Jan. 14 and Jan. 15
Sock Drive
BATESVILLE — The Ozark Foothills Literacy Project and Americorps are hosting a sock drive in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Donations will benefit the Arkansas Sheriff’s Youth Ranch in Batesville. The sock drive will continue both days. Businesses with donation boxes include Citizens Bank, First Community Bank, Big’s Restaurant and Natalie’s. For more information, call (870) 793-5912.
Jan. 15
Democratic Party of White County Meeting
SEARCY — The Democratic Party of White County will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Arkansas State University-Searcy, 1800 E. Moore Ave. For more information, email white@arkdems.org or call (501) 368-9390.
Community Music Gathering
BATESVILLE — A community music gathering will take place from 6-8 p.m at First Community Bank. Start the new year right — clean your instruments, whet your whistles, and reorganize your favorite songs. Instrumentalists, singers and listeners are welcome to attend.
Fulton County Democrats Meeting
SALEM — The Fulton County Democrats will meet in the Hickinbotham-Miller Building at the Fulton County Fairgrounds. The meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. with a social hour. The guest speaker will be Jared Henderson, a Democrat who is seeking the party’s nomination for governor of Arkansas. This will be a meet-and-greet event, allowing Henderson to get acquainted with Fulton County voters. The meeting is open to all interested voters. For more information, call or text one of the officers of the organization: Barbara Moody at (501) 912-0608, Heath Shrable at (870) 612-0374 or Carolyn Lewis at (870)321-3193.
Jan. 18
Live2Lead
SEARCY — The Searcy Regional Chamber of Commerce will present Live2Lead, a free leadership event, from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at New Life Church, 2851 W. Beebe-Capps Expressway. Live2Lead offers a toolkit of ideas for participants to use in reaching goals and improving their teams. This is a viewing of an event that occurred Oct. 6 in Atlanta. The presentation includes John C. Maxwell, Dave Ramsey, Cheryl Bachelder and Warrick Dunn. For more information, visit www.searcychamber.com or call (501) 268-2458. For free tickets, visit www.facebook.com/events/553517491661026.
Crop Marketing 101
NEWPORT — There will be a Crop Marketing 101 seminar from 9-11 a.m. at the Iron Mountain Depot downtown. The topics will touch on improving work relationships with buyers, how the future market really works, and the importance of puts and calls and why they tend to be misused and misunderstood. For more information, contact Jordan Thomas at (501) 851-7300 (office), (706) 983-1204 (cell) or jordan@scottagri.com.
Jan. 19
NARFE Meeting
GREERS FERRY — The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) will meet at 11:30 a.m. at Mac’s Place, 8249 Edgemont Road, (Arkansas 16). Dwayne Yarboro from the state attorney general’s office will speak on fraud practices and how to avoid becoming a victim. All active and retired federal employees are invited to attend. For more information, call Kathy Golding at (501) 206-1375.
AARP Smart Driver Course
HEBER SPRINGS — There will be an AARP Smart Driver Course from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Arkansas State University-Heber Springs. Participants 55 and older who complete the course can receive a three-year discount on their auto-insurance premiums in Arkansas. For more information, call Denise at (501) 362-1273.
Genealogy Program
BATESVILLE — Yarbs, Sallets and Garden Sass as Told by the Widow Wilcox of Rattlesnake Ridge: A Living History Presentation will be hosted by the Independence County Library at noon at The Loft in the Barnett Building, 267 East Main St. The presentation will be by Tina Marie Wilcox, head gardener and herbalist at Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (870) 793-8814.
Jan. 20
Princess and Superhero Party
SEARCY — Harding University’s Women for Harding will host a family event, the sixth annual Princess and Superhero Party, from 9-11:30 a.m. in Heritage Auditorium. Snacks, crafts and activities will be part of the morning, which will also include Harding students as kids’ favorite princesses and superheroes. Children are encouraged to wear their favorite costumes. Tickets, at $10 for children and $5 for adults, can be purchased at www.hardingtickets.com or by calling (501) 279-4276.
ONGOING
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. Nearly 8,600 meals were served in 2017. Additional volunteers are needed. For more information or to volunteer, call (501) 843-3797.
Free GED Classes
MELBOURNE — Free GED classes are available at several locations through Ozarka College. Classes meet at Ozarka College in Melbourne from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 3-6 p.m. Mondays; at Ozarka College in Mammoth Spring from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; at Ozarka College in Mountain View from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 4-7 p.m. Mondays; and at Salem High School from 4-7 p.m. Mondays. Registration is ongoing. For more information, call Ozarka College Adult Education at (870) 368-2051.
Beginning Yoga Class
ASH FLAT — Ozarka College in Ash Flat will host a six-week series of Beginning Yoga through the college’s Continuing Education program on Thursdays, from Feb. 1 through March 8 in Room AF109. There will be two sessions: Session A at 4:30 p.m. and Session B at 5:30 p.m. The classes will be led by Deltha Sharp. The cost for the series is $45, with a 20 percent discount for ages 60 and older. Preregistration is required, and participants need to bring a yoga mat. For more information or to register, contact Fay Mitchell at (870) 368-2005 or fay.mitchell@ozarka.edu.
New Library Hours
MELBOURNE — The Paul Weaver Library at Ozarka College is open to the Ozarka College community, including the public. The library now has new hours of operation: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Anyone who wants to become a patron of the library may call Dan Lindsey, Ozarka College multimedia specialist, at (870) 368-2054.
Free Chair Yoga Classes
MELBOURNE — The Ozarka College Continuing Education program will offer free chair yoga classes at 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays through April 25 in Room C106 of the John E. Miller Education Complex. Each class, led by Deltha Sharp, will last approximately 30 minutes. Participants are welcome to bring their own blocks, straps, blankets, etc.; however, there will be a few of each available at class. Preregistration is required. For more information or to register, contact Fay Mitchell at (870) 368-2005 or fay.mitchell@ozarka.edu.
Jacksonville Sertoma Club Meeting
JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville Sertoma Club meets at noon every Wednesday at the Southern Oaks Country Club, 701 Foxwood Drive. The Sertoma Club raises money for hearing aids and for scholarships for local high school seniors, including seniors from the Arkansas School for the Deaf in Little Rock.
Incident Command System Classes
CABOT — The STARS (Small Town Amateur Radio Service) Club, a ham-radio group, will offer the following classes, taught by Steve Moore with the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: ICS (Incident Command System) 200, Saturday; and ICS 800, Feb 17. All are welcome to attend the classes, which will take place at Criswell Robinson American Legion Post 71, 114 N. First St. For more information, contact Gordon Miller at gmiller266@gmail.com.
Shepherd’s Center Wednesday Activities
BEEBE — Seniors participate in classes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Wednesday at the Shepherd’s Center at Beebe United Methodist Church, 302A N. Main St. The classes include quilting, art, jewelry making, scrapbooking, card making, genealogy, beginning computers, Bible discussions and bridge. At special times, cake decorating, holiday food preparation and ethnic food classes are offered, and in the spring, American Sign Language and gardening. Lunch is a potluck served to all who attend, whether or not they bring a dish.
Bluegrass Music Night
HEBER SPRINGS — Heber Springs Christian Church, 1101 N. Broadway St., offers a bluegrass music night from 6:30-8:30 every Tuesday. Musicians are invited to participate. Free coffee will be available. For more information, call the church at (501) 362-2389.
Beebe Kiwanis Club Meetings
BEEBE — The Beebe Kiwanis Club meets at noon the first and third Thursdays of each month in the Stephens Room of the Student Center at Arkansas State University-Beebe. Kiwanis is a volunteer organization with the mission of helping youth in the community. For more information, call Flo Fitch at (501) 230-2890 or Debra Crisco at (501) 454-3505.
Civitan Meetings
CABOT — Civitan meets at 6 p.m. the first and third Mondays of the month at First Security Bank in downtown Cabot. Civitan is an organization that provides training and support for people with developmental disabilities.
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 at Beebe United Methodist Church, 302A 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. For more information, call (501) 362-9979.
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
The Oak Ridge Boys Concert
SEARCY — Harding University’s Women for Harding will present The Oak Ridge Boys in concert, with special guest Jimmy Fortune of the Statler Brothers, at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22 in Benson Auditorium. The show is part of The Oak Ridge Boys’ 2018 tour, Shine the Light. Tickets are $28, $38 and $48, and include Arkansas sales tax (no additional fees). Tickets can be purchased at www.hardingtickets.com.
Newport Chamber Banquet
NEWPORT — The 2018 Newport Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet will take place Jan. 25 at the Newport Country Club, starting with a social hour at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. The featured speaker will be Heather Fox, Learning and Development team manager with FedEx. A short auction will feature bids for the Christmas-parade grand marshal, as well as street-sign naming at Newport Lake. The cost is $30 per person, and the event is open to the public. Tickets will not be given; however, prepayment is required to reserve a seat or a table for eight. RSVP at the chamber office at (870) 523-3618 or email director@newportarchamber.org by Friday.
American Legion Post 71 Meeting
CABOT — Criswell Robinson American Legion Post 71 is seeking members. The group’s monthly meeting is the fourth Thursday of each month. The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Jan 25, with a pre-meeting meal at 6 p.m., at Post 71, 114 N. First St. All military members and spouses are welcome to attend. Spouses may join the Auxiliary, and daughters may join the Junior Auxiliary. Sons of military personnel may join the Sons of American Legion Chapter. There is also a chapter of the Legion Riders for motorcyclists and a ham-radio chapter (STARS). For more information, call Post 71 at (501) 203-5715 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
Piano Recital
SEARCY — Harding University will present a recital by pianist Scott Carrell at 7 p.m. Jan. 25 in the Reynolds Center Recital Hall. The performance is free and open to the public. For more information, call (501) 279-4343.
Batesville Chamber Awards Ceremony
BATESVILLE — The Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce will host its annual meeting and awards ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Batesville Community Center. The event will feature an Adventures in Wonderland theme. The chamber honors outstanding area businesses and individuals who play a significant role in the community. Nominations in various categories are due Monday. General-admission tickets are $100 each and can be reserved by calling the chamber at (870) 793-2378 or emailing jamie.rayford@mybatesville.org. Corporate tables are also available.
Woodwind Recital
SEARCY — Harding University will present a recital by Rayna DeYoung on saxophone and Kelsie Dye on flute at 7 p.m. Jan. 27 at the Reynolds Center Recital Hall at Harding. The recital is free and open to the public. For more information, call (501) 279-4343.
Sharp County Historical Society Meeting
ASH FLAT — The Sharp County Historical Society will have its regular quarterly meeting at 2 p.m. Jan. 28 in the Community Room of the FNBC building. Joan Gould of Preservation Matters will present Strawberry River Valley: Lining Up “Data Points” From Past Centuries. “By isolating the modern-day Calamine area of the Strawberry River Valley and applying modern technological techniques, researchers have been able to peer into past centuries and view with greater accuracy how the earliest settlements grew and changed,” Gould said.
Marriage Conference
BATESVILLE — MarriedPeople will present a marriage conference, Your Best Night Out with Ted and Nancie Lowe, at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28 at Fellowship Bible Church, 332 E. Main St. Participants will experience a night of comedy and laughter while exploring what it takes to make a marriage work. Child care will be provided. To register, visit facebook.com/fellowshipbatesville. For more information, call the church at (870) 698-9244.
Ron Clark Lecture
SEARCY — Harding University’s American Studies Institute Distinguished Lecture Series will host Ron Clark, America’s Educator, at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 in Benson Auditorium at Harding. There will be open seating, and tickets are not needed. For more information, call the American Studies Institute at (501) 279-4497.
Valentine Pageant
SALEM — The Zeta Omicron Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi will conduct its annual Valentine Pageant at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 1 in the Salem High School Gymnasium. Contestants need to line up by 4 p.m. Candidates for Mr. and Miss Valentine are from grades seven through 12 at Salem High School. The Little Miss and Little Mr. contestants are from kindergarten through sixth grade at Salem Elementary School. Votes for contestants are one penny each. Cans for votes are at the Town & Country Super Market on Church Street. Voting will end at 6 p.m. Jan. 30.
Howard Johnson Art Exhibit
SEARCY — The Stevens Art Gallery at Harding University is featuring a free art exhibit with work by Howard Johnson. The exhibit will run through Feb. 2.
Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The gallery will be open for the Searcy’s First Friday Night Art Walk from 5-7 p.m. Feb. 2. For more information, call the art and design department at (501) 279-4426.
Ballroom Dance — New!
BATESVILLE — The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville will offer Ballroom Dance — New!; a five-session Community Education class for couples, from 6-7:30 p.m. Fridays, Feb. 9, 16 and 23; and March 9 and 16. The class fee is $70 per couple. Samy Rash, instructor, will teach the basic steps for salsa, bachata, country swing and fox trot. Any skill level is welcome. The class will meet on the Auditorium Stage in Independence Hall at UACCB. For more information or to register, call (870) 612-2082 or email communityed@uaccb.edu.
Jacksonville Chamber Banquet
JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce annual banquet will take place at 6 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Jacksonville Community Center, 5 Municipal Drive. Gov. Asa Hutchinson will be the guest speaker. The cost of the dinner is $45 per member or $360 for a table of eight. RSVP by 5 p.m. Feb. 1 by calling (501) 982-1511 or emailing chamber@jacksonville-arkansas.com.
Community Valentine’s Day Ball
HEBER SPRINGS — The Heber Springs Jazz Band will sponsor its first Valentine’s Day Ball for the community on Feb. 14 at the Family Life Center of First United Methodist Church, 1099 W. Pine St. The band will play and sing jazz classics from days past. Tickets are $12 each or $20 per couple. Tickets can be purchased at the Central Offices of the Heber Springs School District or at heberspringsbands.org with PayPal.
Neil Diamond Tribute
NEWPORT— The Arkansas State University-Newport Patron Series will present Jack Wright: The Songs and Stories of Neil Diamond at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 in the Center for the Arts, 7648 Victory Blvd. Tickets can be purchased at tickets.asun.edu.
The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra Concert
HEBER SPRINGS — The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra will return to the Heber Springs Performing Arts Center for a concert at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 24. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students ages 18 and younger. Tickets can be purchased at the Central Offices of the Heber Springs School District or at heberspringsbands.org with PayPal.
Delta Visual Arts Show
NEWPORT — The 10th Annual Delta Visual Arts Show will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Blue Bridge Center for the Delta Arts, 201 Hazel St. The free event will feature various categories of art, along with live music and authors. For more information, call the center at (870) 523-1009 or email director@newportaredc.org.
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. The deadline for calendar-item submissions is noon Tuesday.