Murphy NC 28906

The Cherokee County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and the Office of Economic Opportunity of Catholic Social Services are sponsoring a free financial fitness workshop on Tuesday, January 22, 2008.

The workshop will be held from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm at the Hiwassee Valley Pool and Wellness Center in Murphy, NC.

The first 25 people to register for the workshop will receive a free dinner, too.

The event will include topics on budgeting, holiday debt, and tips for the upcoming tax season.

Professionals from the community will present information and strategies for financial management. A credit counselor also will be available to answer questions.

This is a good opportunity for all who have concerns about their financial situation or who would like to get the new year started on a positive track with planning and budgeting.

To register, call Claudie Burchfield at 828-835-3535 or email him at cmburchfield@charlottediocese.org or call Teresa Wiley at 828-835-2210 or email her at teresa_wiley@ncsu.edu .

The Hiwassee Valley Pool and Wellness Center will be offering a Water Arthritis Aquatic Class from 10:00 am until 11:00 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The cost is $2.00 per class. The programs is a medically-approved, warm-water class program, with water temperatures at 84 degrees.

The program is designed specifically for people with arthritis to ease pain, lessen stiffness, build cardiovascular endurance, tone muscles, and improve joint flexibility.

For more information, call Geri Heier at 828-835-3700.

John Strawn, owner of Hanging Dog Valley Nursery, recently donated labor and landscaping services to the new Hiwassee Valley Pool and Wellness Center, which opens this weekend.

He planted numerous trees, shrubs, and flowers, and also provided site preparation and fill dirt for the project.

Hanging Dog Valley Nursery is located at 2600 Boiling Springs Road, Murphy, NC 28906.

For more information, call 828-837-7921.