Get the ‘buzz’ on light pollution in Asheboro library talk

 ASHEBORO – Have you ever explored nighttime from the perspective of a firefly, moth, migrating songbird or tree frog? 

Learn what these creatures and others need the night sky to look like so that they can conduct their nocturnal behaviors as safely and thoroughly as possible in “What’s the BUZZ About Light Pollution?” with Kathryn Reis, environmental educator with the Randolph County Soil and Water Conservation District, at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 23, at the Asheboro Public Library.

Reis also will discuss simple steps you can take to ensure wild nightlife flourishes for years to come.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

“Go Take a Hike” in Birkhead Mountains Wilderness with Asheboro library

Ciara Wilder
Massengale

ASHEBORO – Celebrate National Wilderness Month and “Go Take a Hike… with Us!” during a short and easy trek into the Birkhead Mountains Wilderness on Saturday, September 27, hosted by the Asheboro Public Library.

The hike will depart from the Tot Hill Farm Trailhead, 3901 Tot Hill Farm Road, at 10 a.m. Due to limited parking at the trailhead, please call the Asheboro library at 336-318-6803 to sign up or for more information. 

The two-mile round trip offers an easygoing walk guided by Wilder Uwharrie Trail Running founder Ciara Wilder Massengale. At the three-quarter mark, participants can rest and enjoy the natural area or continue hiking onto a short incline.

The outing is best for adults and kids 12 and older. It’s a great opportunity for beginners who are curious to learn more about hiking and ask questions.

Those with limited or no hiking experience are welcomed, but the hike features some mild endurance. Bring plenty of water and snacks as well as items case you need to relieve yourself.  Comfortable tennis shoes are recommended along with long pants; bright vivid colors for visibility also are encouraged.

Well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome; please be prepared to clean up after them.

Participants will be asked to sign a liability release.

Massengale is a trail and ultra runner, a Uwharrie National Forest enthusiast, amateur nature photographer, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. She is passionate about building community around trails and encouraging folks of all ages to enjoy and protect the trails.

Learn how to see the world afresh with nature journaling workshop at Asheboro library

 ASHEBORO – Transform the way you see the world and yourself in a nature journaling workshop at the Asheboro Public Library.

Join Brittany Smith, an environmental educator with Flora and Fauna Festivities, LLC, for “Nature’s Narratives: Improving Your Life with Nature Journaling,” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 9.

More than just putting pen to paper, learn to find clarity, creativity and calm simply by slowing down and observing the natural world.

The workshop is perfect for everyone from seasoned journalers to total beginners who want to cultivate a deeper relationship with nature.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

Go birding with CLAWS Animal Rescue at Asheboro library

ASHEBORO – Feathered friends will return to the Asheboro Public Library for “Birding with CLAWS Animal Rescue” at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, September 18.

CLAWS, which brought animal ambassadors to the library during Summer Reading, will present an educational and fun-filled program about bird watching for children of all ages and their families. Meet some of CLAWS’ birds and learn about their habitats and behaviors in our own backyards and around Randolph County.

CLAWS, located near Chapel Hill, educates the public about wild and exotic animals, and rescues and rehabilitates those in need.

During the event, Randolph Room librarian Joanna Roberts will reintroduce the Asheboro library’s collection of carved birds by Clarence Lewallen, which are being outfitted with QR codes that connect to “All About Birds” at Cornell University’s ornithology lab, and will enable viewers to learn about each bird and listen to its call. 

Discover what birds visit you at home, and impress your friends with your new birdwatching skills!

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For more information, call 336-318-6804.

Bio prof to explore bioluminescent insects in NC during Asheboro library talk

ASHEBORO – North Carolina is home to an impressive diversity of glowing insects, including fireflies, glow worms and a really interesting little fly that lives in the mountains.

Learn about this phenomenon in a talk entitled “Synchronous Shows and Foxfire Glows: The Bioluminescent Insects of North Carolina” by Dr. Clyde Sorensen of North Carolina State University, 6:30 p.m. Monday, August 25, at the Asheboro Public Library.

Sorensen will discuss the diversity of the state’s bioluminescent insects, how they make their light, and what they do with it. He also will talk about threats to the glowing insects and what individuals can do to help them.

Sorensen is Alumni Association Distinguished Professor of Entomology at NCSU, where he has served on the faculty for 29 years. His research interests include biology, ecology, and management of insects and other arthropods in agricultural ecosystems.

He also specializes in the ecology of insects, and rare and endangered plants in longleaf pine ecosystems. For the last eight years, Sorensen has intensively studied the occurrence and distribution of fireflies in North Carolina.

Sorensen lives in Clayton, N.C.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

Vote for Asheboro library as ‘Carolina’s Finest’

ASHEBORO – The Asheboro Public Library is one of three finalists for “Best Library” in “Carolina’s Finest,” Carolina Country magazine’s annual reader choice awards. 

The award goes to whoever gets the most votes by August 15. To vote, visit carolinacountry.com/finest. 

The magazine is offering voters a chance to win one of three $100 gift cards.

Voters can choose local in two other categories: the Franklinville Diner is a finalist for “Best Diner,” and Blue Mist Barbecue Sauce is a finalist for “Best Made-In-NC Product.”

Carolina Country is the magazine of North Carolina’s rural electric cooperatives and is distributed to 750,000 subscribers each month, reaching 2.2 million readers.

The Asheboro library is headquarters of the Randolph County Public Libraries system. Find out more at www.randolphlibrary.org or call 336-318-6803.

Sunset Signature Series to celebrate local Civil Rights era heroes

 ASHEBORO, NC — The public is invited to join Girl Scouts from across the region to honor local women whose strength, courage and hope helped shape the community during the Civil Rights movement in A Celebration of Randolph County Civil Rights Era Heroes, a Friends of the Library Sunset Signature Series event at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 21, in downtown Asheboro’s historic Sunset Theatre.

The event will feature powerful conversations and reflections from three remarkable women who lived through that era as young girls: Jane Ledwell-Gant, Betty Foust, and Katie Snuggs. Their stories of faith, family, school, and community will be shared with Girl Scouts from the Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont Council, offering a rare opportunity to hear living history from the women who made history.

“This celebration is about lifting up the voices of women whose everyday courage helped move our community forward,” said event organizer Todd Dulaney. “These are stories of quiet strength, deep love, and a determination to make a better world — not just for themselves but also for generations to come.”

In addition to the featured speakers, recipients of the Randolph County Civil Rights Medal of Freedom that is being awarded by the Asheboro/Randolph chapter of the NAACP on Friday, June 20, will be invited to attend and be recognized for their contributions.

The event is hosted by Girl Scout Troop No. 30061. It is a family-friendly program designed to uplift, educate, and inspire the next generation of changemakers.

The Friends of the Library Sunset Signature Series is sponsored by the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau, the City of Asheboro and the Friends of the Randolph County Public Libraries. Its goal is to bring culturally significant speakers and performers to Asheboro.

For more information, contact Todd Dulaney at todd.dulaney@gmail.com. The Sunset Theatre is located at 234 Sunset Avenue.