Aug. 22 and 23
Gospel Singing Convention
GREENBRIER — The 2014 Arkansas-Oklahoma Gospel Singing Convention will be held Friday and Saturday at LifeSong Baptist Church. Singing will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, with refreshments following. Singing will resume at 10 a.m. Saturday, break for a potluck lunch and continue at 1 p.m. The public is invited. Officers for the convention are Larry Hutson, president; Roy Guiltner, Arkansas vice president; Thomas Williston, Oklahoma vice president; and Karroll Morphew, secretary-treasurer. Freddie Mark Wilcox is pastor of the church.
Aug. 23
Lactation Club Meeting
CONWAY — The Great Start Lactation Club will meet at 10 a.m. in the Conference Room of Conway Regional Medical Center. Kayla Fuller, a registered dietitian with WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), will discuss infant nutrition. All pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served. The club meets at 10 a.m. the fourth Saturday of each month. For more information, call (501) 513-5721.
Concealed Carry Course
Maumelle — Safe Shooting Sports of Arkansas, LLC will conduct an Arkansas Concealed Handgun Carry License course Saturday at the Hampton Inn in Maumelle. The course includes a free National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Shooting Course. Discounts are available for nurses and first responders. See www.safeshootarkansas.com to register for the class, or contact Jeff Allison, an Arkansas State Police instructor, at (501) 813-2908.
World Record Potluck Party
CLINTON — We love Van Buren County will attempt to break the Guinness world record for the largest potluck party. The event will be held Saturday at the school auditorium and gymnasium in conjunction with SurvivorFest. Admission to the event is “one dish” as defined by the Guinness rule book, which means “large enough to share with at least six other people at the potluck.” Live entertainment will be provided, and the event will be videotaped to document the attempt at a world record. For more information, call (501) 253-4716 or email jackiesikesjp8@yahoo.com.
Alzheimer’s Walk
RUSSELLVILLE — The fourth annual River Valley Alzheimer’s Arkansas Walk will be held Saturday at the L.V. Williamson Boys & Girls Club in Russellville. Participants will donate $25 each and receive a commemorative T-shirt while supplies last. Admission is free. For more information, call (501) 224-0021, email barbara.jensen@alzark.org, or visit www.alzark.org.
Cultural Celebration
RUSSELLVILLE — Lake Dardanelle State Park will hold a cultural celebration Saturday to highlight the many aspects of the past and present that create a unique culture in the Arkansas River Valley. For a detailed schedule for this free event, call (479) 967-5516 or email lakedardanelle@arkansas.com.
Aug. 23 – Aug. 31
Chuckwagon Races
CLINTON — The 29th annual National Championship Chuckwagon Races are slated for Saturday through Aug. 31 at the Bar of Ranch, 2848 Shake Rag Road. The event will feature the wagon races, along with the Snowy River Race, bronc fanning, camping, trail rides, concerts, equine clinics, bull riding and a nondenominational religious service. Admission is $25 per adult per day. For more information, call (501) 745-8407, email chuckwag@artelco.com, or visit chuckwagonraces.com.
Aug. 25
Arkansas River Valley Audubon Society
PETIT JEAN MOUNTAIN — The Arkansas River Valley Audubon Society will meet at 7 p.m. in the Stable Room of the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute. Jeremy Chamberlain from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock will present the program, Snakes of Arkansas. Chamberlain’s aim is to reduce audience members’ fear of snakes by giving them more knowledge of the reptiles. Guests are welcome, and refreshments will be served. For more information, call Pat Donnell at (501) 977-3889.
Aug. 27
QuickBooks Workshop
RUSSELLVILLE — The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center will present QuickBooks Beyond the Basics from 9 a.m. to noon at Arkansas Tech University. This hands-on workshop is geared toward experienced QuickBooks users with an emphasis on enhancing the basics of day-to-day use. Participants will learn to customize reports and forms and to work with inventory, jobs, estimates, progress invoices and more. A computer will be provided for each participant to use during the session. The cost is $65. Seating is limited, and registration is required by calling (479) 356-2067 or visiting asbtdc.org/training/russellville-events.
Ongoing
Augsburg Fall Fest Booth Applications
AUGSBURG — JoAnn Dorn, arts, crafts and vendor booth chairwoman, is taking applications for booth spaces for the seventh annual Augsburg Fall Fest, to be held Oct. 11 at Zion Lutheran Church at the intersection of Arkansas 333 and Augsburg Road. To reserve a booth at the festival, call Dorn at (479) 331-2302. The fee for all booths is $25. Proceeds from the festival will benefit the River Valley Free Christian Clinic and the Augsburg Food Pantry.
Midday Manna
CONWAY — A Bible lecture and luncheon led by Wanda Landers takes place from 11:45 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month at Woodland Heights Baptist Church, 4215 Prince St. Lunch, a drink and dessert are served for $5. For child care by reservation, call (501) 329-0001.
Conway Community Meditation Group
CONWAY — The Conway Community Meditation group meets from 12:30-1:30 p.m. every Tuesday at The Locals, 1024 Van Ronkle St. This session provides a time of unifying harmony with fellow Conway residents. All are welcome. For more information, visit www.thelocals.be/events.
Simply Said Storytelling
CONWAY — Simply Said is an informal, open-mic storytelling time held at 6 p.m. every Thursday at The Locals, 1024 Van Ronkle St. Participants are asked to share a story, without using notes, in no more than five minutes. For more information, visit www.thelocals.be/events.
Spanish Practice Group
CONWAY — The Spanish Practice Group meets at 4 p.m. every Friday at The Locals, 1024 Van Ronkle St. Join other Spanish-speaking enthusiasts in conversation. Todos son bienvenidos! For more information, visit www.thelocals.be/events.
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.