Jan. 24
Republican Committee Meeting
SEARCY — The White County Republican Committee’s biannual organizational meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the Wilbur Mills Court Building, 301 W Arch St. The election of officers and other business matters will be on the agenda. For more information, contact Joel Pritchett at (501) 827-0777 or whitecogop@hotmail.com.
Jan. 26
AARP Driver Safety Course
SEARCY — The PrimeTimes of White County Medical Center will offer an AARP driver safety course from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Those taking the course are asked to arrive early to fill out paperwork. Frances Mizell will be the instructor. The cost of the course is $12 for AARP members and $14 for nonmembers. For more information or to register, call Anna Overbay at (501) 380-1050.
Tutor Training Class
SEARCY — The Literacy Council of White County will hold a tutor-training class Saturday for people interested in volunteering as reading tutors. The workshop will be at 1 p.m. at the Literacy Council office, 109 E. Center Ave. There is no cost for the class, and refreshments will be provided.
Guest Author
ASH FLAT — Shirley Mathey will be at the Ash Flat Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. She will speak about her books Become a More Positive Person, Become a Tough and Tender Listener and The Art of Friendly Confrontation and sign copies of the books. She will also offer short seminars on building self-esteem.
Jan. 27
Historical Society Meeting
ASH FLAT — The Sharp County Historical Society will meet at 2 p.m. at the Ash Flat Library. Scott Lien, assistant professor of history at Lyon College in Batesville, will be the guest speaker. His research focuses on how democracy has affected the opportunities and life chances of all Americans, specifically with Arkansas’ experience with its first two chartered banks, dating back to the antebellum period.
Jan. 28
AARP Meeting
CABOT — The Cabot chapter of AARP will hold its monthly meeting, a covered-dish supper, at 6 p.m. at 600 N. Grant Ave. All AARP members are welcome.
Tea Party Meeting
KENSETT — The Independent Tea Party of White County will meet at 6:30 p.m. at the Country Kitchen Restaurant in Kensett. The speaker will be Curtis Coleman, who has formed an exploratory committee for a possible run for governor in 2014. The group meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month, and the public is welcome. For more information, call Ernie Blount (501) 278-9413 or email teaparty@itpwca.org.
Ongoing
Batesville Choral Society
BATESVILLE — The Batesville Choral Society will hold rehearsals from 7-9 p.m. Mondays at First Presbyterian Church, 775 E. Boswell St. The group is directed by Michael Oriatti. All interested singers are invited to participate. A concert is scheduled for April 11. For more information, contact Alice Witterman at (870) 793-5928 or alicekw@suddenlink.net.
GED Test Schedule
MELBOURNE — The free GED test will be given at 8:30 a.m. Monday in Room 516 of the Wyth Duke Adult Education Building at Ozarka College in Melbourne; and at Ozarka College in Mountain View at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Those taking the test must present an Arkansas photo ID, a Social Security card and proof of passing practice-test scores dated within the last year. Registration is required by calling Ozarka College at (870) 368-7371 or (800) 821-4335 before the day of the test.
Black History Month
POCAHONTAS — The Eddie Mae Herron Center and Museum will observe Black History Month throughout February with activities and events that will include hog butchering, quilting, food preparation and lectures. Admission to the events is free. For more information, call (870) 892-4661, email rctourism@suddenlinkmail.com, or visit www.HerronCenter.org.
Guest Artist Exhibit
ASH FLAT — Terri Jo Fowler is Guest Artist of the Month at the Ash Flat Public Library. Her work will be displayed through January, including oil paintings with themes ranging from rocks to shoes. She also paints pet portraits.
Upcoming
Retired Teachers Meeting
CABOT — The Lonoke County Retired Teachers will meet at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 4 at C.J.’s Cafe & Deli in the Village Green Center. The program will be on the Wade Knox Child Advocacy Center. All retired school employees are invited. Participants are asked to bring nonperishable food items for local food pantries.
Beginning Beekeeping Course
SEARCY — A three-part beginning beekeeping course will be held from 6-9 p.m. Feb. 4, 11 and 18 in Room 123 of the Pryor-England Science Building at Harding University. The free class is open to the public and is sponsored by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. For more information, call the White County Cooperative Extension Office at (501) 268-5394.
Author’s Presentation
BATESVILLE — John Hornor Jacobs, a novelist and Lyon College graduate, will give a public interview and reading Feb. 5 on the Lyon campus. The interview will be at 11 a.m. in the Alphin Board Room of the Alphin Building. The reading will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Bevens Music Room of Brown Chapel. Jacobs’ appearance is part of the Lyon’s Visiting Writer Series. For more information on this and other Lyon College activities, call (870) 307-7488, email chandra.huston@lyon.edu, or visit www.lyon.edu.
Sweetheart Auction
CALICO ROCK — The Sweetheart Auction will be held Feb. 9 in Calico Rock. This auction will feature a myriad of items, ranging from furniture to local crafts. Admission is free. For times, location and other information, call (870) 297-8665, email calicorock@centurytel.net, or visit www.calicorock.us.
Cooking Sweet Treats
MOUNTAIN VIEW — Ozark Folk Center State Park will offer a class on learning the tricks of cooking sweet — and healthy — treats. The recipes will include whole-grain cookies and fresh-fruit delight. The class will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Smokehouse at the park. Attendees are asked to bring a brown-bag lunch to eat with the treats they prepare. The cost for the class is $30. Space is limited, and preregistration is required by Monday. For more information, call (870) 269-3851, email ozarkfolkcenter@arkansas.com, or visit www.ozarkfolkcenter.com.
Zumbathon
CABOT — A zumbathon will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 9 to benefit the Crossroad House for Girls. The event will be at ReNew Church, 2792 S. Second St. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. Tickets are $20. Kristy Stewart and Leslie Evans will be the zumba instructors. There will also be door prizes. For more information, visit www.crossroadhouseforgirls.org.
Gourd Crafts
POCAHONTAS — Davidsonville Historic State Park will offer a Gourd Crafts Workshop on Feb. 9. The cost of the workshop is $15. Attendees will learn how to turn a plain garden gourd into a fun craft project while finding out how American Indians and pioneers used gourds. Workshop space is limited. Reservations are required and must be made at least three days in advance. For more information, call (870) 892-4708, or email davidsonville@arkansas.com.
Charity Bunko Bash
CABOT — The Junior Auxiliary of Cabot will hold a charity bunko bash at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at the National Guard Armory, 103 Commerce Park Drive in Cabot, as part of a Mardi Gras celebration. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Proceeds will benefit programs that support kids in need in the Cabot School District. There will be food, door prizes and a silent auction. Doors will open at 5:30. For more information, email jacabot@gmail.com.
Volunteer Network Meeting
BATESVILLE — The North Central Volunteer Network will hold its quarterly brown-bag lunch meeting at noon Feb. 14 in the Community Room of the First Community Bank Southside Branch at the corner of U.S. 167 and Allen Chapel Road. The speaker will be Emily Ingram, associate director of the Arkansas Coalition for Excellence (ACE), based in Little Rock. To attend the meeting, register by Feb. 13 by contacting Nicole Stroud at (870) 793-5912 or info@literacyindependence.org. To learn more about ACE, visit www.acenonprofit.org or contact Ingram at eingram@acenonprofit.org or (501) 375-1223. The NCVN is open to volunteer and nonprofit coordinators and anyone interested in volunteerism or nonprofits.
Valentine’s Day Buffet
MOUNTAIN VIEW — The Skillet Restaurant at Ozark Folk Center State Park will offer a Valentine’s Day buffet for sweethearts on Feb. 14. For the cost, serving times and more information, call (870) 269-3851, email ozarkfolkcenter@arkansas.com, or visit www.ozarkfolkcenter.com.
Quapaw Quartet Concert
BATESVILLE — The Quapaw Quartet, the resident string quartet of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, will give a concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15 in the Bevens Music Room of Brown Chapel at Lyon College. The quartet will perform a selection of classical music in the annual West Concert. The concert series is endowed by Dan and Sydney West. Dan West is a former president of Lyon College. For more information, contact Chandra Huston at (870) 307-7488.
Scrapbooking Event
ASH FLAT — The fourth annual Crop This House scrapbooking event will be Feb. 22 and 23 at the Ash Flat Church of Christ. Registration is $50, and proceeds will benefit the Rock This House fund. Each preregistered participant will receive a Crop This House T-shirt, along with a complimentary lunch and demonstrations of techniques. Doors will open at noon Feb. 22, allowing uninterrupted scrapbooking time until 9 p.m. Feb. 23.
Gold City Concert
WARD — Gold City, a Southern gospel quartet, will perform at 7 p.m. March 7 at First Landmark Missionary Baptist Church. There is no admission charge, but an offering will be collected. For more information, call (501) 843-3336.
Master Gardener Training
BATESVILLE — The Independence County Master Gardeners will hold training classes from March 7 through April 3 for people interested in learning more about gardening. Members in Izard, Independence, Sharp and Fulton counties will work together to conduct the training programs. Upon completion of the training and Master Gardener certification, participants will be asked to donate 40 hours to help with community and educational projects. For more information, call the Independence County Extension Office at (870) 793-8840.
Griffithville Alumni Reunion
GRIFFITHVILLE — There will be an alumni reunion March 15 and 16 for all who attended school in Griffithville. For more information, contact Stacy Southerland at (817) 996-7672 or srsoutherland@hotmail.com.
To submit an item for the Calendar of Events, mail information to Calendar of Events, Three Rivers Edition, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR, 72203; send faxes to (501) 378-3500; or email trnews@arkansasonline.com. Deadlines for calendar-item submissions are noon Friday for Thursday editions and noon Tuesday for Sunday editions.