This free community event gives you an opportunity to bring your sensitive documents to be

shredded! It's the perfect opportunity to clean out your files and to safely discard credit card

statements, old checks, IRS tax returns and any other sensitive material. All of the paper collected

on Shred Day will be recycled saving our natural resources!

Family Nights are designated for First and Third Thursdays each month at 6 pm. These programs are held in the Storytime Room in the Children’s Area of the library. Family Nights are fun for the whole family. Anything can happen at Family Night: crafts, games, movies, special guests, and parties of all sorts. 

These activities are co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.

Have you ever wanted to learn to knit? Then come to the Jackson County Senior Center every Tuesday morning from 10AM -12noon. Enjoy the company of others as you learn basic knitting techniques. Bring yarn and needles if you have them. There is no charge for this class. Call (828) 586-4944 or see someone in the Lobby of the JC Department on Aging and Senior Center for additional information.

 Are you on or about to be on Medicare and have unanswered questions? Then join us on Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at 1:00 pm at the Jackson County Department on Aging, 100 County Services Park, Sylva for an informative workshop entitled "Welcome to Medicare."

In celebration of October being LGBT History Month, J. Robin Whitley and Paula Offutt will offer a discussion and reading on Friday, October 10th at 6:30 p.m. at City Lights Bookstore. They will read from their work and discuss books that helped them come out. Robin, artist, musician, author and bookseller at City Lights Bookstore has written a compilation of poetry, reflections, and essays shows the challenges that the lesbian Christian faces in living an open life, while also seeking to live a life of faith titled, In a Southern Closet. Her newest book, More Than Knowing, is a collection of poetry.

Paula Offutt lives near Leicester. She and her partner share an old house with dogs, cats, and a koi named Haiku. Paula believes that humor is what makes the world go 'round, although love is a close second. She surrounds herself with as much of both as she can. Her first novel, a romance titled Butch Girls Can Fix Anything, won a 2008 Golden Crown Literary Society's (GCLS) award for Debut Author. The fictional town of High Pond is a cross between Hot Springs and Leicester with bits of Lick Skillet and Luck tossed in. Paula's second novel, To Sleep, Book One of the Soliloquy, was a finalist for the 2014 GCLS award in the Science Fiction/Fantasy category. To Dream, Book Two of the Soliloquy, will be released sometime in 2015.

Saturday, Oct. 11th, 2014, 2- 5 pm: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also referred to in America as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer. Therefore, we are having a Breast Cancer Awareness Month Wine Tasting with Wendy Dunn, Wine Rep. with Mutual Distributing pouring for this event. Wendy is pouring some fabulous wines by wineries that donate a portion of their proceeds from the sale of their wine to to breast cancer awareness.  So join the fight against breast cancer by buying some delicious wines that donate a portion of their wine sales to this great cause.  For more information please call 828-586-6300.

Have you ever wanted to learn to knit? Then come to the Jackson County Senior Center every Tuesday morning from 10AM -12noon. Enjoy the company of others as you learn basic knitting techniques. Bring yarn and needles if you have them. There is no charge for this class. Call (828) 586-4944 or see someone in the Lobby of the JC Department on Aging and Senior Center for additional information.

 If you or someone you love is living with a chronic disease or ongoing health conditions and want to better manage your health care, than this six week course developed by Stanford University is for you!  "Living Health, " a chronic disease management program will run from October 14^th – November 25^th, 2014 on Tuesdays from 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm at the Jackson County Senior Center, 100 County Services Park, Sylva. There is no charge for this course. Please call 828-586-4944 by October 10^th to register.  This program is Co-sponsored by the Jackson County Senior Center and the Jackson County Department of Public Health.

The Jackson County Senior Center will host a “Breast Cancer Survivor Luncheon” on Wednesday, October 15, 2014 at 12:00 pm at the Department on Aging Senior Center, 100 County Services Park in Sylva. October is Breast Cancer awareness month and this event is a way to celebrate the lives of those who have defeated breast cancer, and honor them for their bravery in their fight! Breast cancer survivors of all ages and their caregivers are encouraged to attend this event. 

 There is No Charge to attend the Luncheon. However, reservations must be made by Monday, October 13th at 4:00 pm.  Call (828) 586-4944 or see someone in the Lobby of the Senior Center.

The Coffee with the Poet series continues on Thursday, October 16th at 10:30 a.m. at City Lights Bookstore.  The October gathering will feature Wesley Satterwhite.  Wesley Satterwhite is a student in the Master of Arts in Writing program at the Thomas Wolfe Center for Narrative at Lenoir Rhyne University in Asheville and a co-founder of the City Lights Writing Group. Her poetry has been published in Kakalak and in WNC Woman magazine, where she was nearly rejected because the editors said they only publish work written by women. As a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor with a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Psychology and Counseling from UNC-Chapel Hill, Wesley is interested in the healing power of telling our stories. As a working mother of two little girls, she is interested in the exquisite beauty of ordinary life. Wesley will be reading from her own work and the work of others whose art lies at the intersection of these two interests.

The Coffee with the Poet series is co-sponsored by the NetWest chapter of the North Carolina Writer’s Network and meets every third Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m. For more information about the Coffee with the Poet series please call City Lights Bookstore at 828-586-9499.

 Call (828) 586-4944 to register or see someone in the Lobby of the Senior Center.

Becky is known as the “Herb Lady of Cedar Creek Farms.”  This East Tennessee native is a graduate of Western Carolina University with a degree in Environmental Health Science. Becky travels throughout the Southeast conducting seminars about how herbs can be used for medicinal purposes, in cooking and in aromatic products.
In this workshop, participants will learn how to harvest, store and preserve herbs to last through the cold winter months. Participants will also create an herbal treat to take home. Handouts will be provided.

Family Nights are designated for First and Third Thursdays each month at 6 pm. These programs are held in the Storytime Room in the Children’s Area of the library. Family Nights are fun for the whole family. Anything can happen at Family Night: crafts, games, movies, special guests, and parties of all sorts.

These activities are co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.

Charles Dayton and Sara Evans will visit City Lights Bookstore on Friday, October 17th at 6:30 p.m. for a discussion on climate change and mass extinction. Evans will review The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert, a book about the increase in mass extinctions and the impending ecological collapse caused by man’s disharmony with the natural world. Dayton will speak and present slides about the impact of climate change on the ocean’s ecology, which is also discussed in The Sixth Extinction.

Charles Dayton is a retired environmental lawyer who practiced in Minneapolis

for 40 years, representing environmental groups as well as corporations.  He led the fight in the 1970s to increase the Wilderness protection for the Boundary Waters Wilderness, and was named by the Minnesota Chapter of the Sierra Club as the Environmentalist of the Decade for that and other work.

Mr. Dayton spent 2 and a half months on a sailing trip in the South Pacific in the summer of 2013 on a voyage to survey the health of Coral reefs. Since his retirement from Leonard, Street and Deinard in 2003, he has also worked as a volunteer at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA), on energy and global warming issues. In 2006, Mr. Dayton received the Distinguished Service award from the Minnesota State Bar Association, given once each year by the Environment and Natural Resources Section.

Sara Evans has lived part of every year in the NC mountains since early childhood. She was a professor of history at the University of Minnesota and is the author of several books including Born for Liberty: A History of Women in America. She and her husband Charles  Dayton live in Waynesville during the spring and fall.

The Jackson County Green Energy Park will be offering Blacksmithing Fundamentals on October 18 and November 8th from 9:00 - 5:00.  This course is designed to introduce students to the art of blacksmithing. Fundamental techniques will be covered: forge safety, basic hammer techniques, general shaping/squaring/drawing out, heating, quenching, scrolling, and twisting. Once the basics are mastered, the students will make a variety of simple pieces, including twisted hooks, nail swords, bottle openers, a fire poker, and more. 

Students must wear closed toe shoes (preferably leather), long pants, and cotton clothing, and should bring a lunch.

Space is limited to 5 students only.

Pre-registration is strongly suggested.

For more information visit our website at www.JCGEP.org

Knoxville author, Julia Watts will present her books on Saturday, October 18th at 3 p.m. at City Lights Bookstore. The author of numerous books set in Appalachia, she is also a Lambda Literary Award for her young adult novel, Finding H.F. and last year's Lambda Literary Award finalist and Golden Crown Literary Award winner for Secret City. Her new book, Gifted and Talented is a comic novel about the perils of parenting. To reserve copies of her books, please call City Lights Bookstore at 828-586-9499.

 Zaxby’s on Monday, October 20, from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.

 Bogart’s on Wednesday, October 22, from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

 Kosta’s on Tuesday, November 4, from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m.

 Soul Infusion on Friday, November 7, from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

 Jack the Dipper on November 10, from noon until 10 p.m.

A portion of the proceeds from each restaurant will be donated to AWAKE. Eating at these restaurants on the specified dates will support the local economy and raise money for AWAKE to continue efforts in the prevention and education of child abuse.

AWAKE is a child-focused center that coordinates the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse while helping abused children heal.

For more information about AWAKE visit www.awakecacenter.org

Have you ever wanted to learn to knit? Then come to the Jackson County Senior Center every Tuesday morning from 10AM -12noon. Enjoy the company of others as you learn basic knitting techniques. Bring yarn and needles if you have them. There is no charge for this class. Call (828) 586-4944 or see someone in the Lobby of the JC Department on Aging and Senior Center for additional information.

 If you or someone you love is living with a chronic disease or ongoing health conditions and want to better manage your health care, than this six week course developed by Stanford University is for you!  "Living Health, " a chronic disease management program will run from October 14^th – November 25^th, 2014 on Tuesdays from 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm at the Jackson County Senior Center, 100 County Services Park, Sylva. There is no charge for this course. Please call 828-586-4944 by October 10^th to register.  This program is Co-sponsored by the Jackson County Senior Center and the Jackson County Department of Public Health.

 Zaxby?s on Monday, October 20, from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.

 Bogart?s on Wednesday, October 22, from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

 Kosta?s on Tuesday, November 4, from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m.

 Soul Infusion on Friday, November 7, from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

 Jack the Dipper on November 10, from noon until 10 p.m.

A portion of the proceeds from each restaurant will be donated to AWAKE. Eating at these restaurants on the specified dates will support the local economy and raise money for AWAKE to continue efforts in the prevention and education of child abuse.

AWAKE is a child-focused center that coordinates the investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child abuse while helping abused children heal.

 Call (828) 586-4944 to register or see someone in the Lobby of the Senior Center.

New York Times Bestselling author Sharyn McCrumb will visit City Lights Bookstore for a reading and signing on Friday, October 24th at 6:30 p.m. She will read from her new novella, Nora Bonesteel’s Christmas Past. This new novella expands her Appalachian Ballad series with the return of Nora Bonesteel. When someone buys the old Honeycutt house, Nora Bonesteel is glad to see some life brought back to the old mansion, even if it is by summer people. But when they decide to stay through Christmas, they find more than old memories in the walls.

We will also be celebrating the paperback release of her most recent Ballad novel, King’s Mountain. An elegant saga crafted with heart and depth, replete with harrowing battle descriptions and gripping family histories, King's Mountain celebrates one of Appalachia's finest hours, as McCrumb once again shares history and legend like no one else.

Photographer and author Tim Barnwell will visit City Lights Bookstore on Saturday, October 25th at 6:30 p.m. to present his new book, Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas. For those who wonder which mountain peaks they are seeing on the many breathtaking outlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway, this new guide is the book to have. Barnwell identifies the mountain peaks one can see from each overlook, marking the compass heading, distance, and elevation. Major roads, rivers, lakes, and towns are also identified. Designed as a driving guide, Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas, is also a good companion for hikers who wish to identify the names of the peaks viewed from favorite trails.

A noted photographer with over 30 years experience, Barnwell’s photography has appeared in numerous publications, including Time and Newsweek. His fine art photography can be found in the permanent collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New Orleans Museum of Art and other museums across the country. He lives in Asheville, NC.  To reserve a copy of Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas, please call City Lights Bookstore at 828-586-9499.  

Have you ever wanted to learn to knit? Then come to the Jackson County Senior Center every Tuesday morning from 10AM -12noon. Enjoy the company of others as you learn basic knitting techniques. Bring yarn and needles if you have them. There is no charge for this class. Call (828) 586-4944 or see someone in the Lobby of the JC Department on Aging and Senior Center for additional information.

 If you or someone you love is living with a chronic disease or ongoing health conditions and want to better manage your health care, than this six week course developed by Stanford University is for you!  "Living Health, " a chronic disease management program will run from October 14^th – November 25^th, 2014 on Tuesdays from 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm at the Jackson County Senior Center, 100 County Services Park, Sylva. There is no charge for this course. Please call 828-586-4944 by October 10^th to register.  This program is Co-sponsored by the Jackson County Senior Center and the Jackson County Department of Public Health.

Asheville author and “ghostlorist,” Randy Russell will help us celebrate Halloween a little early as he presents his book, The Ghost Will See You Now: Haunted Hospitals of the South on Wednesday, October 29th at 6:30 p.m. The event will take place at City Lights Bookstore. Folks are encouraged to “BYOG,” or bring your own ghost by bringing photos, dressing up, or sharing paranormal experiences.  With The Ghost Will See You Now, Russell has organized a state-by-state guide to known Southern hospital hauntings, including 130 haunted locations and 41 ghost stories.  Russell is the author of the popular, Ghost Dogs of the South, Ghost Cats of the South and Mountain Ghost Stories. To reserve copies of his books please call City Lights Bookstore at 828-586-9499 or click the book links below.  

 Call (828) 586-4944 to register or see someone in the Lobby of the Senior Center.