COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THE RIVER VALLEY & OZARK AREA

Nov. 22

Train Documentary

CONWAY— Steel Rails in Arkansas, an original Arkansas Educational Television Network film featuring train action in the state, will premiere at 3:30 p.m. on AETN. Steel Rails is a family film that explores everything railroad in Arkansas, including trains in action, restored railroad depots, train shows and miniature train layouts. The show will repeat at 11 p.m.

UCA Jazz Ensemble Concert

CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas Department of Music will host its final jazz ensemble concert of the fall semester at 4:30 p.m. in the Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall. The concert will feature Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Larry Jones; Jazz Ensemble II, led by Gail Robertson; and the UCA Dixieland Band, led by Jackie Lamar. The free performance is open to the public. For more information, contact Lamar at (501) 450-5759 or jackiel@uca.edu.

Nov. 23

Chamber Orchestra Thanksgiving Concert

CONWAY —The Hendrix College Chamber Orchestra’s Thanksgiving concert will be at 7:30 p.m. in Reves Recital Hall. The orchestra is conducted by Karen Griebling. The program will include selections from Le bourgeois gentilhomme, by Jean-Baptiste Lully, and Les Indes galantes, by Jean-Philippe Rameau, in the first half. The second half will be devoted to Mozart’s Symphony No. 41: The Jupiter. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Griebling at (501) 450-1249 or griebling@hendrix.edu.

Nov. 26-29

Conway County Library Holiday Closing

MORRILTON — The Conway County Library, 101 W. Church St., will be closed Thursday through Saturday in observance of Thanksgiving. The library will reopen at 9 a.m. Dec. 1 and resume normal hours. For more information, call the library at (501) 354-5204.

Hughes Community Center Holiday Closing

RUSSELLVILLE — The Hughes Community Center, 1000 E. Parkway Drive, will be closed Thursday, Friday and Saturday for observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. For more information, call the center at (479) 968-1272.

Nov. 28

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

CONWAY — A Christmas tree lighting ceremony will be held from 5-7 p.m. at Rogers Plaza downtown. Performances from area choirs will begin at 5, and the tree will be lit at 6:30. Singing and dance performances from local groups will continue throughout the evening.

ONGOING

Coat Drive

CONWAY — The Boys and Girls Club of Faulkner County is sponsoring a coat drive for kids through Dec. 11. The coats may be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at Harrington & Co., 819 Parkway St.; Tipton Equipment & Commercial Kitchen Store, 828 N. Creek Drive; and the Boys and Girls Club, 1405 Robins St. The coats will be distributed Dec. 14-18. For more information, contact Phillip Moore, program director for the Boys and Girls Club of Faulkner County, at phillip@bgcfaulkner.org or (501) 329-8849.

Student Art Show

CONWAY — Senior art majors in the Hendrix College Department of Art will host the 2015 Student Competitive Art Show through Dec. 4 in Gallery A of the college’s Art Building on Front Street downtown. Gallery hours are 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The show features work in a diverse range of media, including photography, painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture and digital art. For more information, contact Anna Sheals at ShealsAJ@ hendrix.edu or call (573) 673-4991.

Friendship Clothes Closet Ministry

GREENBRIER — The Friendship Clothes Closet Ministry offers free, gently used clothing for the entire family from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the third Saturday of every month. The ministry is accepting donations of coats for children and teens. The clothes closet is at Friendship Baptist Church, 170 Cash Springs Road, on the corner of West Republican Road, 4 miles north of Greenbrier. For more information, call (501) 679-1672.

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 book sales 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

Russellville Christmas Parade Entry Deadline

RUSSELLVILLE — The entry deadline for the 2015 Russellville Christmas Parade is noon Nov. 30. Entries will not be accepted past this time. Parade entry forms are available at the Recreation and Parks Department office, 1000 E. Parkway, or at www.russellvillearkansas.org. The parade, with the theme “Christmas Movies,” will be at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3, with a rainout date of Dec. 7. The entry fee is $25 for a float and $100 for a commercial entry. For more information, call Recreation and Parks at (479) 968-1272.

Lupus Foundation GivingTuesday

The Lupus Foundation of Arkansas Inc. will hold GivingTuesday on Dec. 1. This effort aims to harness the collective power of partners-charities, families, businesses and individuals to transform how people think about and participate in the giving season, and to improve the lives of lupus patients by giving them hope that there is still life after the diagnosis of this unpredictable disease. Go to www.first giving.com/28300 on Dec. 1 to make a tax-deductible donation to the Lupus Foundation of Arkansas Inc.

UCA Band Extravaganza

CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas Bear Marching Band, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble I will perform at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 in the annual Band Extravaganza concert at Reynolds Performance Hall, 201 Donaghey Ave. The flag line will be featured with the Bear Marching Band. The concert is free, but a suggested $10 donation will support the UCA bands. For more information, call the UCA Ticket Central Box Office at (501) 450-3265, or toll-free in Arkansas at (866) 810-0012, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit www.uca.edu/reynolds. For more information, contact Brantley Douglas at (501) 450-5022 or bdouglas@uca.edu.

Pancake Breakfast, Auction and Bake Sale

CONWAY — The 35th annual Pancake Breakfast, Silent Auction and Bake Sale will be held from 7 a.m. to noon Dec. 5 at the Ola and John Hawks Senior Wellness and Activity Center, 705 E. Siebenmorgen Road. All-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, coffee, juice and milk will be served. The cost is $7 for adults and $3 for children 12 and younger. Tickets may be purchased at the center, from the center’s board members, from participating seniors or at the door. Carry-out meals will be available. Proceeds from the event will benefit the county’s six senior centers. For more information, call (501) 327-2895.

Trout Day 2015

RUSSELLVILLE — The Caddis Fly Fishing Club, the Russellville Recreation and Parks Department and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will present Trout Day 2015 from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 5 at the Pleasant View Park pond, which the AGFC will stock with 1,200 rainbow trout. Both bait fishing and fly-fishing will be available, and bait will be provided. A fishing license and trout permit (stamp) are required for fishermen 16 or older. The limit of five rainbow trout will apply. In conjunction with Trout Day, a free Basic Trout Fishing Clinic will be held from 6-7 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Hughes Center. The first 50 kids 15 or younger who attend will receive a certificate for a free rod and reel, to be redeemed at Trout Day. For more information, call the Hughes Center at (479) 968-1272.

Holiday Tour of Homes

RUSSELLVILLE — The Russellville United Methodist Women will present their annual Holiday Tour of Homes from 2-4 p.m. Dec. 6. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the Russellville United Methodist Church, 304 S. Commerce, or from any UMW member. The tour of homes is the UMW’s mission fundraiser. For more information, call (479) 968-1232

A Starry, Starry Night at the Library

CONWAY — Kaye R. Clanton, a retired teacher of sciences from the Conway School District, will present the last installment in a series of star-gazing events from 7-8 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Faulkner County Library. The session will include Geminid Meteor Shower; Winter Solstice; and Comets, Andromeda Galaxy and Milky Way Galaxy. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482 or email nancy@fcl.org.

Book Signing

RUSSELLVILLE — There will be a book signing from 5-7 p.m. Dec. 17 at A Conversation Piece, 312 W. Second St. Jeannie Stone will sign copies of the illustrated The Holy Spirit in the New Testament, which features 12 pieces of Stone’s artwork. Copies of the book will be available for purchase for $60 each. Other local handmade items will be available, and refreshments will be served.

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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