets Exclusively for Chamber members and local friends: show/print this ad for a FREE $20 gift card on December 8th only! Join Tanger's Moonlight Sip & Shop event immediately following Downtown Blowing Rock's Holiday Stroll!

It's a magical night that will make you fall in love with Blowing Rock all over again. Don't miss it! Learn More

Will You Lend Santa a Hand? Our Chamber works very closely with Santa Claus each Christmas. We are in need of volunteers to help Santa with answering letters from the children. Please call Loni Miller at 828.295.7851 if you are interested in helping Santa and she'll provide the top-secret details!

We Need Your Feedback! In May 2017, the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce approached the Blowing Rock Town Council to inquire about repurposing the use of the old firehouse on the corner of Park Avenue and Wallingford, into a multi-purpose community auditorium. The Town Council agreed and subsequently approved a one-year agreement to allow the Chamber to explore the possibilities, prepare a design and establish an execution strategy.  The purpose of this survey is to get a better understanding of patron sentiment and whether or not a smaller, more scalable venue would be welcome and supported in the Town of Blowing Rock. Your feedback and response is critically important and we would encourage you to take a moment to fill out the survey and to offer commentary.

Click the image above to watch a video explaining why our Economic Development Committee is researching this project for Blowing Rock. Take Survey All responses are welcome. Please respond by December 15th.

Perfect for Relaxing by the Fire Blowing Rock was just listed in a piece picked up by MSN.com featuring "20 U.S. towns perfect for relaxing by the fire." We're in fantastic company on the list with Jackson, WY, Steamboat Springs, CO, and Mammoth Lakes, CA mentioned as well! Plus, the previously published list of "America's 50 Prettiest Winter Towns" (that also features Blowing Rock) is currently back on their main travel page. See full list here

Member Events & News

Welcome New Member: Your Favorite Assistant Simplify your workday by working with an administrative powerhouse. 21 Things Your Favorite Assistant Can Take Off Your To-Do List Today! 1.   Build your next email campaign 2.   Automate manual tasks 3.   Digitize your receipts 4.   Research and implement software applications 5.   Generate social media graphics 6.   Update training and procedure manuals 7.   Design your next print publication 8.   Brand your digital assets for your company 9.   Analyze and clean-up your database 10. Edit and process your photos 11. Manage and design your website 12. Proofread and edit your content 13. Coordinate print jobs 14. Handle your next mailing 15. Make a billboard ad 16. Create a survey and compile results 17. Design forms 18. Organize your event 19. Compose letters and blog posts 20. Develop media presentations 21. Empower you by freeing up your time

Consultations are always free! Blowing Rock Chamber Members receive a flat $20 off any service booked in the month of December (minimum $50)! For more information, call Tanna Greathouse at 828.263.4066 or email help@yourfavoriteassistant.com. Visit Website Facebook Page

Photos with Santa! Boone Portraits is now operating in Boone Mall, next door to Hallmark! Santa photos will be taken every Friday, Saturday & Sunday as well as the full week before Christmas. Private 15 minute sessions with Santa are also available on December 7th with an appointment. These are best for children who need a quieter, slower environment. Family sessions are on special starting at $39.99 with the rights to reprint. Perfect for Christmas cards or custom gifts.

Stop by or call 828.386.1310 to schedule an appointment today. Visit Website

SugarFest Friday - Sunday, December 8th - 10th Sugar Mountain A weekend of winter fun! Olympians, demos, clinics, after party, fireworks, a feast and more! For more information, call 1.800.SUGARMT

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Purchase with a Purpose Saturday, December 9th Blowing Rock Frameworks & Gallery and Village Jewelers Blowing Rock Frameworks & Gallery and Village Jewelers, Ltd. will be donating 10% of their sales on December 9th toward the Middle Fork Greenway.

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SNIPS Sale December 15th, 11 am - 2 pm Western Carolina Eye Associates, Boone SNIPS volunteers will bring handmade gifts and craft items for sale. Proceeds benefit the Watauga Humane Society's low cost spay and neuter programs. Light refreshments available.

SNIPS Facebook Page

Supermoon Over Beech Mountain Thank you Todd Bush for sharing this amazing photo of the Supermoon! The last Supermoon of 2017 was visible Sunday night through the Monday morning this week. Here it is setting directly over Beech Mountain’s 5506’ summit (Eastern America’s highest town) seen from just outside Banner Elk, NC Monday morning around 7:30 am. A 300 mm telephoto lens at f8 for 1/500th of a second was used for this photo. A Supermoon occurs when the moon is closest to Earth in its elliptical orbit during full or new moon.

Photo by Todd Bush Photography

A Tail of Two Cougars Wednesday, November 16th, Grandfather Mountain introduced its newest Western cougars to the public. Named Logan and Trinity, the sibling duo is now on display in the park’s environmental wildlife habitats. The nature preserve adopted the brother and sister cubs in March 2016 after they’d been orphaned in the wilds of Idaho before they could learn to hunt. They were found on an Idaho man’s property that January, emaciated and searching for food. Upon rescuing them, Idaho Fish and Game contacted Grandfather’s habitat staff to see if the mountain could provide the cubs a home.

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Partnership to Support Patients Facing Food Insecurity After months of collaboration, a new partnership between Boone’s longest running food pantry and the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System is ready to deepen the care provided to food insecure patients. Working together, The Hunger and Health Coalition and the team at Watauga Medical Center have collaborated to provide food distribution to patients at the hospital and continuing support after being released. Read More

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Visit our website calendar for more events! The calendar is updated regularly with local and area happenings.

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Community Information

Blue Ridge Parkway Closures National Park Service maintenance personnel are conducting boom axe operations in multiple locations along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Intermittent and temporary closures in active work zones should be expected. Both lanes of the Parkway will be closed to all activity (cars, bicycles, and hikers) in active work zones to ensure the safety of the maintenance workers as well as Parkway visitors. Affected sections will be closed from 8 am - 4 pm. The road will be open on the weekend.

For reference, Blowing Rock is at milepost 294. Specific information regarding daily closures is available on the Parkway's Real Time Road Map

Chamber Events, Information & Meetings

Ribbon Cutting: Friday, December 8th at 4:30 pm, BRAHM Gift Shop Holiday Stroll: Friday, December 8th at 5 pm, Downtown Blowing Rock Chamber Christmas Party: Wednesday, December 13th, The Gamekeeper Restaurant Chamber Executive Board Meeting: Thursday, January 4th at 10 am, Chamber Office Chamber Board Meeting: Wednesday, January 10th at 8 am, Chamber Board Room