Activities – Beaverdam Run

This section concentrates primarily on organized activities within the confines of Beaverdam Run. Information on who to contact to join are in each issue of the Beaverdam News and Views newsletter. We welcome all residents to participate in any of these activities.

Feel free to submit information about activities not listed here, or new ones as they emerge. Great resources exist for activities outside our community. You might want to investigate membership in ashevillenewcomersclub.com or Asheville New Friends.

Contract Bridge

Bridge at Beaverdam Run meets for bridge on Wednesday afternoons, rotating
the venue at each other’s homes. They play 24 rounds of Chicago-style
bridge. Players should know the basics of Bridge. If you’d like to become a
regular or sub, please reach out to r.a.jones@comcast.net

Bridge classes are offered as part of the adult program at UNCA–the Asheville campus of the University of North Carolina. Duplicate bridge play is available at the Asheville Bridge Room; click here for information.

Creative Club

We are a group that gets together the first Thursday of each month to learn something new, teach something we know how to do, and just have fun creating art or a craft project. Different women take the lead in doing something that looks interesting. Projects can be in any media. Projects should be something that require no previous experience. A range of skill levels might be involved, but projects would entail self-paced exploration.

Projects have included: Making holiday cookies, learning Notan, a Japanese paper-cutting technique, creating succulents and pumpkin centerpieces, learning how to make needle-felted critters, folded-page book hearts, and creating terrariums.

First Friday Social

A social get-together for residents happens at the Clubhouse the first Friday of each month, from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. It’s BYOB, with mixers, cups, and ice cubes provided. Each party is hosted by four to six residents, who make sure that there are plenty of hors-d’oeuvres to go around.

It’s a great way to meet people, but be sure to put on the name tag that is provided for you. First Friday Socials are sponsored by the Social Committee.

Hiking

From April through October, Beaverdam Run residents enjoy hiking together each Wednesday morning. Hikes are within a 1½ hour radius of Asheville on some of the most scenic trails in the area, ranging from spectacular mountain views to waterfalls. The hikes are considered “moderate” to “intermediate” ensuring that active adults in our community are able to participate comfortably while enjoying the camaraderie of their neighbors. Lunches are either a picnic on the hike or at a restaurant near the trail’s terminus. Trails are generally wide enough for hikers to walk side by side to enable pleasant conversation along with the physical exercise. The group carpools from the Gazebo, usually at 8:30am returning no later than 2:30pm. There is no fee to participate. For information, contact Tom Glaser.

In addition, the Asheville community has numerous hiking organizations for hikers of all skill levels. Among these are Asheville Amblers–walks in Asheville and the surrounding area; Asheville New Friends–all-day hikes for the more serious hiker and half-day hikes for those less adventurous; Carolina Mountain Club–somewhat more challenging hikes, around the Blue Ridge Parkway and elsewhere; and AshevilleNewComersClub – hikes and walks in the areas surrounding Asheville that are easy and moderate.

Mah Jongg

A group of players that make up two or three tables, meet every Friday in the Clubhouse from 1 pm to 4 pm to play Mah Jongg. Beginners are welcome to watch, and if interested, will be taught to play. Contact Amy Campbell for details.

Opera Night

On the first Thursday of each month a DVD opera is shown in the Clubhouse, starting at 7 pm. An email with more details about the opera is sent to those who have signed up for such notification. The coordinator is Amy Campbell.

Pickleball

This increasingly popular sport has attracted many players in our community. The Pickleball courts had an update in 2020, and now four courts are available for use at the upper court location. Balls and paddles are stored in storage boxes at the court. Games start at 10 am on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

New players welcome! New players may want to look at Pickleball Rules and Pickleball Tips. The rules are also posted at the court.

The coordinator is Mort Stein who maintains an email list of players. If you would like to be added to the email list,, please contact Mort at: Mort.stein2@gmail.com

Roadside Cleanup

This activity, which dates back to 1990, occurs outside Beaverdam Run, but it is strictly a BR activity. Every two or three months a crew equipped with garden gloves, safety vests and big plastic bags patrols about 1.5 miles of Beaverdam Rd., picking up roadside trash.

Teams of two drive to a designated point, from which they cover both sides of the road for about 0.3 mile. Spiked poles are provided for those who wish to use them.

The effort is coordinated by Yvonne Smith. Volunteers welcome! The task takes about 1 hour, door-to-door.

Qi gong

A free Qi gong class for men and women meets weekly on Fridays from 10am to 11am in the Clubhouse. Wear loose clothing and athletic or light-weight shoes. Joanne Bossert is the coordinator.

Water Aerobics Class

Water Aerobic classes are free and led by resident Jane Campbell. Residents may join this class at any time. Classes are held in the swimming pool at the Clubhouse each week, as follows:

Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:15

If you’re interested, contact the coordinator, Jane Campbell.

Yoga Class

Yoga class for men and women meets at the Clubhouse weekly on Tuesdays at 4:30pm. The cost per session is $15 “drop-in” , or $140 per quarter. The number in a class is limited only by the size of the room.

The instructor is Kelley Johnson. Her classes here are designed for beginners, though intermediate practitioners can benefit. The classes emphasize integration of breathing and gentle stretches, as well as balance. Students are urged to do “only what you can do.”

Each student is expected to furnish his/her own yoga mat. A yoga mat is desirable because of its friction surface, but a towel will do until you are sure you want to continue.

Contact coordinator Amy Campbell for details.