Thermal Belt Friendship Council will celebrate Christmas with its annual caroling at White Oak Manor on Friday, December 18 at 6 p.m.

Following the caroling, friends will meet at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Tryon for dinner.

All are invited and a good singing voice is definitely not required. Guests are asked to bring a dish for eight people. People are encouraged, but not required, to carol in order to attend the dinner which will begin at approximately 6:30 to 7 p.m.

The Friendship Council is a loosely organized group of friends whose goal is to promote racial and ethnic diversity and harmony in our community. There are no dues. The Council does encourage friends to show up at various events.

Three major get-togethers are held each year. The first is the commemoration for the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. held in January of each year at the Fine Arts Center.

On January 15, the M. L. King commemoration will feature Scott Young, Senior Vice President, Retail Sales, of Coca Cola North America.

Second, an annual picnic is held at Harmon Field the first Saturday in June of each year. Third is the December caroling at White Oak and Christmas potluck dinner.

In addition, Council friends gather together at a local restaurant for lunch once a month. Here people get to know one another better, and the community sees the council as a diversified group of friends. Our events are listed in The Tryon Daily Bulletins Curb Reporter, and all are welcome to attend.

Friendship Council friends meet the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Roseland Community Center on Peake Street. All are welcome to attend and participate in planning events. For information, call 828-859-7099.