Events Calendar

Two Spartanburg County nonprofits both serving those with little or no income and no insurance – Spartanburg Shares Medical Loan Closet and Help for Our Elderly – are teaming together for an annual pickleball charity tournament Saturday, July 15 at 9am at the Spartanburg Athletic Club. The tournament will benefit both charities. Participants can choose between a round-robin or doubles/mixed doubles format. There are 12 courts, and each person pays $28 to register. Registration ends Tuesday, July 11 at 9pm. Click this link to register (https://bit.ly/3P00E0M).

The pickleball tournament is seeking sponsors. Sponsorship levels range from Gold, Silver, Bronze and a $100 sponsor level. The $2,000 Gold Sponsorship includes a display banner, a logo on all advertisements, three signs, a table for a representative and four entry tickets. The $1,000 Silver Sponsorship includes a display banner, a logo on all advertisements, two signs and three entry tickets. The $500 Bronze Sponsorship includes a display banner, one sign and two entry tickets. The $100 Sponsorship includes one sign at the event.

Spartanburg Shares is a nonprofit organization lending durable medical equipment for 90 days to anyone with proof of Spartanburg County residence. Spartanburg Shares is located at 137 S. Dean St., Spartanburg, SC 29303.

Help For Our Elderly assists with supplementing its clients’ incomes with everyday necessities. Its mission is to service, supplement and enrich the lives of the elderly, disabled and infirm and their families in Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union Counties. Help For Our Elderly is located at 2375 E. Main St., Unit A-311, Spartanburg, SC 29307.

For more information on Spartanburg Shares, visit their website – www.spartanburgshares.org or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/spartanburgshares.

For more information on Help for Our Elderly, visit them at www.helpforourelderly.org.

Please direct all media inquiries for Spartanburg Shares to our Volunteer Coordinator and Spokesperson Evan Carr at (864) 266-1749 or [email protected].

Learn how to care for your baby at home after being discharged from the N.I.C.U. in this informative session that includes Infant CPR.

Parents of current Spartanburg Medical Center N.I.C.U. inpatient infants, join us for the N.I.C.U. Discharge Class “Caring for Your Baby at Home”! This informative and interactive event is designed to help parents navigate the transition from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (N.I.C.U.) to home. Our experienced healthcare professionals will provide valuable insights and practical tips on how to care for your newborn in a nurturing and safe environment.

During this in-person class, you’ll learn about essential topics such as Safe Sleep, feeding, bathing, diapering, and ensuring your baby’s overall well-being. We’ll also address common concerns and answer any questions you may have. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with other parents who have gone through a similar journey.

This is information you need before transitioning home with your baby. Register now to secure your spot in the N.I.C.U. Discharge Class “Caring for Your Baby at Home”. We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us in the temperature-controlled Arena to walk on most Tuesdays and Thursdays!

Each lap around the concourse is 1/4 mile and strollers are welcome. Representatives from St. Francis Sports Medicine will be on hand for each event and other health professionals- like dietitians- are frequently scheduled to attend. Free parking is available in the VIP lot off of Church Street.

Join us for an informal writing workshop. Registration required. Email [email protected] or call 864-963-9031.

Join us in the temperature-controlled Arena to walk on most Tuesdays and Thursdays!

Each lap around the concourse is 1/4 mile and strollers are welcome. Representatives from St. Francis Sports Medicine will be on hand for each event and other health professionals- like dietitians- are frequently scheduled to attend. Free parking is available in the VIP lot off of Church Street.

Join us in the temperature-controlled Arena to walk on most Tuesdays and Thursdays!

Each lap around the concourse is 1/4 mile and strollers are welcome. Representatives from St. Francis Sports Medicine will be on hand for each event and other health professionals- like dietitians- are frequently scheduled to attend. Free parking is available in the VIP lot off of Church Street.

Trailside Fridays

We love and believe in what we do so much, that we decided to partner with The City of Greenville to bring a little of what we do to the Greenville community. This FREE experience will feature, giveaways, outdoor group fitness classes, and more. See you on the trail!

Group Fitness Class Schedule Trailside Flyer

Most of us struggle with physical, mental and/or emotional stress. I used to struggle with all three at the same time! In this course, I’ll share tools, tips and techniques that I used to achieve profound health, healing and happiness including yoga, meditation and outdoor mindfulness. Though designed for beginners, students with more intermediate skills are encouraged to join. Yoga mats can be provided if you don’t have one but you are welcome to bring your own. Everyone should bring a pen and a journal. As a bonus, you’ll also receive a free resource after the course to keep you on the path to continued self care.

Miranda Peterson Harton is an RYT500 yoga teacher, hiker, mom, wife and entrepreneur based in Western North Carolina. After quitting corporate life in 2015, she took a sabbatical during which did her first 200 hours of yoga teacher training in India, hiked around the world (including the Himalayas, Andes and Alps) and studied meditation with Buddhist monks in Thailand and Myanmar. She founded Namaste in Nature in 2017 which hosts yoga hikes and retreats that combine yoga, hiking and meditation with incredible mountains, waterfalls and sunsets. She completed her advanced 300 hours of yoga training at Asheville Yoga Center where she also continues to teach.

Program Itinerary
10:00 a.m.: Meet at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and Introductions
10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.: Indoor and Outdoor Time
4:00 p.m.: Program Concludes at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery

Registration
This Adult Field Course costs $60 for general admission and $51 for members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club, plus tax. Attendance is limited to 20 participants. Registration opens on this page on May 29 at 9 a.m.

Your program cost includes admission into the park, field instruction, and transportation during your program (you may drive your own vehicle to visit sites on the mountain if you would prefer). It does not include meals or lodging. Bringing a bagged lunch is recommended for most field courses, although Mildred’s Grill will be open to attendees. Tips are not accepted for field courses. However, donations to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation are accepted if you would like to recognize a program.

General Clothing List
Much of your time will be spent outdoors and all programs are held rain, snow or shine. You should be prepared for a variety of mountain weather conditions and temperatures. Appropriate clothing, equipment, and footwear are very important.

Equipment

• Daypack with enough room to carry extra clothing, water, lunch, camera, etc.
• Water Bottle
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Hiking boots
• Binoculars

Equipment Specific to this Course

• Yoga mat (borrow one of mine or bring your own)
• Journal
• Pen or pencil
• Comfortable clothes you can move around in 

Refunds/Cancellations
Adult Field Courses generally sell out and have a waiting list associated with the event. If you cannot attend the field course that you are registered for, a full refund will be granted within a 5-day notice of the day of the field course. This allows time for individuals on the waiting list to make accommodations to attend the event. We ask that individuals who are sick with any illness to stay home to ensure the health and safety of other participants, our staff, and the field course instructors – refunds will be granted to these individuals.

More about Field Courses
We at Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation are excited to share the unique wonders of the mountain with you. Since 2008, GMSF has aimed at creating educational programming that deepens understanding through in-depth study and field research. Our goal is to provide you with a rich experience in a particular field of study, and to also provide a safe and memorable trip to Grandfather Mountain. Read more about Field Courses.

FREE SPOT skin cancer screening.

Gibbs Cancer Center-Pelham is hosting a FREE skin cancer screening event open to the public. End the summer by checking your skin! A SPOT skin cancer screening is fast, easy, and pain-free.

This screening is open to adults ages 18 and older who are not currently under the care of a dermatologist.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED for this event as space is limited. Please contact McKenzie Speed at 864-530-6561.

Join us on Wednesday, August 9th at 5:30 pm for a special In Conversation event with playwright and author Vichet Chum! He’ll be chatting about his play Kween, which will be included in the South Carolina New Play Festival, and about the novel version of Kween coming out in October.

Kween is a searing, joyful play about a queer Cambodian American teen’s journey to find her voice and step into her legacy. Following her Dad’s deportation, everything has changed for Soma. Her Mom is away, helping her husband adjust to his new life, while her older sister, Dahvy, is preparing for her quickly unravelling wedding. Through poetry, Soma finds the words to not only save the day, but more importantly, to express exactly what she’s feeling.

Find out more and don’t miss this free event!

SC NEW PLAY FESTIVAL

The second SC New Play Festival will celebrate engaging and dynamic new plays and musicals from across the United States. This year’s festival will feature a variety presentation, 2 staged readings of new plays, a staged reading of a show for young audiences, a staged reading of a new musical, and a cabaret featuring a Broadway star. Learn more here: https://www.southcarolinanewplayfestival.org.

BOOK SUMMARY

Soma Kear’s verses have gone viral. Trouble is, she didn’t exactly think her slam poetry video through. All she knew was that her rhymes were urgent. On fire. An expression of where she was, and that place…was a hot mess.
Following her Ba’s deportation back to Cambodia, everything’s changed. Her Ma is away trying to help Ba adjust to his new life, and her older sister has taken charge with a new authoritarian tone. Meanwhile, Soma’s trending video pushes her to ask if it’s time to level up. With her school’s spoken word contest looming, Soma must decide: Is she brave enough to put herself out there? To publicly reveal her fears of Ba not returning? To admit that things may never be the same?

With every line she spits, Soma searches for a way to make sense of the world around her. The answers are at the mic.

From debut author Vichet Chum comes a celebration of Khmer identity, queerness, and embracing the complicated histories that shape who we are and want to be.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

VICHET CHUM (he/him) is a Cambodian American writer originally from Carrollton, TX. He graduated from the University of Evansville and received an MFA from Brown University. He currently lives in New York City. Kween is his debut novel, and you can visit Vichet at vichetchum.com.

Trailside Fridays

We love and believe in what we do so much, that we decided to partner with The City of Greenville to bring a little of what we do to the Greenville community. This FREE experience will feature, giveaways, outdoor group fitness classes, and more. See you on the trail!

Group Fitness Class Schedule Trailside Flyer

Join us for a Pop-Up with YA author Kailey Bright! UNRAVEL—Book #2 in the UN Series—is a story of conflicting identity, forged in deception, and perfect for fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Kate Chopin’s The Awakening.

Come meet Kailey, hear more about her book, and get a copy Saturday morning from 10am to noon!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Nora is her country’s first Unfortunate soldier—born without any powers and the only one of her kind still serving the Gifted elite. At the hem of a hesitant princess-turned-queen, Nora struggles to keep her fallen lover’s promise with the country’s growing instability.

Cassius, the disregarded prince Nora came to love, has revealed himself as the most powerful Gifted in existence—capable of taking any Gifted’s power for himself. He’s now hailed as a dark messiah for the Unfortunate revolution. After taking what he believes rightfully belongs to him, Cassius haunts Nora in her mind and toys with her emotions and allegiance alike. While Nora seeks to stop his rising influence, it’s hard for her to ignore that they both seek the same result: equity for her people.

Caught between her status as an Unfortunate, her newfound title alongside Gifted friends, and an inner light that could be further deceit, Nora must decide where her loyalty lies and face the embedding consequences.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kailey Bright is a contemporary YA fiction author and computer scientist, which means she writes code during daylight and writes about fantastical worlds under starlight.

Tired of YA stories where protagonists suddenly get secret, plot-helpful powers, Bright seeks to write powerful and ambitious stories about characters who persevere with and through disadvantages. Her books are meant to positively impact readers who struggle with challenging societal norms and cultivating inner growth.

When she’s not tanning under her computer screen’s glow, Kailey enjoys winning at mediocre bowling and drinking tea on cool mornings.

Please join us for all ages yoga on Monday mornings. Instructor Steven Johnson provides an accessible and authentic environment. Fee is $2.00 per class.

Yoga classes every Monday beginning at 6:00 p.m. Limited to 25 people. For all ability levels. Bring your own mat and blanket. Charge for the class is $2.00 per person.

Join us on Tuesday, August 15th at 5:30 pm for an In Conversation event with author Meagan Lucas. She’ll be chatting about her collection of stories Here in the Dark. We’re excited to have Meagan in store with us and can’t wait to hear all about her writing processes and inspirations. So don’t miss out on this free event!

ABOUT THE COLLECTION

Here in the Dark, the first collection from award-winning author Meagan Lucas, is a gritty genre blending wallop of short stories, set mostly in Southern Appalachia, that explore the female experience of lawlessness. In the tradition of Dorothy Allison and Bonnie Jo Campbell, Lucas tackles, with unsettling honesty: poverty, addiction, motherhood, and social justice in an increasingly troubled cultural climate. These are character-driven stories about crime, but less a who-done-it mystery and more a meditation on how the vulnerable navigate a world devoid of true justice. Unflinching in its gaze, Here in the Dark is an ambitious collection from a bold and empathetic storyteller.

Perceptive, intimate, and brave, these sixteen stories encompass shame and forgiveness, loss and redemption, oppression and revolution, and signal a new way of thinking about power and trauma. In “Voluntary Action,” a sheriff’s deputy witnesses the overdose of a high school friend in her custody. In “Buttons,” a little girl, bullied by the neighbor boy, gets her revenge with a needle and thread. In “Sitting Ducks,” a hurricane bears down on mothers, daughters, and sisters in an un-evacuated women’s prison. In “Asylum” an immigrant woman, suffering a terrible loss, sees ghosts in the hotel and houses that she cleans. In “Hell, or High Water” a young woman with Stockholm syndrome is abandoned by her kidnapper deep in the woods of Western North Carolina. And in “Here in the Dark,” a newly clean addict is given the opportunity to start over with her son if only she’ll snitch on her former lover and pimp, but discovers, of course, it’s not that simple. Blending Lucas’ musical prose with high-tension stakes, and resonant characters, Here in the Dark is a collection not to be missed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meagan Lucas is the author of the award-winning novel, Songbirds and Stray Dogs (Main Street Rag Press, 2019) and the forthcoming collection Here in the Dark (Shotgun Honey, 2023). Meagan has published over 30 short stories and essays in journals like The Santa Fe Writers’ Project, Still: The Journal, MonkeyBicycle, Cowboy Jamboree, BULL, Pithead Chapel, and others. She is Pushcart, Best of the Net, Derringer, and Canadian Crime Writer’s Award of Excellence nominated and won the 2017 Scythe Prize for Fiction. Her novel Songbirds and Stray Dogs was chosen to represent North Carolina in the Library of Congress 2022 Route 1 Reads program. Meagan teaches in the Professional Writing Program at Robert Morris University. She is the Editor in Chief of Reckon Review. Born and raised on a small island in Northern Ontario, she now lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Meagan loves: pugs, bourbon, houseplants, and bookstores.