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Message from the Staff
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Yes, the leaves are starting to turn and we are getting ready to enjoy one of the most beautiful seasons on Beech Mountain. This Buzz is packed with stories about new and exciting events heading our way and some fabulous photos from last month's activities.
This past month, we have had some great groups visiting us down at Buckeye. Over 100 students from Freedom Trail Elementary kid-tested the newly renovated and stained playground as they spent their field day at Buckeye. We also had visitors from Fort Bragg, Fort Jackson and a church group from Durham just to name a few. From canoes and fishing poles to ping-pong paddles, bikes and volleyballs - almost every piece of equipment received a workout this month!
For more info about any of the events/activities in the Buzz, please call the Buckeye Recreation Center at (828) 387-3003.
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Special Events and Happenings
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NEW Family-Fun Event Blows On To Beech
Are you and your little ones ready for a new event this fall? A Munchkinland Family Adventure will be held on Saturday, October 4th at the Buckeye Recreation Center. Inspired by the ever successful "Autumn at Oz" event produced for the past 20 years on Beech, Munchkinland will be held indoors at the town Recreation Center and provide activities and games designed for kids 8 & under!
Guests will play games including Twister, Pin the Tail on the Lion, Flying Monkey Musical Chairs and more! Activities will also include cookie decorating, lollipop hunt, story time and a snack. There will be many opportunities for parents and grandparents to take photos and join in on the fun. Only $10 a person & kids under 2 are FREE!
Please RSVP! Tickets are limited and we anticipate selling out all four sessions. Parking is available on site and the event is stroller and wheelchair accessible. For tickets and more information, please call 828-387-3003.
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Special Events and Happenings
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Go Fly A Kite!
The Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce will host the Annual Mile High Kite Festival, Sunday, August 31st from 10 am - 4 pm. This free, family-fun event will feature vendors, music, and contests for the "Best Decorated Kite", "Smallest/Largest Kites", "Highest Flying Kite" and many more categories! Kite-flying demonstrations and clinics will be given by the Richmond (VA) Air Force Kite club, the Wings Across Carolina Kiting, and the Okra Society of Charlotte.
The Kite Festival is one of the most popular events in the mountains. The elevation atop Beech Mountain guarantees great breezes and cool temperatures. The first 200 children to arrive receive free kites to decorate and display! Buy kites at the event, or bring your own! Thanks to the Banner Elk Kiwanis Club for sponsoring this year's event. For more info, call 828-387-9283 or visit beechmountainchamber.com.
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Special Event Recap
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Dog Show - A Treat for All
 The Bark Park was the perfect stage for the Beech Mountain Dog Show on Saturday, July 26th. Over 70 people enjoyed the beautiful weather while watching the adorable pups do tricks, parade in front of the judges, and strut their stuff. Attendees were treated to a demonstration by the Blue Ridge Bernese Mountain Dog Club. The dogs showed their superior strength by pulling carts with small dogs and kids as cargo!
Thor and owner Jill Ezell won the Look-a-Like Category. While Buster, the Maltese, won Best Trick for shaking paws! Special thanks to our volunteers Susie O'Connell, Barbara Piquet and our judges Nancy Brunzos, Mary Ann Johnson and James Watson.
For the rest of our ribbon winners, please check out the Buzz Photos on the right. If you would like to volunteer and help us come up with next year's cool canine event, please contact us. And thanks to all the Bark Park Friends for keeping the park beautiful. Remember you can help us maintain the park with your donation. Contact Buckeye Rec Center for more information.
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Photo Contest Results
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Winning Shots
Beech Mountain shutterbugs came out of the woodwork for our recent photo contest! All of the participants in our first annual "Beauty of Beech" Photo Contest captured the wide variety of fun activities and natural wonders of the mountain. The judges did not have an easy decision and they wished they could have named every single picture the first-place winner but in the end, the pictures below really stood out. The winning photos will be reproduced, framed and hung up at Town Hall. Thanks to all who took the time to submit their photos, and a big thanks to special guest judges for all of their help.
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Favorite Places: Buckeye Summer Camp
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Summer Camp Sizzles 
Buckeye Summer Camp was a definite adventure this year! 51 campers were treated to wonderful warm weather this summer as they explored the beauty of Beech Mountain! They hiked trails, canoed Buckeye Lake, played disc golf, rode the chair lift at Beech Mountain Resort and visited various local restaurants.
Our campers also traveled off the mountain for 4 fun-filled adventures! They visited Linville Caverns, Grandfather Mountain, tubed the New River, and white water rafted on the Watauga River in Tennessee. Campers left Buckeye with life long memories and great friendships. Thanks to all who participated and contributed to our summer camp program. The campers did not want to leave Buckeye and we expect to see many of them back to visit their favorite place next year. Click here to view some summer camp action!
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Hiked It - Liked It On Beech
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Did you know that Guided Hikes are held on our various trails until the end of October. Each hike is led by our trail experts, Kelsey and Sean, who enjoy sharing their knowledge of the outdoors. Come and learn all about the flora and fauna that call Beech Mountain home. Hikes vary between 2-3 hours. Appropriate footwear and water will help you make the most of your hike.
Beech Creek Bog: September 11th - starting at 9am at the Emerald Outback Base Lot. Hikers will travel approximately 2 - 2.5 miles. The Beech Creek, or Highlands Bog, is a state park located at the foot of Beech Mountain. The area is home to many different endangered species, including the Bog Turtle.
Grassy Gap/Sassafras: September 25th - starting at 9am at the Buckeye Recreation Center. The Grassy Gap Trail is full of various types of plant life and follows the creek bank. This easy to moderate trail has a change in elevation of 891 ft. In order to make a loop and finish back at the Buckeye Rec Center, hikers will also travel on Sassafras Trail which is an easy, smooth 1 mile road trail used for hiking and mountain biking.
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Emerald Outback Adventure Trail Update
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Trail work has continued throughout the summer on the Emerald Outback. The new trails are  very soft and sensitive to weather at this point. Please respect the "Trail Closed" and "Under Construction" signs at the head of the trails. These signs are only temporary and being used to help us protect the time and money we have invested in the new trail system. Soon the trails will be in great shape for both bikers and hikers. Updated maps of
the trails can be found on the Buckeye website, Visitor Center or in the kiosks at the trailheads. Keep reading the Buzz for news about our ribbon cutting event in the spring!
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Flora and Fauna Tips
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Are the deer enjoying your garden as a buffet? Susie Knepka, the town's Green Thumb Expert has graciously shared her secret with us. Thanks to Susie for sharing and for keeping all the town's gardens alive with color and beauty.
Susie's Secret Deer-off Potion
1. Start with egg yolks (or whole eggs) and put in a blender.
2. Add water and blend, adding more water until the mixture is thin enough to go through the tube of a spray bottle.
3. As an option you can add a dash of cayenne pepper.
4. Spray the mixture on your plants.
5. You will need to re-apply after a heavy rain.
Notes: "Aged" or even "fermented" eggs work best, but are not required. (If "aged" eggs are used, we strongly advise that you not make Margaritas in that blender ever again ...ever). While mixture is wet on the plant, it may attract flies but the flies will go away once it dries.
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Town Talk
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Poker Run Offers New Fun and Prizes
The Beech Mountain Fire Department is bringing the fun of a Poker Run to the mountain on September 27th, 2014! Tickets are $20 for each "hand" and can be purchased at Fred's Mercantile, the Visitor Center, Beech Mountain Club and the Buckeye Recreation Center.
The Run...which is NOT a race, starts at Fred's Gazebo at 1 pm. After traveling the 76 mile route enjoying the scenic beauty of our mountains, individuals will converge at Buckeye for a Tailgate Party and to watch the SEC Football Game at 6pm. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be provided. Guests are invited to bring their own drinks and there is a prize for the best poker hand. For more information, call the Beech Mountain Fire Department at 828-387-4612, or Buckeye at 828-387-3003.
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Operating Hours | |
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Monday - Saturday 8:30am - 8pm
Sunday, noon - 6pm |
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Click on the link above to view
the Buckeye Recreation
Fitness Calendar. |
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Wellness Tip of the Month
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Avoid Winter Weight Gain
Winter can be a difficult time of the year to continue your exercise routine and healthy eating habits. Here are five simple tips to help you avoid winter weight gain.
1. Workout with friends. Not only will this help you with accountability...it will give you some much needed social interaction during those gray days of winter.
2. Try to avoid alcohol. Indulge in some spice tea or sparkling water with a fruit twist instead. This will help you manage your calorie intake and you still will have something special to enjoy.
3. Don't go to events hungry and if you are going to indulge...make sure that the calories are really worth it. Go for that exotic piece of cheese verses a bunch of potato chips and dip.
4. Remember to have fun and stay active. If your exercise routine has lost its fun, it will be hard for you to keep with it. Ask friends to join you or start exploring other fun activities.
5. Contact Buckeye and let us help you keep on track. We all get hit with the winter blues. Let's stick together and have a fun, warm and safe winter.
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Members of the Month
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This month's members have strongly supported Buckeye for years. Not only do Elaine and Calder Smoot, Ricky and Alan Holcombe and Judy Decker promote all of Buckeye's events and activities they have programs which pay for annual, weekly or daily visits for their lodging guests. We are happy to welcome the steady stream of guests from Beech Manor, Cedar Village and the Pinnacle Inn. Thanks to all for their continued support.
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BUZZ Photos
Winner Large Pure Breed: Jack Martin and Lana (Siberian Husky)
Winner Small Pure Breed:
Pete Taulbee and Molly Brown
(Long Hair Standard Dachshund)
Winner Mixed Large Breed:
Jeff Liebson and Kodi
(Collie-Lab)
Winner Mixed Small Breed:
Wanda Schodlatz and Joey
(Norfolk Terrier Mix)
Best Trick Winner: Nancy Melfi
and Buster
Best Ears Winner: Tina Burke
and Scruffy
Another Group Visits Buckeye!
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Hanmaun Church Youth Group
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Did You Know? | |
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Dog Tags for Your
Best Friend
Did you know that the Beech Mountain Police Department offers dog tags to identify your pet if it happens to get lost? Just stop in and visit the dispatcher who will register your pet by general description, address and phone number. This is a one-time-only registration and tags are only $1 per animal. Just another town service on pet-friendly Beech Mountain. |
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Calling All Little Bikers | |
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Buckeye, recently bought brand new bikes and helmets for our new Bike Loan Program. Kids age 10 and younger can borrow a bike and helmet and cruise around Buckeye's paved path. We have 18" and 16" frames and two sets of training wheels. Ask the desk to be a Little Biker and come ride for FREE today! |
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Time to purge those pantries and join the food drive.
Located in the lobby at Buckeye is a grocery cart ready to be filled with donations for St. Bernadette's Food Bank. Please take a quick check of your pantry and consider donating any canned or sealed food to help out our neighbors. Your compassion is greatly appreciated.
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We need You! | |
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Do you enjoy volunteering? Give us a call at (828) 387-3003. |
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