I knew Flat Rock residents were charitable.  I’m just happy that others recognized this as well.  Community activists Robert and Doris Eklund were awarded the Richard C. and Vina L. Sauer Charitable Leadership Award for their service and philanthropic efforts for the Henderson County community.  Their work with the Council on Aging as well as the Henderson County Heritage Museum were only two of the many local charities they received the Sauer award for.  The Henderson County Community Foundation, who hosted the awards luncheon and is the recognition committee for the annual Sauer award, continues to receive donations from other generous members of the community even through these hard times.  Through their Community Fund, they are able to give grants and help people create their own philanthropic foundations for various health care, education, arts, environmental and other service programs in Henderson County.  Several of the people that have been direct recipients of the good that the Community Fund provides were on hand to tell their stories as well.  For more information about the Community Foundation, please call 697-6224 or visit their website.  It’s stories like this that makes me proud to be a member of Henderson County.

Health and animals are the focus in Hendersonville, North Carolina throughout the rest of the month of September.  The Blue Ridge Humane Society Thrift Shop will be hosting a Pet Adoption Day at its Greenville Highway offices on Saturday, September 12th, from 11am-2pm.  Come on down and adopt one of these pets into a loving home they so desperately need.  For more information, please call 692-3503.

The third annual 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run for the Horses to benefit Hope for Horses, an equine rescue, rehab and adoption program in Western North Carolina, will be held at the Buncombe County Health Department in Asheville (35 Woodfin Street) on September 20th from 1-4pm. For more information and to register for the event, please visit www.hopeforhorses.org.

Get your flu shots at the Pardee Health Education Center in the Blue Ridge Mall from 8am-7pm on September 24th and  8am-5pm on September 25th.  The shots cost $30, but are free with participants who have Medicare Part B insurance.  The flu shot does not protect you against the H1N1 virus (swine flu).  Make sure you have your Medicare card with you (if applicable).  Otherwise, bring cash or a check.  To call for an appointment (required) or more information, please call 828-692-4600.

On September 25th, FREE cholesterol and diabetes screenings will held at the Asheville K-Mart (980 Brevard Rd) from 10am-3pm.  There is no appointment necessary and it is absolutely free to the public.

While the summer months are beginning to wane, Hendersonville is still alive with the sound of music, laughter and art.  Tuxedo Junction will be performing music from the 40’s through the 90’s at the Music on Main Street event on Friday, August 28th, from 7-9pm in Hendersonville.  There will also be a classic car show hosted by the Hendersonville Antique Car Club happening in addition to the Music on Main Street performance.  This event is sponsored by Burger King and FREE to the public.  Make sure you bring a chair and leave the pets and alcohol at home. 

Monday, August 31st, is the last scheduled performance of the Southern Crescent Bluegrass and the Rough Creek Cloggers at the 91st Street Dances on Main Street.  Also sponsored by Burger King, this event is FREE to the public.  You just need to bring a chair and enjoy the show from 7-9pm.

Going on now through September 26th, the Arts Council is hosting a “Bring Us Your Best” show at the Neill Gallery on Main Street.  Visitors are welcome to attend this juried and judged show of artisans from all around the Hendersonville area absolutely FREE.  The gallery is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 1-5pm and Saturdays from 1-4pm.

If you have a chance, head over to the Flat Rock Playhouse anytime from now through September 6th to catch their romantic comedy Real Estate, about what happens when selling your home.  Performances are at 8:15pm, with matinees on the weekends at 2:15pm.  Please call 866-732-8008 for more info.

According to the North Carolina Association of Realtors®, home sales may be down overall across the state, but Hendersonville experienced a 2% increase in home sales from the same time last year.  The 110 Hendersonville homes sold in June 2009 was a 2% increase from June 2008 figures and was a 31% increase from sales figures in May 2009.  The average cost for a Hendersonville home was $219,362 (down 17% from June 2008’s average cost of $264,559).

In comparison, Asheville home sales were down 7% from the previous year (June 2009 showed 217 units sold, June 2008 showed 233 units sold).  However, June 2009 sales were up 45% from May 2009 figures.  The average cost for an Asheville home was 6% less than the same time last year ($266,883 in June 2008, $253,852 in June 2009).

What do these figures mean for you buyers out there?  These low prices aren’t going to last long.  Asheville real estate already seems to be experiencing what may be a bottoming out of the market, with home sales only slightly down from the previous year and the average price being only slightly less as well.  Hendersonville real estate is not too far behind, with its home sales almost exactly the same as the previous year and up significantly from the previous month.  You don’t want to miss out on owning your piece of the American dream.  With the expiration of the $8,000 tax credit coming quickly upon us, now is definitely the time to buy.  Contact me today to let me know how I can make your Hendersonville or Asheville homeownership dreams come true!

As I told you in my blog last week, Laurel Park was ranked #3 in the country for most affordable places to retire in the country.  As Town Commissioner, I was privileged to be interviewed about this announcement by BlueRidgeNow.com.  NeighborhoodScout.com, the company that compiled the list, scoured its database of over 61,000 communities and determined its most affordable places to retire in the country by comparing information gathered from the US Census Bureau, US Geological Service, FBI, Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight and the state and federal departments of education.  They also compared the median house prices, amenities offered, beautiful surroundings and crime statistics.  Laurel Park is a small town (with 1400 year-round residents and up to 2250 in the summer) and wants to keep the homey, small town feel.  NeighborhoodScout.com realized what I have known all along.  Laurel Park is a wonderful place to live and retire.  So, if you are looking for a beautiful, safe, affordable place to retire, please contact me.  I’ll be happy to show you all that Laurel Park has to offer.

As a resident of Hendersonville, this comes as no surprise.  But, now the rest of the country will know what I’ve known all along.  Laurel Park has been named as one of the Best Affordable Places to Retire in the USA, according to NeighborhoodScout.com.  This online resource for buyers and investors across the country ranked neighborhoods around the United States according to the median home value and cost of living as well as other factors and gave them a score from 1-100 (100 being best).  With its beautiful surroundings in the Blue Ridge Mountains, mild climate and its median home value of $346,100, the Laurel Park neighborhood of Hendersonville, NC was given a high score of 95 out of 100.  The only two neighborhoods in the country to surpass Laurel Park were Brecksville, OH (who scored a 97) and Englewood, FL (who scored a 98).  So, don’t take my word for it.  Listen to NeighborhoodScout.com and see why Laurel Park and the Hendersonville area were named as one of the Best Affordable Places to Retire.

Today is back-to-school day for students of Bruce Drysdale Elementary School in Hendersonville, North Carolina, making it only the second school in Henderson County to utilize the year-round system.  This makes the start of the school year only four weeks after the end of the previous school year.  Rotating tracks will now have 3 months of school for every 1 month break instead of the traditional 9 months on and 3 months off.  Both teachers and janitorial staff have worked feverishly to get the school ready for the new year during the shortened summer break.  Luckily, many parents have volunteered to help as well, making the transition a little easier.

The reasoning behind having students on a year-round track instead of a traditional school year is so that students will retain more of what they learned over the previous year during the shortened time between studies.  Many school districts across the country are beginning to see the benefits of having a year-round curriculum for their students as opposed to the traditional school year.  Now, Hendersonville has joined them.  This should help our Hendersonville students be more successful in their academic careers.

Hendersonville will be showing its patriotic pride on Saturday, July 4th, in celebration of the birth of our country.  If you are a car enthusiast, head to Jackson Park from 2-9pm for the Fourth of July Cruise-in of antique cars sponsored by the Hendersonville Antique Car Club.  While you’re at Jackson Park, you can enjoy food, beach music by The Embers, crafts and fun for the kids.  Just make sure to bring a chair.  Jackson Park events will culminate in a fabulous fireworks display at dusk.

The Independence Day Parade will be held on Main Street at 11am, too.  Don’t miss it!  I’ll see you there.

Rich Cooke – The Cooke-Knapp Team, Keller Williams Realty – Mountain Partners

As both a father and a grandfather, I know that involving children in activities that promote their mind and their body’s health is a wonderful step in creating a thriving member of the community.  One great event that the Asheville City Market is hosting throughout the summer is the Kids Corner Market.  Hosted by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), the Kids Corner Market is a series of free activities to promote local farmers as well as a healthy, well-balanced diet and fun exercises for kids to enjoy.  It’s also a great way to connect with other members of the Asheville community.  The Kids Corner Market will be held every Saturday from 10am-12:30pm at the Asheville City Market (161 S Charlotte St) until August 29th and is absolutely FREE to the public.

The schedule of activities for the rest of the summer for the FREE Kids Corner Market is:

June 27: Cooking demo and food art
July 4: Transplant activity, Bountiful Cities Project
July 11: Flower press crafts and herbal tea tasting
July 18: Hands-on activity by a Parkway Ranger
July 25: No Market – Bele Chere
August 1: Obstacle Course
August 8: Healthy eating games
August 15: Scavenger Hunt
August 22: Cooking Demo
August 29: (Last Day of Market) Fun farm activities

The Henderson County chapter of the American Red Cross is holding its annual blood drive at Grace Lutheran Church in Hendersonville on June 25th all day long (7am-6pm).  All donors will receive a free Operation Blood Drive T-shirt and will be eligible to win a cruise for two in a special drawing.  The summer is an especially hard time for blood banks because many people are out of town on vacation.  Donors become scarce.  To put the importance of this event in perspective, the American Red Cross needs to have 1600 people donate blood as well as platelets every weekday to supply hospitals in the Carolina region alone.  You can give blood every 56 days and platelets every two weeks as long as you are in good health, weigh 110 lbs or more and are at least 17 years old (16 with a parent’s permission).  To schedule your appointment to donate blood or platelets, please call 693-5605 or visit http://www.membersforlife.org/cbsr/ and use code #6304 when logging in.  While walk-ins are welcome, we encourage you to make an appointment for less waiting time.  Make sure to give life by giving blood on June 25th (or anytime) in Hendersonville.