March 16
Identity-Theft Workshop
BATESVILLE — The Independence County Library will present a free workshop, Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft, at 2 p.m. at the library, 368 E. Main St. Luanne Gregory, financial associate at Thrivent Financial, will instruct participants on learning to protect their identity and what to do if their identity has been stolen. For more information, call the library at (870) 793-8814 or email info@indcolib.com.
USDA Commodities Distribution
JACKSONVILLE — The Central Arkansas Development Corp. will distribute U.S. Department of Agriculture commodities at 9 a.m. at Building a Better Life Mentor, 1924A W. Main St. The items may include applesauce, beef stew, black-eyed peas, canned carrots, corn flakes, concentrated cranberry juice, fruit mix, green beans, peanut butter, peas, dry pinto beans, potato flakes, raisins, refried beans, UHT milk and vegetable soup. For more information, call Evelyn Reed at (501) 778-1133.
March 17
Leprechaun Light 5K Run/Walk
HEBER SPRINGS — The Leprechaun Light 5K Run/Walk will take place at St. Albert Catholic Church, 21 Park Road. The event will feature costume judging, race awards, snacks and music. For early registration or more information, email stalbert5k@gmail.com or call (270) 703-9987. On-site registration will be from 6:30-7:30 p.m. the day of the race. The entry fee is $30 for ages 12 and older, $20 for ages younger than 12 and $75 for families of three-plus. Suggested attire is, if it blinks or lights up, wear it.
Heber Springs Area Chamber Ambassadors
HEBER SPRINGS — The Heber Springs Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors will meet from noon to 1 p.m. in the Training Room of Eagle Bank, 122 W. Main St. The group meets the third Friday of every month. For more information on the meeting or becoming an ambassador, call the chamber at (501) 362-2444.
March 18
Library Grand Opening
EL PASO — The El Paso Community Library, 1607 Ridge Road, will have a grand opening at 2 p.m.
Grief & Loss Support Group
JACKSONVILLE — The Caring Hearts Grief & Loss Support Group will meet at 10 a.m. at the Christian Church of Jacksonville, 200 E. Martin near First Street. For those who don’t want to participate in group meetings, individual sessions can be scheduled. For more information, contact Steve Summers at (870) 710-1508.
March 20 and March 21
Safe Sitter Course for Young Teens
BATESVILLE — White River Medical Center will offer a Safe Sitter Course for Young Teens from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days in the WRMC Collier Annex Education Room. The course is a life and safety training program for sixth- through eighth-graders, who will learn how to prevent injuries and handle emergencies when home alone, watching younger siblings or baby-sitting. There is a $25 fee for the course. The preregistration deadline is Friday. For more information, contact Toi McMullin at (870) 262-6555 or tmcmullin@wrmc.com.
March 22
Kick-Start Heber Springs Committee Meetings
HEBER SPRINGS — The next Kick-Start Heber Springs Committee meetings, which are open to the public, will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Room 1 of the Heber Springs Community Center, 201 Bobbie Jean Lane. All are encouraged to attend and take part in implementing the city’s five-year growth strategy. The active committees are Quality of Life and Place, Economic Development, Tourism Development, Education and Workforce, Marketing and Branding, and Funding and Finance. To volunteer for a committee, email director@heber-springs.com.
ONGOING
Tom Smith Memorial Scholarship
MELBOURNE — The family of Tom W. Smith has partnered with Ozarka College to offer a $500 memorial scholarship to a 2017 Izard County high school graduate who will attend Ozarka College. Tom graduated from Melbourne High School in 1980 and from Arkansas State University in 1984. He was an entrepreneur — a homebuilder, a real estate developer and a pilot. Applicants from all programs of study will be considered. For more information, contact Suellen Davidson, director of advancement, at (870) 368-2059 or sdavidson@ozarka.edu.
Rick VanHook Art Exhibit
BEEBE — The Arkansas State University-Beebe Art Department is featuring the artworks of Rick VanHook in an exhibit through March 28 in ASU’s England Center Art Gallery, 201 N. Orange St. VanHook, a lifelong resident of Searcy, is a modern abstract artist who uses shapes and vibrant colors in his art. The gallery has free admission and is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call the gallery at (501) 882-4495. For more information about VanHook’s artwork, visit www.vanhookart.com.
Lenten Lunches
HORSESHOE BEND — Each Wednesday of Lent, Faith Presbyterian Church, Fourth and Church streets, will host a speaker and serve soup and sandwiches from noon to 1 p.m. There is no charge, but donations are appreciated and will be used to provide assistance to local residents. For more information, call the church at (870) 670-4103.
Microsoft Excel Training
BATESVILLE — The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville Community and Technical Education Department and Rhonda Williams Byrd will continue their series of one-day workshops in Microsoft Excel. Level 2, on March 28, will cover large workbooks with multiple worksheets, 3-D formulas and more. Level 3, on April 11, will cover how to use Excel for a variety of problem-solving tasks. Both classes will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Room 222 of the UACCB Main Campus building. The cost is $69 each. For more information or to register, email communityed@uaccb.edu or call (870) 612-2082.
UACCB Foundation Scholarship Applications
BATESVILLE — The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville Foundation is accepting scholarship applications for summer 2017 and fall 2017/spring 2018 semesters. Applications are available at www.uaccb.edu/foundation/scholarships. The deadline to apply is April 1 for summer scholarships and July 1 for fall/spring scholarships. Students must submit a completed application and a 500-word essay or a 2- to 2 1/2-minute video essay. For more information, contact Tina Paul at tina.paul@uaccb.edu or (870) 612-2017.
Free Brown-Bag Lunch
CABOT — The Mount Tabor United Methodist Church Women of Cabot serve a free brown-bag lunch at 11 a.m. each Thursday at the church, 4100 Arkansas 89 S. In 2016, this mission of the church served more than 8,600 lunches to the hungry and needy of Cabot.
Opportunity for Bridge Players
BEEBE — Bridge players are needed at 1 p.m. Wednesdays at the Shepherd’s Center at Beebe United Methodist Church, 302A N. Main St. Beginners are welcome. For more information, call (501) 843-2930.
Beebe Caregivers Support Group
BEEBE — The Beebe Caregivers Support Group meets at 3 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at the Shepherd’s Center of Beebe, 302 N. Main St. For more information, call Sandra Garrett at (501) 940-4021.
Alzheimer’s Support Group
CABOT — The Alzheimer’s Support Group meets at 10 a.m. the second Tuesday of each month at Cabot United Methodist Church, 2003 S. Pine St. For more information, call (501) 265-0027.
Republicans Meetings
NEWPORT — The Jackson County Republicans meet at 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at Merchants and Planters Bank, 915 Arkansas 367 N. For more information, call Jeff McDonald at (870) 731-7646.
Friday Night Bingo
HEBER SPRINGS — Friday Night Bingo takes place each week at the American Legion Hall, 49 Park Road. Doors open at 5:30 for bonanzas, and regular play starts at 6:30 p.m. Food is available.
Cabot Lions Club Meetings
CABOT — The Cabot Lions Club has regular get-togethers at noon the first and third Thursdays of the month at the Kingpin Sports Grill. Lions serve local communities and protect the planet. Club members provide children with eyeglasses, offer food for seniors and provide assistance during natural disasters. All are invited to the meetings.
Upcoming
Arkansas Run for the Fallen
BEEBE — The sixth annual Arkansas Run for the Fallen, a 146-mile run to honor every Arkansas service member who has died while serving on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, will take place March 24-26. The run will begin in Ozark and end on the steps of the state Capitol in Little Rock. The public is invited to join members of the core team for the final 5K. For more information, visit www.arkansasrunforthefallen.org.
Arkansas Dream Center Benefit Golf Tournament
DRASCO — The Arkansas Dream Center of Cleburne County will host its third annual Dream Center Benefit Golf Tournament, a fundraiser for the Dream Center’s community service programs, March 25 at the Tannenbaum Golf Course, with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. The cost for the four-person scramble is $75 per person, with teams flighted after play. The entry fee includes a cart and the green fee. Lunch will be served. There will be prizes for each flight and closest to the hole. For more information or to sign up for the tournament, call (501) 529-8913 or email littleredriver@gmail.com.
Trivia Game Night
BATESVILLE — The Humane Society of Independence County will host its annual Trivia Game Night fundraiser April 1 at Fellowship Bible Church, 276 E. Main St. Doors will open at 5 p.m., and the trivia will start at 6, with games and activities between trivia rounds for extra points and prizes.The registration fee is $15 per person and includes a chili supper and beverages. Bake-sale items and coffee will be available for purchase. There will also be a Table Decoration Contest with contestants bringing their own decorations for an 8-foot banquet table. For a registration form or more information, call Becky Bachman at (870) 698-1097.
ACT Math Prep Course
BATESVILLE — The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville Community and Technical Education Department will offer a math preparatory class that investigates strategies that enable students to achieve high scores on the math portion of the ACT Exam. The class, taught by Greg Fulton, a math educator with 36 years of experience, will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 1 in Room 926 of the UACCB Nursing Allied Health Building. The registration fee is $30, and preregistration is required. For more information or to register, email communityed@uaccb.edu or call (870) 612-2082.
Introduction to Art Courses
MOUNTAIN VIEW — Ozarka College in Mountain View will host Continuing Education Introduction to Art courses, beginning April 3. These four-week courses will be taught by Leah Balowski on Mondays and Wednesdays, with a choice of sessions: 9 a.m. to noon or 12:30-3:30 p.m. The course will present a hands-on approach to the fundamental media, techniques and concepts of making art. The tuition is $35 per student or $30 for ages 60 and older. Preregistration is required. To enroll, contact Lindsay Wilson-Galloway at (870) 269-5600 or lhgalloway@ozarka.edu.
Fashion Gala
FAIRFIELD BAY — The 24th annual Fashion Gala, presented by the Xi Gamma Kappa chapter, will begin at 1 p.m. April 6 at St. Francis Parish Hall, 250 Woodlawn Drive. Prizes will be on display, and raffle tickets will be available for purchase. The style show will feature models wearing spring and summer fashions offered by local businesses. Pat Cash of Mountain View will be the narrator. Tickets are $6 and can be purchased from any chapter member or by calling Kathi at (501) 884-4335 or Shirley at (501) 650-2610.
Daisy Patch Quilt Show
HEBER SPRINGS — The Daisy Patch Quilt Show will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 28 and 29 at the Cleburne County Fairgrounds, 880 Bittle Road. Entries may be brought in from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 25. For more information, call Gerri Shipley at (501) 206-8965.
Hobo Shindig Garbage Can Dinner and Auction
HEBER SPRINGS — The Hobo Shindig Garbage Can Dinner and Auction will begin at 6:30 p.m. May 6 at St. Albert Catholic Church, 21 Park Road. A prize will be given for the best hobo costume. Tickets are $15 each, two for $25 or $40 for a family from the same household. For tickets or more information, call (501) 362-9450 or (501) 250-5668.
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.