A fast, flat, scenic 5K run in the Mountains of North Carolina. All proceeds will benefit the R. Flake Shaw Scholarship Fund.

The Richmond Air Force Kite Club and the Wings Across Carolina Kiting and Okra Society from Charlotte are once again descending on Beech Mountain to partake in the Eigth Annual Mile High Kite Festival. Free admission.

The High Country Triple Crown is the premier running series in the High Country of North Carolina. In existence for five years and headquartered in Boone, NC, the Triple Crown consists of three races of varying difficulty and terrain. All races showcase the breathtaking scenery of the NC mountains coupled with the vitality of the local community. Formerly managed by the High Country Soccer Association, the High Country Triple Crown has taken a new direction and is now affiliated with the Appalachian State University Institute for Health and Human Services. Beginning in 2010, 100% of the proceeds from the race series will benefit Girls on the Run of the High Country.

The Western North Carolina group has been formed for those living with lupus, as well as their family member and caregivers. It is estimated that in Haywood and surrounding counties there are more than 2,000 living with lupus. This group allows its members an opportunity for a healthy exchange of feelings, opinions and thoughts while coping with this very complicated illness. Meeting programs vary from guest speakers to DVD presentations and open group discussion. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease which can be destructive to any major organ or tissue in the body. The disease can be very unpredictable and is potentially fatal, yet no satisfactory treatment or a cure exists. Approximately 1.5 million Americans and at least five million people worldwide have a form of lupus. Lupus strikes mostly females ages 15-44, although females and males of all ages can develop lupus, and African American women are 2-3 times more likely to develop lupus. About the Lupus Foundation of America: The Lupus Foundation of America is the nation’s leading nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding the cause of and cure for lupus and providing support, services, and hope to all people affected by lupus. The LFA and its nationwide network of nearly 300 chapters and support groups, like the Piedmont Chapter, conduct programs of research, education, and advocacy. The Piedmont Chapter of the Lupus Foundation serves more than 14,000 individuals and their families affected by lupus who live in 19 counties in the Piedmont region. For more information on the Western NC Support Group, lupus, or the LFA, visit www.lupuslinks.org or call (828) 849-8271 or call Patsy Mintz, local Director of the WNC Support Group at 828-421-8428.