Feb. 21
Little Rock Nine Guest Speaker
MORRILTON — Elizabeth Eckford, one of the Little Rock Nine, will speak at 6 p.m. at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton Fine Arts Auditorium. She will discuss integrating Little Rock Central High School. Sybil Jordan Hampton, president emeritus of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, will also attend the free event, part of Black History Month. Also, guests are invited to view a Black History Month window display in the lower-level lobby of the UACCM Business Technology Center. For more information, call (501) 977-2142 or visit www.uaccm.edu.
Tea Party Meeting
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Tea Party will meet at 7 p.m. at the McGee Center. The meeting will feature discussions with state Reps. David Meeks, Stephen Magie and Stephen Meeks; and state Sens. Jason Rapert and David Sanders. Following the meeting, there will be a meet-and-greet with light refreshments. All are welcome.
Genealogical Society Meeting
MORRILTON — The River Valley Genealogical Society will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Conway County Library. The group meets the third Thursday of every other month.
History Lecture
CONWAY — The Hendrix College Department of History will host Past Obsessions: World War II in History and Memory, a lecture and discussion by Carol Gluck, at 7 p.m. in the Worsham Student Performance Hall-South in the Student Life and Technology Center.
Feb. 22
Festival of Winds Deadline
CONWAY — Friday is the deadline for students to be nominated by their band director or private teacher to participate in the Festival of Winds Honor Band for high school students on May 4 at Hendrix College. Approximately 90 students from Arkansas and surrounding states will gather for a day of rehearsals and present a concert at 7:30 that evening in Staples Auditorium on the Hendrix campus. Sharing the concert with the honor band will be the Little Rock Wind Symphony, conducted by Karen Fannin, associate professor of music at Hendrix. The concert is free and open to the public. The Festival of Winds Honor Band is open to students in grades 9-12. For nomination forms, visit www.hendrix.edu/festivalofwinds.
February Fantastic Friday
RUSSELLVILLE — The presentation for the February Fantastic Friday will be storytelling and music by Will Lang from 7-8 p.m. at the River Valley Arts Center Gallery. Lang is of Cherokee heritage and has developed a talent for playing the Indian flute and telling Native American stories. His artwork will be on exhibit. There will also be a wine-and-cheese reception. The cost is $10 per person. For reservations, call (479) 968-2452 or email artscenter@centurytel.net.
Composer Workshop and Presentation
CONWAY — The Hendrix College Department of Music will host Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon for a presentation and workshop at 4 p.m. in Reves Recital Hall. In January 2010, Higdon received a Grammy for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for her Percussion Concerto. She holds the Rock Chair in Composition at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Higdon will present some of her music and discuss having a career in composition, then have a dialogue with students about a variety of subjects. Her workshop and presentation are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Hendrix music professor Karen Griebling at griebling@hendrix.edu or (501) 450-1249.
Feb. 23
1985K Dusk Run
CONWAY — K-Life will sponsor its fifth annual dusk run, the 1985K, at 5 p.m. The ’80s-themed race will start and end at John McConnell Stadium at Conway High School, 2300 Prince St. The event will include goodie bags, T-shirts, door prizes and food. Awards will be given to the top-three male and female runners in five age groups. Participants may register online at conwayklife.com. The cost is $20 for walkers and runners or to donate as a virtual participant. Early-registration packet pickup will be from noon to 6 p.m. at The Sporty Runner, 1016 Van Ronkle St. in downtown Conway. Late registration and packet pickup will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. at the race.
High Tea
RUSSELLVILLE — The Russellville Cumberland Presbyterian Women will host High Tea with the Rev. Pam Phillips-Burk, director of the Cumberland Presbyterian Women’s Ministry, at 3:30 p.m. in the church Fellowship Hall. Phillips-Burk will talk about the upcoming women’s spirituality conference, to be held at the church in July. She will also share what the women’s ministry is doing to help women who have been involved in human trafficking.
Feb. 24
Denominational Day
RUSSELLVILLE — First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Russellville will celebrate its 203rd Denominational Day during the morning service Sunday. The Rev. Pam Phillips-Burk, director of women’s ministry for the denomination, will be the guest speaker. Activities will include sharing old photos, dressing in period costumes and an old-fashion potluck following the service. All former and present Cumberland Presbyterians are encouraged to attend.
Feb. 24 and March 2
Book Signing
CONWAY — Regional author Nancy Powell will sign copies of her new book, Dark Secrets, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday at the Faulkner County Library; and on March 2 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Damascus Library and from 2-4 p.m. at the Greenbrier Library. The book is the first in a series of historical novels based on the life of Ollie McNew. The free event is open to the public. Powell will give a $3 discount on books purchased by students or members of a writing group. For more information, call (501) 327-7482 or email Nancy@fcl.org.
Feb. 25
Arkansas River Audubon Society
PETIT JEAN MOUNTAIN — The Arkansas River Audubon Society will meet at 7 p.m. in the Stables Room at the Winthrop Rockefeller Center on Petit Jean Mountain. The speaker will be Sarah Engebrecht. Her subject will be “Wildlife of Ecuador and the Galapogos.” Refreshments will be served. For more information, call Coe Wilson at (501) 727-5559.
Feb. 26
Interfaith Dialogues
MORRILTON — A series of six Morrilton Interfaith Dialogues will conclude from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday with a lecture on Christianity and Summation of the Series by Jay McDaniel at the Rialto Gallery, 213 E. Broadway. The public is invited for the lecture, discussion and refreshments.
Little Red River Audubon Society
CLINTON — The Little Red River Audubon Society will present a program on understanding the structure and function of headwater streams with Sally Entrekin, an aquatic ecology professor at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. The group will meet for a Dutch-treat dinner at 5:30 p.m. at Western Sizzlin’ Restaurant, followed by the program at 7. Door prizes will be given after the meeting. All are invited to attend. For more information, visit www.littleredriveraudubonsociety.com or email lrras2011@gmail.com.
Public Art Lecture
CONWAY — Julie Evans will present a public lecture about her exhibit, Swishbone: New Paintings, at 5:30 p.m. in McCastlain Hall, Room 143, at the University of Central Arkansas. Her paintings, which are on display in the Baum Gallery, are characterized by organic forms that swish and swirl with color and texture. For more information, call (501) 450-5793.
Ongoing
First Baptist Church Maumelle
MAUMELLE — Pastor Tony Auxier invites the community to Bible classes for all ages at 9 a.m. Sundays at First Baptist Church Maumelle, at the corner of Millwood Circle and Maumelle Boulevard. Worship services follow at 10:15 a.m. in the main sanctuary. AWANA clubs meet at 4:30 p.m. Sundays. Evening worship services are held Sunday at 5 in the main sanctuary. Women are invited to Bible studies that meet Tuesday mornings and evenings. Wednesday fellowship, contemporary worship and youth activities are held in the Activities Building beginning at 5 p.m. For more information, call the church office at (501) 851-3547, or visit www.fbcmaumelle.org.
Art Exhibit
LITTLE ROCK — Beauty in the Natural State, a collection of oil paintings by Jeannie Stone of Russellville, will be featured through March 2 at the Community Bakery in Little Rock, a few blocks from the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion in the historic downtown district. Stone plans to graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in fine art from Arkansas Tech University. For more information, visit www.communitybakery.com or email dj@djstoneart.com.
Spring Art Exhibitions
CONWAY — The Baum Gallery of Fine Art at the University of Central Arkansas will present four exhibitions to be on display through Sunday: Swishbone: New Paintings by Julie Evans; Under the Influence: New Ceramic Work by Curt LaCross; Alternating Currents: A Mixed Media Art Installation by Mario Marzan; and Before and After: An Exploration of the Art Conservation Process. The gallery’s hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Entry to the exhibitions is free.
Upcoming
Volunteer and Funding Workshops
HEBER SPRINGS — The Division of Community Service and Heber Springs Parks and Recreation will present two workshops Feb. 28. From 9 a.m. to noon, the session will offer an overview of searching for funding opportunities and how to fund a grant for nonprofits. The second workshop, from 1-4 p.m., will be an interactive session on the keys to a successful volunteer program, including volunteer management, techniques, tips and tools. The free workshops will be at the Heber Spring Community Center, 201 Bobbie Jean Lane. For more information or to register, contact Beth Jacks at (501) 320-3981 or bethjacks@arkansas.gov. Preregistration is required.
Chili and Pie Supper
HEBER SPRINGS — The Associated Women for Harding will hold a chili and pie supper at 6 p.m. March 1 at the Heber Springs School Cafeteria. The Good News Singers from Harding University will be part of the program, as well as silent and live auctions. Tickets are $7 and may be purchased in advance or at the door. All proceeds will go to scholarships. For more information, call (501) 250-6142.
World Day of Prayer
FAIRFIELD BAY — The churches of the Fairfield Bay will sponsor a World Day of Prayer event at 1 p.m. March 1 at the Fairfield Bay Presbyterian Kirk of the Hills, 250 Dave Creek Parkway. This year’s service was written by the women of France around the theme “I Was a Stranger, and You Welcomed Me.” The World Day of Prayer is a worldwide ecumenical movement of Christian women of many traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer on the first Friday of March each year. For more information, contact Judy Leason at (501) 884-6617.
Pancake Dinner
FAIRFIELD BAY — The Fairfield Bay Lions Club, 365 Dave Creek Parkway, will hold a pancake dinner from 5-6:30 p.m. March 9 to benefit the 2013 Greers Ferry Lake Area Alzheimer’s Arkansas Walk, to be held Sept. 14 at Woodland Mead Park in Fairfield Bay. Tickets to the dinner are $6 and can be purchased at the door. For more information, call George Kelly at (501) 884-6476.
Chili and Soup Supper
HEBER SPRINGS — The Wilburn Friends and Family Relay for Life Team will host a chili and soup supper, followed by gospel singing, on March 9 at Wilburn General Baptist Church. Serving will begin at 5 p.m. Gospel music by local singers will begin at 7. Donations will be accepted for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. For more information, call Danita Hayes at (501) 206-2505.
Chase Race and Paws
CONWAY — The eighth annual Chase Race and Paws will begin at 8 a.m. March 9, starting and finishing at Simon Park, 805 Front St. The two-mile state championship race awards a $100 cash prize to any male or female who breaks the present course record. A complimentary 2014 entry form will be awarded to anyone who breaks an age-group record. Each registrant will receive a T-shirt. The event will include a one-mile fun or competitive event for runners/walkers with leashed pets, a best costume contest for all pets and pet adoptions. The event promotes and raises funds for nonadopted pets and research for adolescents with traumatic brain injury. Proceeds will benefit Friends of the Conway Animal Shelter and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Online race registration is open at www.chaserace.info/. Entry forms are also available at The Sporty Runner, 1016 Van Ronkle St. in Conway, and at Conway Regional Health and Fitness Center, 700 Salem Road.
To submit an item for the Calendar of Events, mail information to Calendar of Events, River Valley & Ozark Edition, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR, 72203; fax to (501) 378-3500; or email to rvonews@arkansasonline.com. Deadlines for calendar-item submissions are noon Friday for Thursday editions and noon Tuesday for Sunday editions.