Greetings and Salutations

And a happy 2006 to you and yours!� I hope your holiday season was joyful and pleasant.� We've been in a whirl of activity here at The Health Adventure.� The volunteer lounge and my office have moved to a new home within the main THA office.� I have switched office spaces with Brenda, our esteemed administrative assistant and, of course, Cassi the clown.� Brenda is now sharing her smiling face with everyone at the front of the office, and the volunteer area is in the back of the office.� If you haven't been by since the switch, come see our new digs!� We've got lovely paint colors, new work-spaces, and plenty of room to welcome you.

December also saw the arrival of our latest traveling exhibit, "Rainforest ALIVE!" from the Catawba Science Center in Hickory, NC.� This exciting exhibit features live animals from tropical rainforests around the world and has been a huge hit with our guests.� In the exhibit, guests find themselves face to face with frogs, bats, chameleons, geckos, lovebirds, insects, and more.� Thanks to our exhibits staff and our resident anthropologist, Stefanie (also known as our school scheduler), we also have a great "Discovery Corner" for our younger guests.� Constructed like a native hut, the corner has musical instruments, scent jars, and exotic fabrics and fruits (plastic, of course!).� I think the most common word I've heard in the room is "awesome!"� If you haven't been by, come say hello to our animals!

And of course, we all know what February brings...Dental Month!� This year's theme is "Sheriff Tough Tooth Rides Again," and we look forward to sharing the program with kids across the region.� If you know your kids are coming, be prepared to hear them singing the "wiggle, jiggle" tooth-brushing song!

Believe it or not, summer camp is also on the not-so-distant horizon.� Brochures are in and on their way to schools.� If you have a child, grandchild, neighbor, or young friend who wants to attend one of this summer's camps, Stefanie's waiting for your reservations at 254-6373 x329.

In personal news, I successfully completed my first semester of teaching Irish dance at the Asheville Arts Center.� My class, 7-12 year-old beginners, did an amazing job in our semester recital.� I now teach two evening classes for the same age group--a level one and level two--plus an adult class.� It's been grand fun for me to watch these kids "find their feet", make new friends, and gain confidence over the past several months.

I hope your new year is filled with laughter and love, and we look forward to seeing you here soon!

Welcome, New Volunteers!

We are happy to welcome several new volunteers during this time of year.� If you're around the museum, I hope you'll have a chance to greet them!

Julie Sassen is a new intern from A-B Tech.� She is originally from England and has lived in Australia and other exotic locations before settling in the Asheville area.� Julie is using this internship to learn about interactive programs and to gain experience teaching.� She's here two days a week observing classes and working with educators.� Welcome, Julie!

Emily Peele joins us as a long-time National Park Service employee.� She has a strong science background and is especially interested in biology, nutrition, and bones.� Emily will be joining us as an education volunteer to assist in school programs, microbiology classes, and more.� Welcome, Emily!

SILSA volunteers come to us from the new School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville High.� This new school focuses on discovering the connections between disciplines and emphasizes the importance of field experiences.� We have a great group of volunteers from this school who will be helping us with the "Rainforest ALIVE!" exhibit.� So welcome Connell, Meagan, Quinn, Chelsea, Emma Claire, Anna, and Joe!�

We are also happy to welcome a biology class from Warren-Wilson College, taught by Professor Amy Boyd, who will be working with guests in the rainforest exhibit.� Her students will participate in 8 hours of service-learning this semester, all focused on guest interaction.� Welcome!

Our esteemed CEO, Dr. Todd Boyette, is also sending students from his education course at UNCA.� We'll be hosting 20 of his students for 18 hours this semester.� These students are all in the teaching certification program, and we're looking forward to showing them ways to educate outside the traditional school classroom.� Welcome one and all!

Fuller Baudouin also joins us as a new volunteer.� She will be working out on the museum floor interacting with our guests.� Welcome, and we look forward to working with you!

We're glad each and every one of you are here, and we look forward to working with you!�

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Chamber of Commerce Volunteer Tour Assistant
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
2:00-4:15 p.m.
Come help us greet members of the Chamber of Commerce who are here for a special day at The Health Adventure!� Volunteers are needed to monitor refreshment areas and provide support to our development department as they host this great event.

Upcoming Events

All events are FREE for members or with museum admission!

Critters of the Rainforest: Feathers and Fur
Saturday, February 4, 2-3 p.m.
There's more to the rainforest than snakes and giant spiders!� Let Jungle Joe from Roving Science introduce you to some of the mammals and birds that inhabit the rainforests of the world.� Free for members and with museum admission.

Growing Orchids in the Home Environment
Saturday, February 25, 2-3 p.m.
An orchid aficionado from the WNC Orchid Society shares tips on how to grow beautiful tropical orchids in your own home.� Come discover an expert's secrets, ask questions, and observe several demonstration plans in full bloom.� Discussion topics will include lighting requirements, watering, humidity, re-potting, and fertilizing your orchids.

Irish Dance Celebration in Honor of St. Patrick's Day
Date/Time tentative: Saturday, March 11, 1-2 p.m.
Join dancers from Asheville's own Gallagher School of Irish Dance for an Irish dance extravaganza!� See examples of several soft and hard shoe dances (and maybe try a few of your own!).� A great chance to get into the spirit of St. Patrick's Day!

Critters of the Rainforest: Scales, Slime, and Creepy Crawlies
Saturday, March 18, 2-3 p.m.
Imagine walking alone through the dark, damp mist of a rainforest.� What sorts of creepy creatures crawl into your imagination?� Jungle Joe from Roving Science lets you get up close and personal with some of the amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates that make the rainforest their home.

Rainforest Rhythms
Saturday, April 15, 2-3 p.m.
Asheville's own Avec La Force Percussion Initiative provides an hour of energized West African rhythms.� Come dance, listen, and make a percussion instrument of your own to play!

Critters of the Rainforest: Feathers and Fur
Saturday, May 20, 2-3 p.m.
Join us for part two of Jungle Joe's Feathers and Fur presentation featuring mammals and birds that inhabit the world's rainforests.� This is our last guest speaker presentation for the "Rainforest ALIVE!" exhibit, so don't miss it!

Take a Vote!

Happy Volunteer Week (a few months early...)� We are gearing up for this year's National Volunteer Appreciation Week, which will be the week of April 23.� This is a wonderful, nationally-recognized week all in celebration of YOU--our country's wonderful volunteers.� Traditionally, The Health Adventure provides a special meal or other event sponsored by our staff as a way of saying a special thank you for all of your hard work.

I can't spill the beans just yet about this year's event, but I'll give you a few hints...it's tied in to our current traveling exhibit and will most likely feature a great program by a local organization.� The food will be yummy and the program will be great!

We want to see you all at this year's event, so here's your chance to vote on the time, day, etc. of this year's Volunteer Week extravaganza.� Please take a few moments to answer the following statement:

The best events for me are on ______________________ (day(s) of week) at_______________ (specific time) or in the ______________(morning, afternoon, or evening).

See?� That was easy!� Now, just send your answer to me by email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or give me a call (254-6373 x322).

Thanks!� And keep your eye on your mailbox for details!