Save money and time by filling your prescriptions at PSA Pharmacy, your locally-owned community pharmacy. PSA offers low prices, free local delivery, and old-fashioned customer service. All major insurances are accepted, including commercial plans, Medicare and Medicaid. Located at 2294 U.S. Hwy. 70, 828-686-3804, psapharmacy.com.
Work is continuing this summer on the new Community High School building in Swannanoa. The historic Swannanoa High School facade will remain, but much of the original building is being demolished. In the photo above, you can see the new building attached to the red brick facade of Swannanoa High School.
Demolition and grading work has begun at the site of the new 95-unit East Haven affordable apartment complex at the NW corner of Riverwood Road and U.S. 70. The first order of business was removal of the vacant red brick house that sat on the lot (most recently the location of Moments Coffee Shop). East Haven is a project of Mountain Housing Opportunities, mtnhousing.org.
Record numbers of sellers and buyers descended on the Ingles parking lot for the May 4 Swannanoa Community Yard Sale, sponsored by Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa. The yard sale is held twice each year, in spring and fall.
Bright yellow daffodils, multi-colored tulips and purple hyacinths herald the arrival of spring at the Swannanoa Community Garden. The winter pea ground cover is growing tall and lush, and will add much-needed nutrients to the soil when the time comes to plant. And speaking of planting ~ that time is just around the corner! The garden is now being prepped for some early crops, including peas, beets and carrots.
In addition to the main crop of vegetables, this year’s garden will have an expanded flower section with new varieties of flowers. Many of these will find their way into bouquets created by volunteer Kara Dillow and donated to the nonprofit Power Flower Project. Fruit trees and berry bushes have also been planted for future pear and blueberry crops. Additional planting areas have been created using rich, aged mulch re-used from the Swannanoa Library playground.
The Community Garden has been fortunate to have a student intern this spring. Polly Phillips, a senior at UNCA, is pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies, and has used her intern experience to expand her knowledge about organic gardening and nonprofit organizations. Polly’s energy, ideas and hard work have been of tremendous benefit to the garden, and she will be greatly missed when the semester ends.
The garden will host several community events this spring and summer, beginning with a community workday on May 11 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Light gardening chores will be followed by a picnic and games, and a raffle for a “garden bucket,” filled with all the supplies you’ll need to grow a garden in – you guessed it – a bucket! Bring your own picnic lunch; light snacks will be provided.
The Swannanoa Community Garden is a “garden that gives.” The majority of the produce grown in the garden is donated to organizations that serve our neighbors in need. The garden is sponsored by Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS), and is located on Clover Lane, off Lake Eden Road. Map.
Volunteers work at the Swannanoa Community Garden during the 2018 growing season.
Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS) recently welcomed two new board members:
Joshua Wells – Joshua received his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from North Carolina State University in 2010, and moved to Asheville later that year. He completed his Masters of Social Work degree from Western Carolina University in 2017. Joshua has been involved with the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County in various ways over the past three years. He took the position of Community School Coordinator at Owen Middle School in February 2018. He and his wife are looking forward to settling in Swannanoa and want to get more involved in this community. He sees FANS as a way to help build his knowledge of the Swannanoa Valley, and to find new ways to connect and support the community. Joshua enjoys cooking, catering, and sharing meals with friends.
Kara Dillow – Kara has lived in the Swannanoa Valley since 1988. She is a graduate of Owen High School and Appalachian State University. She spent some of her adult years living in NH, NY, and PA, pursuing landscaping, writing, and ultimately Pilates training. Kara currently works as a Pilates instructor, Pilates teacher trainer, and massage therapist at Happy Body Fitness and Wellness in South Asheville. Her other major passion is growing flowers at the Swannanoa Community Garden, where she helps manage the operations. It is her hope that people, and especially children, will develop a greater appreciation of their connection to the natural world. She is excited about growing flowers for the third year to donate to the nonprofit Power Flower Project. Kara is a proud mother of two energetic boys that she and her husband are raising in Swannanoa.
The FANS board meets the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the Swannanoa Library community meeting room. All are welcome!