Feb 23, 2025 - Beech Community Update

Here’s what’s happening in our community.

🤝 Wed Feb 26 - Community Support Meeting

This meeting is to welcome supporters, including volunteers and advisors, to enhance community engagement within Beech Community. This is open to all Beech Community residents - those interested in actively supporting community programs are especially encouraged to attend.
Date: Wed Feb 26th @ 6pm at the Beech Community Center.

Click here to RSVP now! (even if you can’t make it!)
RSVP form includes a link to the agenda

🌟 Active Volunteers Meeting Report

On Feb 14, seventeen active volunteers gathered for a discussion on the future of Beech community efforts and involvement. The meeting generated a range of perspectives and sparked important conversations about representation and collaboration.

While there were different perspectives on the approach, there was general agreement that there is so much talent and passion in this community that we should all be working towards harnessing that and leaning on one another for the benefit of this community and the center.

A detailed summary of the meeting, including a link to the video (which has been viewed over 140 times) and a full transcript, is available for those interested.

Looking ahead, the group agreed to reconvene on Wed, Feb 26, to continue working together and welcoming active supporters. Participants had one week to contribute to or suggest updates to the agenda which is now available to the community.

All of those present emphasized the importance of inclusivity, bringing together the voices and talents of all Beech residents—young and old, from all backgrounds—to create the best outcomes for everyone. That’s the community spirit we strive for!

🫂 Hurricane Helene Recovery Updates

A reminder that Buncombe County has a dedicated site providing info on the ongoing recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene. The next County meeting is on Feb 25 5-7pm at Reynolds High School. See the notecard at the end of this email or get more info and stay updated online at Buncombe County Helene Recovery Updates.

Samaritan’s Purse has also encouraged Beech area residents to reach out if they FEMA and insurance has not covered their storm damage. The Samaritan’s Purse hotline is 828-718-8935.

🍲 Community Dinner Sat Mar 15 @ 5pm

Twenty-two neighbors met on a chilly Saturday night a week ago and are looking forward to meeting again with more community members on March 15th. This is a potluck, bring your favorite dish to share and enjoy a wonderful evening of delicious food, great company, and if the stars align, live music. The event will take place at the community center. Everyone is welcome, see you there!

❓ Got Questions?

Got questions about Beech Community or perhaps about this newsletter? We're here to help! Whether you're curious about decision-making processes, policies, or ways to get involved, this is your chance to ask. You can email us directly friends@beechcommunity.org and we’ll post questions and answers online in March. We’ll also be capturing questions at the Mar 26th meeting.

📢 Add your Local Business!

Reminder that our local Beech business directory is now live! Be sure to add your own business, service, or craft work for neighbors to see. This is a great way to support neighborhood businesses.

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Let's continue building a bright future for our community.

We welcome your contributions and suggestions. If you have a topic you'd like covered or an article to contribute, email friends@beechcommunity.org . We want more voices to be heard! Stay connected with us on Facebook for more frequent updates!

Thank you for being an essential part of our community. We look forward to seeing you at the center and around town this week!

Warm regards,

Friends of Beech Community