Mountain Aging Partners

10/13/2026

Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_CxQbJTJJQcKZiYiWVmREMA

10/09/2026

10/06/2026

BEARFOOTIN' BEAR AUCTION VIRTUAL BIDDING: OPENS October 8th (this Thursday) and last day is October 22nd.

MAP's gorgeous bear is pictured below with its two artists, Theo Sharps & Marcia Walker. Thank you for your amazing creativity!

Starting this year and moving forward the auction will be for two weeks only instead of a month. The site will not accept bids until October 8th at 10am.

Bid virtually here:
https://www.accelevents.com/e/bearauction26

October 22nd is the in person gathering and celebration portion of the auction. This will be held at the Historic Courthouse and there will be a live band and emcee. Please invite as many people as you can to this event.

All of the bears will be moved to the Historic Courthouse Plaza on October 16th.

How to bid:

All bidding will occur virtually via accelevents.com/e/bearauction26. There will be no in-person bidding. Bidding ends at 6pm EST on October 22, 2026. After the auction ends at 6pm, all active
bidders have an opportunity to outbid the highest current bid, extending each individual bears auction up to 3 minutes per bid, until there are no new bids within the three-minute period and the auction will be closed.
Starting bids for all bears will be $1,500 and minimum bids increments are $100.
Any bear can be purchased ahead of the bidding deadline at our "Buy Now" price of $10,000. The "Buy Now" option ends Tuesday, October 20 at 5 pm. BUY NOW must be purchased with credit card (processing fees apply) and cannot be guaranteed unless it is
purchased online. Bears that are not purchased with the buy now option can exceed $10,000 at
the final auction.

Visit hendersonvillenc.gov/bearfootin or the auction site directly at
accelevents.com/e/bearauction26 for complete details on bidding and acquiring your bear.

To celebrate this exciting downtown tradition, the public is invited to a countdown event on Thursday, October 22 at the Historic Courthouse Square on Main Street from 4:30pm until 6pm.
Attendees and bidders will meet the bears and their artists. While there won’t be voice call bidding at the event, attendees will be able to bid live via cell phone and can ask for setup assistance at a designated registration table. Bidders do not have to attend the in person event to be a winning bidder, but winning bidders are encouraged to pick up their bear the evening of October 22.
2027 Bear Sponsorship Application Updates: Applications for a 2027 bear will open on Monday, October 26 through Sunday, November 1. Bear sponsorship applications will be accepted for one week in order to allow for complete applications to be submitted. If there are more than 20 applicants, sponsors will be accepted by random lottery.

ABOUT THE BEARFOOTIN’ ART WALK PROGRAM
Since 2003, the Bearfootin’ Art Walk has helped raise funding for Friends of Downtown Hendersonville (a 501c3 nonprofit) and a variety of local nonprofits. In addition to raising funds, the bears offer a window into good work being done by community organizations.

The Bearfootin’ bears arrive as blank slates before local artists transform each in spectacular
fashion, with many creative artistic themes. After the “Reveal” event in early May, the bears then take up residence in downtown Hendersonville for the duration of the summer and fall, up until the auction.

10/02/2026

1-10 October is Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Week

Across the world, approximately 15% of adults aged 60 and over live with a mental health problem. Seven percent are living with dementia. Social determinants hugely affect people through their lives and lead to increased risk and inequality. Poverty, oppression, and ageism all impact on mental health in later life. Social work plays a vital part in advocating for older people’s rights and opportunities to thrive in later life. Please reach out to Mountain Aging Partners if you have questions or concerns. Our email is mapnc.org and our Helpline number is 828-692-4203.

10/01/2026

🐦🪱 The early bird gets the worm! 🪱🐦

Today, our participants put on their best bird beaks and got to work moving colorful, fuzzy “worms” into the nest. And let us tell you…those little worms were a lot harder to pick up than they looked! 😂

Activities like this are more than just fun—they encourage movement, coordination, concentration, and plenty of laughter along the way.

We’re so grateful for our creative Program Guides who continually come up with fun, engaging, and sometimes delightfully silly activities that get everyone involved. ❤️

At Adult Day, there’s always something fun happening! 🐦🪱💙

09/30/2026

🧢 BAD HAIR DAY? WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED! 🧢

Our brand-new MAP caps have arrived, and they’re already bringing smiles to our Meals on Wheels volunteers! They’re wearing them with pride as they deliver meals, make wellness checks, and brighten the days of our homebound neighbors. ❤️

And bonus… they’re the perfect accessory for those mornings when your hair just isn’t cooperating. 😂

Want to get your hands on a MAP cap? Become a volunteer! Simply fill out an application at mapnc.org/volunteer.

And because we like to make volunteering look good, you’ll get a MAP Meals on Wheels T-shirt, too!

09/30/2026

MAP was privileged to represent our Meals on Wheels program at the 26th Annual British Car Club’s Autumn in the Mountains show on Saturday, September 26th—and what a wonderful day it was!

It was truly everything good brought together in one event: gorgeous British cars, friendly spectators, enthusiastic organizers, delicious refreshments, the cutest dogs and kiddoes, and so many wonderful opportunities to connect with our community and share MAP’s mission and vision.

A special shout-out to David Woods and his amazing British Car Club team for putting together such a fantastic event and welcoming us with open arms!

We were also thrilled to have Debbie Sprouse, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels–Buncombe, and Grant Brown, Meals on Wheels–Buncombe Board Member, join us as representatives of Meals on Wheels. Having our Meals on Wheels programs come together to spread the word about the importance of nourishing and supporting our older neighbors made the day even more meaningful.

And, of course, we loved showing off our beautiful new Meals on Wheels van, which was quite the conversation starter!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our tent, said hello, asked questions, shared a story, made a donation, or simply took a moment to learn more about what we do. Every conversation helps us spread the word that no one should have to age alone.

What a beautiful day in the mountains—and what a wonderful community to be a part of! 💚

09/25/2026

Come out to see the beautiful cars and enjoy the beautiful fall day! Friendly dogs are welcome, too!!

09/23/2026

If you have questions about our MAP Adult Day, call our Helpline @ 828-692-4203. 🧡