Building Community
2026-01-04 16:00 - 17:30 (America/New_York) | The Corner Coffee Shop, 66 Church St,, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
Building Community in Clay will meet Sunday, January 4th, 4pm, at The Corner Coffee Shop. After a holiday break to enjoy the season, it’s time to get back at it. At least some of this first meeting of 2026 will be planning out the year to the midterms. We have decisions to be made and we need YOU to help us do that. If you’ve been following our emails, step up your game and attend a meeting. I promise you will be glad you did!
About Building Community
Building Community is a non-partisan monthly event intended to build strength within our own community to fight back against attempts to weaken our Democracy. After the last election many of us have been experiencing a range of emotions— anger, frustration, disappointment, uncertainty—and that these feelings can sometimes feel isolating. Please know that you are not alone and that we are much stronger as a group. Please join us the first Sunday of each month at 4:00 PM at the Corner Coffee Shop (MJs) in Hayesville for educational presentations, riveting discussion, and practical actions we can take to strengthen our community and our Democracy.
Feel free to bring a to bring a personal snack and/or drink, or finger foods if you wish to share.
NOTE: Although Building Community is a local event addressing issues originating from our community members, we have an affiliation with the national group, Indivisible due to the overlap of common goals. We believe we can learn, grow, and share more effectively with this affiliation.

Clay County Board of Commissioners
2026-01-08 18:30 - 19:30 | Board of Commissioners Meeting Location, 261 Courthouse Drive, Hayesville, 28904, United States
NOTE: The Board of Commissioners will meet the second Thursday of the month for the month of January due to New Years Holiday.
The Clay County Board of Commissioners meet monthly on the 1st Thursday of the month at 6:30 PM. A button linking to the current agenda can be found here: https://www.claync.us/board-of-commissioners

Banned Book Club
2026-01-12 16:00 - 17:30 | Moss Public Library (Hayesville), 26 Anderson St, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
NOTE: Meeting Time has been changed to 4:00 PM
Rather than a book selection for January, we shall be viewing Interview with Ken Burns discussing his latest documentary, The American Revolution. In addition, there will be discussion and decision-making to determine the group’s path forward. We ask all past BBC participants to bring suggestions for how we can improve everyone’s experience.

What have you enjoyed or not enjoyed about our book selections and past discussions?
Are there new areas of focus/topics you would like the group to explore?
What new directions and approaches do you think would be healthy and productive in these trying times

WE APPRECIATE YOUR IDEAS AND INPUT!
This meeting will take place in the Community Room at the Moss Memorial Library. Entrance will be via the door on the same side as The Friends of the Library Book Store.

Hayesville Town Council Meeting
2026-01-12 18:30 - 19:30, 2026-02-09 18:30 - 19:30, 2026-03-09 18:30 - 19:30 | Hayesville Town Hall, 56 Sanderson Street, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
Town Council meetings are open to the public and held on the 2nd Monday of each month at 6:30 pm. You may call the Town Clerk at 828-389-1862 for more information on the Town Council or for specific meeting information. Meeting minutes and information may be found here.

Clay County Board of Elections
2026-01-13 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-02-10 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-03-10 09:00 - 10:00 | Board of Elections Meeting Location, 75 Riverside Circle, Suite 3, Hayesville, NC, 28904
The Clay County Board of Elections meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 9:00 AM. Additional information about the Clay County Board of Elections may be found on their website: https://elections.claync.us/.

NC-11 Candidate Forum
2026-01-17 12:30 - 15:00 | Moore Hall at the Hinton Center, 2300 Hinton Center Rd, Hayesville, North Carolina, 28904, United States
Please let us know you plan to come by signing up here.
Clay County Democrats are partnering with neighboring North Carolina counties and organizations to host a joint candidate forum. All NC-11 Democratic Congressional candidates have agreed to attend and will have the opportunity to introduce themselves and respond to questions in a panel discussion format. This is your chance to meet the candidates, hear their priorities, and learn where they stand on the issues that matter most to our district.
The following is the list of the NC-11 Democratic Candidates:

Zelda Briarwood – from Canton.Works in direct care and as an advocate.
Jamie Ager – CEO and co-founder of Hickory Nut Gap Farm. His brother is in the NC General Assembly and family has a history of service in government. Lives in Fairview
Richard Hudspeth, M.D. – Family Practice Physician lives in Hendersonville. He served as CEO of Blue Ridge Health.
Paul Maddox – Cancer researcher at UNC Chapel Hill and two-time entrepreneur.
Lee Whipple – TBD

You can learn more about each of the candidates by visiting their candidate websites at our 2026 Primary Candidates Page here.

Clay County Board of Education
2026-01-26 18:00 - 19:00, 2026-02-23 18:00 - 19:00, 2026-03-23 18:00 - 19:00 | School Board Meeting Location, 154 Yellow Jacket Dr,, Hayesville, 28904, United States
The Clay County Board of Education meets in regular session on the 4th Monday night every month unless otherwise posted. The Clay County School website is clayschools.org and the School Board web page and minutes may be found here. All meetings begin at 6:00 pm in the boardroom of the Clay County Board of Education office.

Clay County Democratic Party Monthly Meeting
2026-01-27 17:30 - 19:00 | The Corner Coffee Shop, 66 Church St,, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
You’re invited to the Clay County Democrats’ January Meeting with Guest Speaker Philip Moore!Philip, a sixth-generation Clay Countian, will present a brief overview of the political history of Clay County. He will place our local political evolution within the context of the Appalachian region and the nation, while challenging common misconceptions. The talk will include fun and fascinating trivia such as how topography influences politics and how a Clay County election made the national news.
All Clay County voters are invited to attend our monthly meeting at the Corner Coffee & Wine Shop in Hayesville. The Clay County Democratic Party monthly meeting is on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Our meeting format begins with a half hour to meet and socialize at the beginning of the meeting starting at 5:30PM. The informal socialization time will end at 6:00 PM at which time our guest speaker will begin. Finally, the business meeting will start at the conclusion of our guest speaker’s presentation, typically around 6:30 PM and the business meeting typically runs about a half an hour. The business portion of the meeting is open for all to attend, and any Clay County registered democrats may vote in business meeting motions if they wish.

Soil & Water Conservation District Board Meeting
2026-01-28 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-02-25 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-03-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Soil & Water Conservation District Board Meeting Location, 25 Riverside Circle, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
The SWCD board meets on the 4th Wednesday of each the month at 7:00 PM at 25 Riverside Circle (i.e., the brick community building down the hill from the library). The group meets in the conference room of the NC Cooperative Extension.

Building Community
2026-02-01 16:00 - 17:30 | The Corner Coffee Shop, 66 Church St,, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
Building Community in Clay will meet Sunday, February 1st, 4pm, at The Corner Coffee Shop. So much has been happening and we must continue to work together to stand up for our civil rights and democracy. We will also have postcards to send out at this meeting.
About Building Community
Building Community is a non-partisan monthly event intended to build strength within our own community to fight back against attempts to weaken our Democracy. After the last election many of us have been experiencing a range of emotions— anger, frustration, disappointment, uncertainty—and that these feelings can sometimes feel isolating. Please know that you are not alone and that we are much stronger as a group. Please join us the first Sunday of each month at 4:00 PM at the Corner Coffee Shop (MJs) in Hayesville for educational presentations, riveting discussion, and practical actions we can take to strengthen our community and our Democracy.
Feel free to bring a to bring a personal snack and/or drink, or finger foods if you wish to share.
NOTE: Although Building Community is a local event addressing issues originating from our community members, we have an affiliation with the national group, Indivisible due to the overlap of common goals. We believe we can learn, grow, and share more effectively with this affiliation.

Clay County Board of Commissioners
2026-02-05 18:30 - 19:30 | Board of Commissioners Meeting Location, 261 Courthouse Drive, Hayesville, 28904, United States
The Clay County Board of Commissioners meet monthly on the 1st Thursday of the month at 6:30 PM. A button linking to the current agenda can be found here: https://www.claync.us/board-of-commissioners

Banned Book Club
2026-02-09 16:00 - 17:00 | Moss Public Library (Hayesville), 26 Anderson St, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’ll enjoy “Speed Dating” for books. Bring a book to share, any genre. Be prepared to share 2-4 minutes of why you liked the book and why others might want to read it.
Our topic for March is domestic violence or bullying. We seek a local expert who can talk with us, suggestions for books to read, a contact who can tell us about bullying in Clay County schools, and maybe a victim to share their experience. If you have suggestions for any of these, please let me know. — Martha Robinson

2026 Primary Early Voting
2026-02-12 08:00 - 2026-02-28 17:00 | Board of Elections Meeting Location, 75 Riverside Circle, Suite 3, Hayesville, NC, 28904
Early Voting and Same Day Registration for the 2026 Primary is Feb 12th through Feb 28th (excluding Sundays, and the only Saturday to vote is the 28th from 8am – 3pm)… don’t miss it! All early voting takes place at the Clay County Board of Elections Office at 75 Riverside Circle, Suite 3, Hayesville, NC 28904. Learn more about when and where to vote here.
Democrats and Unaffiliated voters casting a Democratic Ballot:
Learn about all of the candidates on the ballot here.
View a sample ballot here

Peace Vigil Hosted by Building Community
2026-02-14 12:00 - 13:00 | Good Shepherd Church, 495 Herbert Hills Dr, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
Saturday, February 14th, 12pm, at Good Shepherd Church, 495 Herbert Hills Dr, Hayesville, Building Community in Clay will host a Peace Vigil. Julia Buckner will address the gatherers and we will have some music along with words from some of our members. No signs please.

Clay County Democratic Party Monthly Meeting
2026-02-24 17:30 - 19:00 | The Corner Coffee Shop, 66 Church St,, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
Wendy Slaton of the Clay County FLIP Committee will present:
KNOW THE PLAN – HOW WE CAN BRING SANITY BACK TO NORTH CAROLINA POLITICS ONCE AGAIN
There is a strategic plan to break the grip of rigged, gerrymandered control over our state government. The 2026 election is pivotal. Re-electing Anita Earls to the North Carolina Supreme Court and electing Roy Cooper to the United States Senate are critical first steps in putting this plan into action.
If you care about:

Your right to vote
Access to affordable health insurance
Strong public school funding
A clean environment
A fair, impartial, and independent judiciary
Reproductive rights
Families’ freedom to determine their own future

Then this presentation is for you!
All community members are invited to attend our monthly meeting at the Corner Coffee & Wine Shop in Hayesville. We meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month.

5:30 PM – Informal social time to meet and connect
6:00 PM – Guest speaker presentation
6:30 PM (approx.) – Business meeting. The business portion of the meeting is open for all to attend if they wish.

Building Community
2026-03-01 16:00 - 17:00 | The Corner Coffee Shop, 66 Church St,, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
Building Community in Clay will meet Sunday, March 1st, 4pm, at The Corner Coffee Shop. Wendy Slaton will present: KNOW THE PLAN – HOW WE CAN BRING SANITY BACK TO NORTH CAROLINA POLITICS ONCE AGAIN
This is the strategic plan to break the grip of rigged, gerrymandered control over our state government. The 2026 election is pivotal. Re-electing Anita Earls to the North Carolina Supreme Court and electing Roy Cooper to the United States Senate are critical first steps in putting this plan into action. Join us and learn what you can do to help.
About Building Community
Building Community is a non-partisan monthly event intended to build strength within our own community to fight back against attempts to weaken our Democracy. After the last election many of us have been experiencing a range of emotions— anger, frustration, disappointment, uncertainty—and that these feelings can sometimes feel isolating. Please know that you are not alone and that we are much stronger as a group. Please join us the first Sunday of each month at 4:00 PM at the Corner Coffee Shop (MJs) in Hayesville for educational presentations, riveting discussion, and practical actions we can take to strengthen our community and our Democracy.
Feel free to bring a to bring a personal snack and/or drink, or finger foods if you wish to share.
NOTE: Although Building Community is a local event addressing issues originating from our community members, we have an affiliation with the national group, Indivisible due to the overlap of common goals. We believe we can learn, grow, and share more effectively with this affiliation.

2026 Primary Election Day
2026-03-03 06:30 - 19:30
March 3rd 2026 is Primary Election Day… don’t miss it!
Learn When and Where to Vote here
Democrats and Unaffiliated voters casting a Democratic Ballot:
Learn about all of the candidates on the ballot here.
View a sample ballot here

Clay County Board of Commissioners
2026-03-05 18:30 - 19:30 | School Board Meeting Location, 154 Yellow Jacket Dr,, Hayesville, 28904, United States

Campaign Breakfast Fundraiser for Justice Anita Earls
2026-03-07 10:00 - 11:00 | Cherokee County Democratic Party Headquarters, 142 Main St, Andrews, NC, 28901, United States
Cherokee and Clay County Democrats are hosting this fundraiser event for Justice Anita Earls. It is critical that NC Democrats regain power in the Judicial branch to ensure fair elections.
Use the Mobilize Event link here for event information and sign up.

Banned Book Club
2026-03-09 16:00 - 17:00 | Moss Public Library (Hayesville), 26 Anderson St, Hayesville, NC, 28904, United States
WHAT Banned Book Club Meeting
WHEN Monday, March 9, 2026 at 4 p.m. (NOTE: we are meeting at 4 PM for this meeting and will return to 5 PM next meeting)
WHERE Moss Memorial Library, 26 Anderson Street, Hayesville
WHY We will explore domestic violence in our community. Judith Alvarado from REACH will join us to discuss offered services, how many clients they serve annually, successes, challenges, funding sources and how we might help.
To prepare for the meeting, we offer the following resources for reading and watching. (Thanks to Callie Moore for assembling this list.)

14 Survivor Stories, Buncombe County, NC Justice Services – https://www.buncombenc.gov/272/Rebeccas-Story
A Domestic Violence Survivor’s Story YouTube video (3:42) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No6lGbMywsA
When My Daughter Became a Victim of Violent Domestic Abuse, I Could No Longer Be Silent from Moms Demand Action for Gun Violence in America – https://momsdemandaction.org/when-my-daughter-became-a-victim-of-violent-domestic-abuse-i-could-no-longer-be-silent/
From Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF): A 4-part series as told by Brie Alexis, in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in 2018. This is a true story.

https://avlf.org/how-i-escaped-the-story-of-domestic-abuse-survivor-2/
https://avlf.org/part-2-of-how-i-escaped-the-story-of-a-domestic-abuse-survivor/
https://avlf.org/part-3-of-how-i-escaped-the-story-of-a-domestic-abuse-survivor/
https://avlf.org/part-4-of-how-i-escaped-the-story-of-a-domestic-abuse-survivor/

Stories from Survivors – https://safeandequal.org.au/understanding-family-violence/stories/ – This organization is in Victoria, Australia, but there are a ton of resources, studies, and information in addition to these stories. Also, you can see the parallels between the NC & GA stories and realize that this is worldwide, not just in the US.
10 Podcasts on Domestic Violence Awareness – https://crimevictimshelpny.org/news/article.768845-10_Podcasts_on_Domestic_Violence_Awareness

The book share session on Feb. 9 was very successful. Many thanks to all who attended and shared a book. On March 9, we will use this list to develop our future reading selections. (Thanks to Beth Hamilton for taking notes and typing up the list.)

1. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. The book chronicles the story of a neurosurgeon who is diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. Explores questions of life, meaning and mortality.
2. There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America by Brian Goldstone. The book uses the stories of five Atlanta families to expose the crisis of the “working homeless,” where full-time workers cannot afford housing. Author argues for housing to be treated as a human right.3. The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman. Historical fiction coming of age story set in 1930s rural Virginia. Focus on a young immigrant mother’s struggle against the eugenics movement.
4. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. A novel about a mysterious, kind-hearted older man named Theo. He moves to the fictional southern city of Golden, GA and anonymously brings joy to its residents by buying local art and returning it to its subjects, sparking stories and connections. Originally self-published. It became a bestselling novel.
5. Braiding Sweetgrass, Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. The author blends botany with Indigenous wisdom, particularly from her Potawatomi heritage, to explore humanity’s relationship with the natural world.
6. Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict. Historical fiction that asks what kind of woman could have inspired an American dynasty. A book on the class struggle in the rise of the early American elite. The story of a brilliant woman who may have spurred Andrew Carnegie’s transformation from ruthless industrialist to philanthropist.
7. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. A novel that tells the life story of Sybil Van Antwerp, a retired lawyer in her seventies, through her letters and emails. The book explores themes of aging, forgiveness and memory.
8. Teddy and Booker T: How Two American Icons Blazed a Path for Racial Equality by Brian Kilmeade. Book tells the story of how two wildly different Americans faced the challenge of keeping America moving toward the promise of the Emancipation Proclamation.
9. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad. A memoir and cultural critique that explores the hypocrisy of Western imperialism, the experience of being an Arab immigrant in the West, and the moral reckoning following the Gaza genocide.
10. Raising Hare, A Memoir by Chloe Dalton. A nonfiction book about the author’s experiences rescuing and raising a baby hare (leveret) she found during the pandemic lockdown, exploring themes of human-animal relationships, freedom and nature.
11. Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Gerald Brom. A dark fantasy novel set in 1666 Colonial New England, blending historical horror with folklore, witchcraft and paganism. The book explores themes of good vs evil, identity, and religious hypocrisy.

For the meeting on April 13, we’ll move back to meeting at 5 p.m.

2026 Clay County Democratic Convention
2026-03-21 11:00 - 13:00 | Hayesville High School, 205 Yellow Jacket Dr, Hayesville, 28904
Join us Saturday, March 21st for the 2026 Clay County Democratic Convention at Hayesville High Cafeteria. This is a potluck gathering, and we warmly invite you to bring a favorite dish, dessert, or drink to share if you’re able. Your contribution helps make the event even more enjoyable and brings our community together — but most importantly, we’re excited to have you join us!
Our Keynote Speaker is Caleb “Coach” Brown who is our 2026 Democratic Candidate for our NC State House Representative seat NC District 120. Caleb Brown brings a lifetime of service and leadership to the race. A teacher and coach, Caleb works every day to support and mentor young people, and as a 2nd Lieutenant in the North Carolina Army National Guard, he continues his commitment to serving our state and nation. Caleb lives in Highlands, North Carolina with his wife, daughter, and their two dogs. His campaign is focused on the issues that matter most to our families: strengthening public education, protecting household finances, and expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare.
Learn more about Caleb Brown’s campaign here.
With regard to the business to be conducted at this meeting, we will once again combine our precinct cluster organization with our County Convention. No county party officer elections are required this year. However, we will be electing delegates to the District 11 Convention, as well as members to the Judicial, Senatorial, and Congressional vacancy committees, which convene in the event of a death, resignation, or removal of an elected official.
This is the essential local work of representative democracy. If you are interested in serving in any of these roles, please let a Clay County Democratic Party officer know.

No Kings
2026-03-28 00:00 - 13:00 | Mayor’s Park Hayesville, 790 US-64 BUS, Hayesville, NC, 28904
Building Community in Clay is organizing a No Kings rally in coordination with other Indivisible groups across the nation on Saturday, March 28th.
What began in 2025 as a single day of defiance has grown into a nationwide movement, reaching from small towns to major cities, united in defense of democracy. Our peaceful resistance is stronger than ever.
When families are under attack and rising costs strain our communities, silence is not an option. We stand together against unjust and harmful actions.
On March 28th, take to the streets and make it clear: no thrones, no crowns, no kings. We’re not just witnessing history—we’re shaping it. Join us.
No Kings events are grounded in nonviolent action. Participants are expected to de-escalate conflict, act lawfully, and not bring weapons of any kind.
Sign up for this event via Mobilize here
