This week's events

March 7

Searcy 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. in the Hubach Center. Participants are asked to park behind the hospital off Moore Street and to use the elevator to go to the first floor. Instructors for the class will be Jerry and Bertie Yates. The course costs $12 for AARP members and $14 for nonmembers. To register for the class, call Anna Overbay at PrimeTimes at (501) 380-1050.

Gem and Mineral Club Meeting

CHEROKEE VILLAGE — The Spring River Gem and Mineral Club will meet at 10 a.m. at the Omaha Center, 20 Omaha Circle. Leonard H. Holden Jr., a retired physicist, will speak on the formation of the solar system. The public is invited. For more information, call Ruth Maxedon at (870) 257-2361.

Gold City Concert

WARD — Gold City, a Southern gospel quartet, will perform at 7 p.m. at First Landmark Missionary Baptist Church. There is no admission charge, but an offering will be collected. For more information, call (501) 843-3336.

March 9

Play Auditions

SEARCY — Auditions for the play Red, White and Tuna will be held at 10 a.m. at the Center on the Square Dinner Theater, 219 Arch St. The play will run in May. Both males and females are encouraged to audition. Two actors will be cast to play 10 characters. For more information, call the theater at (501) 368-0111.

Chili Supper and Dessert Auction

EL PASO — The El Paso 4-H club will hold its annual chili supper and dessert auction from 6-8 p.m. at the El Paso Community Center. There will be no charge, but donations will be accepted. The chili supper will be followed by a dessert auction with pies, cakes and cookies. Proceeds from the event will benefit 4-H Club projects and will be used to help in rehabilitation of the El Paso Bank Building. Contributions may be made to the El Paso Parks and Playground Association.

Gardening Class

BATESVILLE — Cheryl Anderson, a local Master Gardener and owner of the Garden Girl Farm Fresh Produce & More Market in Pleasant Plains, will teach a gardening class from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 816 of the Row Johns Building at the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville. The cost of the class is $20. The topic will be Organic Gardening Basics. She will help students identify their growing area and will cover soil preparation and the process of starting plants from seed. To register for the class, contact Katrina Stevens, community education coordinator at UACCB, at (870) 612-2082. The deadline for registration is Friday.

Ladies’ Luncheon

MOUNTAIN VIEW— The Ozarka College Foundation Ladies’ Luncheon will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will include lunch provided by Ozarka College Culinary Arts, a fashion show and a silent auction. Tickets, at $20 each, are available from Ozarka College-Mountain View and Centennial Bank branches in Mountain View. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Kenneth and Janice Sutton Scholarship, which is awarded to a qualifying Stone County resident who attends Ozarka College.

Scholarship Foundation Fundraiser

MOUNTAIN VIEW — The Stone County Scholarship Foundation will have its annual fundraiser, featuring the Southern gospel music group the Isaacs, at 4 p.m. at Flatwoods Baptist Church. The Isaacs are a family group who perform at the Grand Ole Opry and are active members on the Gaither Homecoming Videos and Concert series. Tickets are available at local banks and from the school district in Mountain View.

Chili and Soup Supper

HEBER SPRINGS — The Wilburn Friends and Family Relay for Life team will hold a chili and soup supper, with gospel singing to follow, at 5 p.m. at Wilburn General Baptist Church. Donations will be accepted for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. For more information, call Danita Hayes at (501) 206-2505.

March 10-15

Spring Gospel Meeting

QUAIL VALLEY — The Church of Christ in Quail Valley, 4104 Harrison St. in Batesville, will hold its Spring Gospel Meeting at 7 p.m. Sunday through March 15 . Larry Osborne from Kansas City, Mo., will be the guest speaker. For a complete list of topics or more information, visit www.qvcoc.com or call (870) 793-6700 or (870) 569-4491.

March 11

Independent 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. Asa Hutchinson will be the guest speaker. The group meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month, and the public is welcome. For more information, contact Ernie Blount (501) 278-9413 or email teaparty@itpwca.org.

March 12

Community Education Event

BATESVILLE — White River Medical Center in Batesville will hold a free community health-education event, Exercise Is Medicine, presented by Dr. Douglas Bernard, from noon to 1 p.m. in Conference Room B of the Josephine Raye Rogers Center for Women and Imaging. Lunch will be provided.

Cartoonist Lecture

BATESVILLE — Bruce Plante, an editorial cartoonist, will give a lecture at 7:30 p.m. in Nucor Auditorium at Lyon College. Plante has been editorial cartoonist for the Tulsa World since 2007. His cartoons are syndicated to more than 80 publications in the U.S., and he has won several awards for his cartoons. For more information, call Chandra Huston at (870) 370-7488.

Career Fair

BEEBE — Arkansas State University-Beebe will host a career fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Owen Center gymnasium. Hosted by Career and Transfer Services, the annual event connects potential employers with qualified applicants. Representatives from more than 30 area businesses will be available to answer questions regarding career and internship opportunities. Visitors to the career fair are asked to dress professionally and bring several copies of their resume to submit to potential employers. For more information, contact Heather Garcia at (501) 882-8906 or visit www.asub.edu/student-success-center/career-services.

Retired Teachers Association Meeting

HEBER SPRINGS — The Cleburne County Retired Teachers Association will meet at noon at the Rustic Inn in Heber Springs. Sharon Johnson, travel coordinator with the Arkansas Retired Teachers Association, will talk about travel opportunities offered through ARTA. All retired school personnel are encouraged to attend to also hear about current legislative issues and bills that have been addressed in the current legislative session. For weekly summaries of legislative action affecting the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, visit artrs.gov, and click on “Director Updates.”

March 13

UACCB Spring Career Fair

BATESVILLE — The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville will hold a spring career fair from 10 a.m. to noon. Tables are available for employers who want to participate in the career fair. The event is free, and lunch will be provided. For more information, including how to register, contact Christopher Dickie at christopher.dickie@uaccb.edu or (870) 612-2125.

Ongoing

White County Youth Art Exhibit

SEARCY — The 2013 White County Youth Art Exhibit, featuring works from kindergartners through eighth-graders, will be open through March 31 at the Searcy Art Gallery, 300 E. Race Ave. Gallery hours are 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call (501) 279-1094.

Batesville Choral Society Rehearsals

BATESVILLE — The Batesville Choral Society will rehearse 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.

Upcoming

High School Job Fair

HEBER SPRINGS — A job fair for Heber Springs High School juniors and seniors will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 14 in the high school gymnasium. To have a table at the fair, businesses may call Gaye Stark at (501) 250-5151.

Guest Lecturer

BATESVILLE — Bruce Coats will give a lecture on Japanese Art and the World at 7 p.m. March 14 in Derby Lecture Hall at Lyon College. The Japan Lecture Series is made possible by a grant from the Freeman Foundation. For more information, contact Mieko Peek at mieko.peek@lyon.edu or Chandra Huston at (870) 307-7488.

AARP Driver Safety Class

HEBER SPRINGS — There will be an AARP Driver Safety class from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 15. The class will meet in the McCoy Room of the Administration/Student Services Building at Arkansas State University-Heber Springs. Individuals 55 and older who complete the course will qualify for a three-year discount on their automobile-insurance premiums in the state of Arkansas. The cost is $12 for AARP members and $14 for nonmembers. The fee may be paid in cash or by check (payable to AARP). To reserve a place, call ASU at (501) 362-1273 or email jlrath@hebersprings.asu.edu.

NCA District Fair Deadline

MELBOURNE — The entry deadline for the Spring Junior Livestock Show in the seven-county North Central Arkansas District Fair area is March 15. The show will be held March 28 and 29 at the fairgrounds in Melbourne. Junior exhibitors from Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Sharp, Stone and Van Buren counties are eligible to enter beef cattle, goats and horses in the spring show. The tabloid, with a schedule and a complete listing of classes, is available at www.ncadistrictfair.org. Exhibitors must enter online by March 15, and all entry fees must be received by that date. There is a link to online entries on the fair website. Exhibitors may pay with a credit card online or by check, mailed to NCA District Fair, P.O. Box 92, Sturkie, AR 72578.

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.

Rose Bud Baseball Tournament

ROSE BUD — The Rose Bud baseball league will hold a machine-pitch, 8-and-under tournament March 15 and 16. The entry fee is $150 per team, with the top three teams to be awarded. There will also be a skills competition and a home-run derby with trophies for the winners. For more information or to enter a team, call Shawn Gorham at (501) 250-6398 or Gordon Campbell at (501) 589-5111. 

St. Patrick’s Pancake Daze

HORSESHOE BEND — Knights of Columbus Council No. 10493 at St. Mary of the Mount Church in Horseshoe Bend will hold St. Patrick’s Pancake Daze from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 16 and 17. The cost is $5 at the door. Carryouts will be available.

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. March 23 in the Hubach Center. Participants are asked to park behind the hospital off Moore Street and to use the elevator to go to the first floor. Instructors for the class will be Jerry and Bertie Yates. The course costs $12 for AARP members and $14 for nonmembers. To register for the class, call Anna Overbay at PrimeTimes at (501) 380-1050.

Trivia Night Fundraiser

BATESVILLE — The Humane Society of Independence County will hold its third annual Trivia Game Night Fundraiser and “Spay-ghetti” Dinner on March 23 at Fellowship Bible Church in Batesville. The event will begin at 5 p.m. with a dinner of spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and soda or water. Bake-sale items will also be available. The trivia contest will begin at 6. There will also be a table-decorating contest. Tickets for the fundraiser are $15 per person or $120 for a table of eight. For more information, call Bev Finch (870) 613-3045 or Sue Augustus (870) 307-5305.

Great Backyard Birdseed Sale

FAIRFIELD BAY — Orders may be picked up for the Little Red River Audubon Society’s Great Backyard Birdseed Sale from 9-11 a.m. March 23 in Fairfield Bay or from noon-2 p.m. March 24 in Clinton. Proceeds will go for scholarships to send local children to the Halberg Ecology Camp each year. Order forms are due March 17. Payment can be made when orders are picked up. For more information or for an order form, call Carolyn Goettsch at (501) 723-4744 or Bob Hartmann at (501) 745-6615, or email lrras2011@gmail.com.

Beebe Driver Safety Course

BEEBE — The Shepherd’s Center of Beebe will hold an AARP Driver Safety Course from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 27 at First United Methodist Church, 302 N. Main St. The instructor will be Frances Mizell. The course costs $12 for AARP members and $14 for nonmembers. To register for the class, call Paul Ramsey at (501) 882-0243.

Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Banquet

CABOT — Cabot’s first Open Arms Shelter Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Banquet and Silent Auction will be held at 6 p.m. April 4 at Cabot Junior High School North. Gov. Mike Beebe will be the guest speaker.

Camp Wyldewood Benefit Tournament

SEARCY — Camp Wyldewood will hold a benefit golf tournament April 12 at The Course at River Oaks in Searcy. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m., and a shotgun start is set for 12:30 p.m. The cost is $100 per person, which includes lunch, 18 holes, a golf cart and potential prizes. Hole sponsorships are available for $100. For more information, call (501) 305-3000 or email office@campwyldewood.org. A registration form is available online at 111.campwyldewood.org.

Flea Market and Yard Sales

SALEM — The Fulton County Fair Association will sponsor the 10th annual Spring Fairgrounds Flea Market in conjunction with the Salem Chamber of Commerce Community Yard Sales on April 12 and 13. Vendors will set up the morning of April 12, and flea-market hours will be 1-6 p.m. April 12 and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 13. Secure, inside vendor space is available in the Hickinbotham-Miller Exhibit Building, or vendors with their own display units can set up outside. For more information or to reserve a space, call the Fulton County Fair Association at (870) 895-5565 or (870) 458-3080, or email fultoncountyfair@centurytel.net. Applications are available online at www.fultoncountyfair.org.

Controlling Anger Seminar

JACKSONVILLE — The Christian Church of Jacksonville, 200 E. Martin, will hold a seminar on Controlling the Fires of Anger on April 13 and 14. Lindsey Garmon will lead the seminar. Material presented in the seminar is designed to help participants understand anger and formulate a plan, based on biblical principles, to overcome anger. The free seminar is open to the public. For more information, contact Steve Summers at (870) 710-1508 or (501) 982-3768 or horsecav56@yahoo.com.

Heroes for Health

CABOT — The Cabot Lions Club will hold its second Heroes for Health 1K Run/Walk at 6:30 p.m. April 19 at the Panther Stadium track. The event, held to raise awareness of diabetes, as well as increases in childhood obesity, is a nontimed, noncompetitive fun-run for children ages 4-12. Children are encouraged to wear their favorite superhero costume. Registration and packet pickup will begin at 5:30 p.m., along with on-field sport demonstrations. The nonrefundable entry fee is $10 per child. For registration forms, contact Shelia DeArmond at (501) 985-4039 or sdearmond@fabandt.com. Early registration by April 10 is encouraged to secure a T-shirt and medal. For more information, visit the Cabot Lions Club Facebook page. Payments, registration and parental release forms should be mailed to Cabot Lions Club, Attn.: Shelia DeArmond, P.O. Box 183, Cabot, AR 72023.

Ward Chamber Awards Banquet

WARD — The Ward Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual awards banquet April 19 at Grace Community Church, 30 Second St. A social hour will begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7. Tickets are $25 per person or $175 for a table of eight. For more information, call Sharon Roberts at (501) 743-4395 or Chris Mann at (501) 941-9987.

Airport Open House

HORSESHOE BEND — The 6M2 Horseshoe Bend Airport will hold an open house from noon to 5 p.m. May 4. The event will feature barbecue and live music, as well as cars, motorcycles and aircraft on display. To enter a vehicle in the show, email Chuck McNeight at mrid004@centurytel.net. For more information, visit www.horseshoebendarcc.com.

Ward Chamber Annual Jamboree

WARD — The Ward Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual jamboree from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Chamber of Commerce building.

Rotary Club of Cleburne County

HEBER SPRINGS — The Rotary Club of Cleburne County will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Greers Ferry Lake and the Little Red River with the annual Greers Ferry Lake and Little Red River Anglers Classic on Oct. 4 and 5 in Heber Springs. For more information on exhibits or planned events, call Ben Traylor at (501) 825-7410.

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.

Upcoming Events