The event will begin at 5:00 p.m. and last until 9:00 p.m. “The Friends of PARI annual meeting is a time we set aside to honor our supporters and volunteers who are such an important part of what we do at PARI,” said Dr. David Clavier, vice president of administration and development. “Our keynote speaker, Dr. Fran Nolan, has been an important advocate of public museums in North Carolina and he will be helping us announce a major new exhibit of historic space exploration artifacts. Our Friends of PARI annual meeting is an evening of fun, food, education and recognition of our distinguished supporters. Friends of PARI attendees can take a tour of the campus, see demonstrations of research projects and get an update on the programs and accomplishments of the past year.” Anyone contributing financially to PARI automatically becomes a Friends of PARI member and is welcome to attend the annual event. Membership in Friends of PARI is based on an annual contribution ranging from $50 for an Associate Membership to $5,000 or more to become a Benefactor. Complete details and instructions for joining are found on the PARI web site, www.pari.edu. For more information or to register for the event, go to the web site or call 828-862-5554. In addition to financial support, Friends of PARI members can assist with various programs conducted on the PARI campus and serve as docents for the weekly two-hour tours that provide visitors an overview of the site, its history and the work being done at PARI. Friends of PARI members also developed and help maintain the Galaxy Walk, a popular educational attraction. About PARI The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) foundation established in 1998. Located in the Pisgah Forest 30 miles southwest of Asheville, NC, the PARI campus is a dark sky location for astronomy and was selected in 1962 by NASA as the site for one of the first U.S. satellite tracking facilities. Today, the 200 acre campus houses radio and optical telescopes, earth science instruments, 30 buildings, a fulltime staff and all the infrastructure necessary to support STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education and research. PARI offers educational programs at all levels, from K-12 through post-graduate research. The institute is a member of the NC Grassroots Science Museums Collaborative, a partner in NC OPT-ED and is affiliated with the 16-campus University of North Carolina system through PARSEC, a UNC Center hosted at PARI. For more information about PARI and its programs, visit www.pari.edu.