COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THE RIVER VALLEY & OZARK AREA

April 16

Maumelle Newcomers Luncheon

MAUMELLE — The Maumelle Newcomers will have their monthly luncheon at 11 a.m. at the Maumelle Country Club. Deon Green will present the program, Then and Now. Reservations are required. For more information, call Mary Davidson at (501) 944-5518.

Sacred Heart Student Visit Day

MORRILTON — Sacred Heart Catholic School will have a Student Visit Day for students entering kindergarten through the 12th grade who have enrolled or are considering enrolling as new students for fall 2015. Kindergartners will meet from 8:15-9:15 or 9:30-10:30; all others can attend a full school day, beginning at 8 a.m. Lunch will be provided. Check-in will be at 8 a.m. in the school cafeteria. A parent reception will be held from 8-9:30 a.m. in the cafeteria. Tours, classroom visits and meetings with the principal can be arranged. Tuition, registration and tuition-assistance information will be provided. Registration forms are available in the school office and at www.sacredheartmorrilton.org. Families who cannot attend today may call (501) 354-4358 to schedule an appointment.

April 17

Van Buren County Library Groundbreaking Ceremony

CLINTON — A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Van Buren County Library will be held from 10-10:30 a.m. at 289 Factory Road. The new library facility is slated to open in spring 2016. For more information, contact Karla Fultz at (501) 745-2100 or karla@fcl.org.

Spring Plant Sale

MORRILTON — The Petit Jean Garden Club’s annual spring plant sale will be held from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Southern Christian Home Gym, 1050 Oak St. (Arkansas 95). There will be a variety of bedding plants, hanging baskets, perennials, potted containers for decks or patios, and choice plants from members’ gardens. The sale will enable the garden club to continue planting and maintaining flowerbeds throughout Morrilton, as well as funding civic projects and scholarships to area students. Members of the club will be available to help customers with gardening problems and offer suggestions for flowers that thrive in the area.

April 18

South Fork Nature Center Programs

CLINTON — The South Fork Nature Center will offer two free programs, beginning at 10 a.m. with herbal enthusiast Shirley Pratt, who will lead a trail walk that will emphasize identification and historic uses for medicinal and edible plants found in nature. Participants may bring along “mystery plants” for identification. At 1 p.m., artist Joyce Hartmann will present the Sandstone Painting Project and demonstrate techniques for painting the rocks. All supplies and materials will be furnished. Participants are asked to wear old clothing and bring something to sit on. Visitors may bring a sack lunch and spend the day at the center. Preregister by calling Hartmann at (501) 745-6615 or the South Fork Nature Center at (501) 745-6444.

Book Signing

CONWAY — Charles D. Morgan, former Acxiom Corp. CEO and chairman, will sign copies of his new memoir, Matters of Life and Data: The Remarkable Journey of a Big Data Visionary Whose Work Impacted Millions (Including You), from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at Village Books, 1700 Altus, Suite 100, in The Village at Hendrix. During his 36-year tenure, Morgan grew a small data-processing firm of 25 employees into the global juggernaut Acxiom, a $1.4 billion corporation with 7,000 employees and offices across the globe. For more information on the book signing, call Village Books at (501) 450-1228.

Hamburger Cookout Fundraiser

PETIT JEAN MOUNTAIN — The Petit Jean Extension Homemakers Club will hold its first fundraiser to assist in the restoration of Trinity Lutheran Church. David and Heidi Cox, directors of the Lutheran Camp, will host the hamburger cookout fundraiser, set for 5 p.m. in the Petit Jean Mountain Lutheran Camp dining hall. Everyone is invited to this family event. Proceeds raised will be matched by a Historic Preservation grant. A silent auction will begin at 5 p.m., and door prizes will be awarded. To make a donation, contact chairwoman Ann Vance at (501) 215-9726 or esvance@msn.com.

Tee It Up for Literacy Golf Tournament

FAIRFIELD BAY — The Fairfield Bay Library Friends Inc. will sponsor the seventh annual Tee It Up for Literacy Golf Tournament at the Indian Hills Golf Course. Keith Monahan, meteorologist at KARK-TV Channel 4 in Little Rock, will be a special guest. Proceeds will benefit the Fairfield Bay Library. Sign-in will begin at 11 a.m., with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. The four-person scramble costs $55 per person. The entry deadline is today. For more information or to register, call the Indian Hills Pro Shop at (501) 884-6018.

Saturday’s Fair Fundraiser

RUSSELLVILLE — Saturday’s Fair, a new family-oriented fundraiser for the Arkansas Hospice River Valley Home, will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hughes Community Center, 1000 E. Parkway Drive. The event will feature food trucks, games, auctions, music by Some Guy Named Robb, and Johnny Story as master of ceremonies. Admission is $5. Children 10 and younger will be admitted free. Tickets are available at the Arkansas Hospice Russellville office, 2405 E. Parkway Drive, Suite 3, or at the door. Donations to Arkansas Hospice may be made by calling toll-free at (877) 713-2348 or visiting www.arkansashospice.org. For more information, call (479) 498-2050.

April 20

Golf Tournament

CONWAY — Renewal Ranch will hold the fifth annual Renewal Ranch Golf Classic at The Greens at Nutter Chapel. Registration is at 7:30 a.m., followed by a morning flight with a shotgun start at 8:30. The event will include breakfast, lunch, door prizes and gift bags. Prizes will be awarded for first-, second- and third-place teams, hole in one, closest to the pin and longest drive. Sponsorships of various levels are available. All proceeds from the event will go to Renewal Ranch, a faith-based program designed for men with addictions. For more information, to register a team or to become a sponsor, contact Kyle Allison at (501) 472-7704 or Renewal Ranch at (501) 269-4306, or visit www.therenewalranch.org.

Conway Conversations

CONWAY — The Faulkner County Library will present an informational and planning meeting for Conway Conversations at 6 p.m. at the library. The aims of Conway Conversations are for people to have conversations with others who think differently while listening to, respecting and learning about one another. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482, email nancy@fcl.org, or visit Facebook or Twitter. All library events are free and open to the public.

April 22

Administrative Assistants Day Fundraiser Luncheon

MORRILTON — The seventh annual Administrative Assistants Day Fundraiser Luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Building at the Conway County Fairgrounds. Special entertainment will be provided by Craig O’Neill and a mystery guest. There will be door prizes, and vendors will offer items for shopping. Tickets are $25 each. Sponsorship tables are available, beginning at $150. Proceeds will support the work of The Safe Place Inc., which serves victims of domestic violence. For more information, call (501) 354-1884 or email thesafeplace@suddenlinkmail.com.

Ongoing

Maumelle Newcomers Club Scholarship

MAUMELLE — The Maumelle Newcomers Club is offering a $1,000 scholarship to all eligible residents of Maumelle, as well as immediate family members of Newcomers Club members. Applicants must have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade-point average, cannot be the recipient of a full scholarship, and must attend a four-year or two-year accredited educational institution or accredited technical college. Graduate and part-time students are also eligible. Applications must be postmarked by Tuesday and can be obtained at the Maumelle Public Library or by calling scholarship chairwoman Alice Cleves at (501) 442-3846.

Love Cap Group

HEBER SPRINGS — The Love Cap group meets to sew caps on the fourth Wednesday of each month at First Baptist Church. For more information, call Polly at (501) 206-0808.

Friends of the Library Book Shop

HEBER SPRINGS — The Friends of the Library Book Shop, 2255 Arkansas 25B N., is open from 3:30-7 p.m. Mondays, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. The shop offers a large selection of books at bargain prices. All proceeds from the shop benefit the libraries in Cleburne County.

Cherokee Bingo

CONWAY — Cherokee Bingo begins at 6:15 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at Helton’s Wrecker Service/U-Haul, 710 S. Harkrider St. All proceeds go to the Helton-Osburn-Spencer Scholarship Fund at the University of Central Arkansas.

Morning Movers Class

MAUMELLE — The Morning Movers class is offered from 8:15-9 a.m. Monday through Thursday at the Maumelle Senior Wellness Center, 550 Edgewood Drive, Suite 400. For more information, call (501) 851-4344.

TeamKID

MAUMELLE — Southern Hills Baptist Fellowship and JumpZone have teamed up to offer a free children’s program, TeamKID, for first- through sixth-graders. The program is held at 6:30 p.m. each Wednesday at the JumpZone building. For more information, call (501) 851-7729 or visit www.southernhillsbaptist.tv.

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, including a drink and dessert, is served for $5. For child care by reservation, call (501) 329-0001.

Tea Party Meeting

HEBER SPRINGS — Arkansas’ We the People Tea Party of Cleburne County meets at 6:30 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of every month at St. Barnabas Anglican Church, 1101C W. Main St. Various issues are discussed. For more information, call Marlin Schwartz at (847) 977-5261.

Upcoming

Conway Men’s Chorus Spring Sing

CONWAY — The Conway Men’s Chorus will present its 17th annual Spring Sing concert with a wide variety of music, including songs of faith, songs of spirit and songs of fun. The free concert will begin at 7 p.m. April 28 in Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and parking is free. The 55-plus-member group is under the direction of Sam Huskey, with assistant directors Jordan Bennett and Greg Murry, and piano accompanist Paul Bradley. Conway High School’s girls group The Accidentals will open for the chorus. For more information, contact Mike McCullars at (501) 327-5151, email info@conwaymenschorus.org, or visit www.conwaymenschorus.org.

Extension Homemakers Clubs Luncheon Fundraiser

PERRYVILLE — The Perry County Extension Homemakers Clubs will present a luncheon fundraiser April 23 in the Perry County Fairgrounds Multi-Purpose Building. Guest speaker Janet Carson, extension horticulture specialist with the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture Research and Extension, will present In the Garden: What to Do to Make Your Garden Shine. A light lunch will include taco-in-a-bag, dessert and a drink for $10. Lunch will be served at 10:30 a.m., followed by the program at 11:30. The event is open to the public. To reserve a ticket, call the Perry County Extension office at (501) 889-2661. Tickets can be paid for at the door. The event will support the Extension Homemakers Clubs of Perry County and local Master Gardeners programs.

The Heritage Quilt Show

HEBER SPRINGS — The Daisy Patch Quilters will have a quilt show from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 24 and 25 in the Education and Commercial buildings at the Cleburne County Fairgrounds on Bittle Road. Quilts are being accepted; there is a limit of three quilts per person. There will be prizes for Best of Show and Viewers’ Choice. Quilts must be delivered from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m to the fairgrounds. Admission to the show is $5, but there is no charge for displaying quilts or entering the contest. A heritage quilt will be raffled, and many door prizes will awarded. For more information, call Gerri Shipley at (501) 589-2300.

Historical Museum Event

PERRYVILLE — The Perry County Historical Museum will be open from 1-6 p.m. April 24 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 25 as part of Fourche River Days. The museum will have a quilt display, old-fashioned games and stories to share, along with a video of the history of Perry County. The Smith Boys will present a demonstration on blacksmithing. Baked potatoes with all the fixings will be available for purchase.

Mount Vernon Cemetery Cleanup, Decoration Day

MOUNT VERNON — The Mount Vernon Community Cemetery will hold its annual spring cleanup and decoration day from 8 a.m. to noon April 25. A potluck lunch will be served at noon at the community center. Those who have friends or loved ones buried in the cemetery are encouraged to take part in the activities. Anyone who cannot attend but would like to make a donation for the cemetery’s upkeep my mail donations to Bonnie Caldwell, 126 Shoemaker Circle, Conway, AR 72032. In case of rain, the cleanup will be held May 9.

Tornado-Anniversary Event

MAYFLOWER — The Interfaith and Partners Disaster Recovery Alliance will hold a tornado-anniversary event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 25 in Mayflower City Park to remember the loss and celebrate recovery, following an EF4-rated tornado that struck the area, including Faulkner County, on April 27, 2014, killing 12 people in the county, including three in Mayflower. The event will include special music, free food and drink, activities for children, special guests and a prayer. For more information, contact the Interfaith and Partners Disaster Recovery office at (501) 205-6873.

Council on Aging Annual Sunday Lunch

CONWAY — The Faulkner County Council on Aging will hold its 26th annual Sunday lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26 at the Ola and John Hawks Senior Wellness and Activity Center, 705 E. Siebenmorgen Road. The menu includes chicken and dressing, mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls, cheesecake and a choice of drinks. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children ages 4-12. Children 3 and younger may eat free. Carryout meals will be available. Tickets are on sale at the activity center and will be sold at the door. For more information, call (501) 327-1122 or visit www.fcseniors.com.

QuickBooks Payroll Workshop

RUSSELLVILLE — The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center will present a hands-on QuickBooks Payroll workshop from 9 a.m. to noon April 28 at Arkansas Tech University. Participants will learn to use the payroll features in QuickBooks accounting software. Topics include tracking employee time, issuing paychecks, paying liabilities and producing payroll reports. A computer will be provided for each participant during this interactive session. The cost is $65 per person. Registration is required by calling (479) 356-2067 or visiting asbtdc.org/training/russellville-events.

Relay for Life Fundraiser

PETIT JEAN MOUNTAIN — The Petit Jean Mountain Extension Homemakers Relay for Life team will host a walk to raise money for the American Cancer Society from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 1. Meet at the picnic area of Pavilion A in Petit Jean State Park. Team members and volunteers will walk trails in the park area for donations. The relay cookout for walkers and volunteers will begin at 4:30 p.m. To donate to the Relay for Life, contact team captain Sandy Shaw at (501) 727-5259 or shaw12769@yahoo.com, or send donations to Sandy Shaw, 1722 Petit Jean Mountain Road, Morrilton, AR 72110.

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.

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