Miller honored; Kanuga's Earth Day celebration, St. James benefit set; Boys & Girls Club to go virtual

Miller honored by the Daughters of the American Revolution

Hendersonville's Jeff Miller, the founder of Blue Ridge Honor Flight, was awarded the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Community Service Award by the Joseph McDowell Chapter on April 12 at the Champion Hills Clubhouse.

According to a news release, the Community Service Award was established to recognize and honor individuals and organizations for outstanding voluntary service including achievements in cultural, educational, humanitarian, historical and patriotic endeavors. Dorsa McGuire, Community Service Awards Committee Chair, presented the award.

Blue Ridge Honor Flight was founded in 2005 by Miller to fly veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the national memorials. Honor Flight Network is a national nonprofit organization comprised of 128 independent hubs in 44 states.

Earth Day celebration set for Kanuga

Kanuga Conference Center will host "A Family Earth Day Celebration," with outdoor activities and performances by Billy Jonas and Free Planet Radio from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. April 20.

This is the first time Billy Jonas and Free Plant Radio have appeared together at the same event, according to a news release. Tickets are $15 and free for children 12 and under. Tickets and more information is available at kanuga.org/earthday.

St. James' Harmonies of Hope to benefit the hungry

St. James’ Harmonies of Hope, a concert event to feed Hendersonville’s hungry, will be held from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. April 27 at St. James Episcopal Church, 766 N. Main St.

The concert will feature the award-winning band Molasses Creek, which will take the outdoor stage at 12:30 p.m. Funds raised from this event will directly support Interfaith Assistance Ministry, The Hendersonville Rescue Mission and The Storehouse, all nonprofits working to alleviate hunger in Henderson County.

Harmonies of Hope is a new, reimagined version of the longstanding tradition of the Candlemas Concert which has been held annually at St. James for 33 years. Molasses Creek, a band which originated in Ocracoke Island, has been performing for three decades.

Tickets are $25 each, with ages 18 and under admitted free. Tickets can be purchased at stjamesepiscopal.com under the NEWS section. Tickets may also be purchased at the Hendersonville Visitors’ Center on Main Street, Diamond Rush Jewelry in Laurel Park or the St. James reception desk. Attendees should bring a lawn chair.

Boys & Girls Club members can now receive virtual career training

This summer, members at The Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County will get hands-on experience in a variety of new career paths ... virtually.

Thanks to a partnership with Transfr VR, The Boys & Girls Club recently received five VR headsets pre-programmed with virtual job shadowing opportunities. According to a news release, these hands-on simulations provide an immersive learning environment that gives students real-world experience in the skills they need for well-paying jobs. This partnership was made possible by the North Carolina Association of Boys & Girls Clubs and is a $25,000 value to our local Club.

Hendersonville Community Band to perform April 28

Americana, Songs of Our Country, is the upcoming concert of the Hendersonville Community Band, and it will be held at 3 p.m. April 28 at Blue Ridge Conference Hall at Blue Ridge Community College.

According to a news release, HCB said it was grateful to the North Carolina General Assembly for allocating funds for the Grassroots Grant and to the Arts Council of Henderson County for awarding a grant to HCB. The concert is partially sponsored by the Grassroots Grant, which emphasizes local talent, the release said.

Admission is $10 per person and free for students. Tickets are available at The Hendersonville Visitors’ Center, from band members and at the door. For more information call 828-713-8590.