July 15-21
Summer Strings Camp
CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas Community School of Music’s 10th annual Summer Strings Camp, for sixth- through 12th-graders who have completed at least one year of private lessons or orchestra, is set for today through Saturday on the campus. Daytime activities include rehearsals, masterclasses, a webinar with young orchestra professionals, ultimate Frisbee and extreme noodling. Night activities, for commuters and on-campus campers, will include a trip to Wild River Country, a movie night and a camp dance. For more information, visit www.uca.edu/csm/camps, call Ronald Jensen-McDaniel at (501) 450-3672, or email ucacsm@uca.edu.
July 17
Jerry the Bulldog’s Birthday Reception
RUSSELLVILLE — Members of the Arkansas Tech University community and their families, as well as alumni and friends, are invited to attend a come-and-go birthday reception for Jerry the Bulldog, campus ambassador, from 3-4 p.m. in Room 242 of the Doc Bryan Student Services Center, 1605 Coliseum Drive. The first modern Jerry, whose full name is Jerry Charles Young I, was born on July 17, 2013. He is an English bulldog. Guests are asked to make their presence be their present to Jerry, who is turning 5 years old. Refreshments will be served. Visit www.atu.edu/jerry to learn more about Jerry the Bulldog.
Friday
Small Works on Paper Entry Deadline
LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Arts Council is accepting entries for the 2019 Small Works on Paper exhibition, and the deadline to enter is Friday. SWOP is open to current members of the Arkansas Artist Registry. Nonmembers submitting an entry are required to join the Registry at the time of entry. For more information, contact Cheri Leffew at (501) 324-976 or cheri@arkansasheritage.org. Information is also available at arkansasarts.org.
Lecture on Quilts
MORRILTON — Jim Gatling of Morrilton will present a lecture on quilts at the Rialto Community Arts Center, 215 E. Broadway St. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with an exhibit of quilts made by Gatling. Dinner will be served at 6, followed by the lecture. Tickets for the dinner and lecture are $35. Dinner will include steak or chicken, twice-baked potatoes, salad, a roll and dessert. Tickets are available at rialtomorriton.com and the Morrilton Area Chamber of Commerce. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Rialto Community Arts Center. For more information, call Kristi Strain at (501) 242-3593.
Federal Employees Association Meeting
GREERS FERRY — The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) will meet at 11:30 a.m. Friday at Bentley’s Restaurant, 7965 Edgemont Road (Arkansas 16). The guest speaker will be a representative from the Senior Medicare Patrol. All active and retired federal employees are invited to attend the meeting. For more information, contact Kathy Golding at (501) 206-1375.
Marvin Williams’ Cooking Adventures
CONWAY — Marvin Williams’ Cooking Adventures: Summertime Favorites will be offered from 6-8 p.m. at UCA Downtown, 1105 W. Oak St. Join Williams while he makes some of his favorite summertime drinks, such as Purple Rain Lemonade, and desserts, including ice cream and his Cake of Many Colors. Register at uca.edu/outreach/types/culinary-classes or call (501) 450-3118.
July 20-21
Singing Convention
CONWAY — The 140th annual session of the Faulkner County Singing Convention will take place at 7 p.m. Friday and at 10 a.m. Saturday at Salem United Methodist Church, 1018 Salem Road. This historic convention draws a diverse group of singers from the state and nation. After the Friday-evening session, refreshments will be provided, and a potluck lunch will follow the morning session on Saturday. The public is invited to attend. Visitors arriving on Interstate 40 need to take exit 124 and follow Salem Road south for approximately 2 miles to the church.
July 21
Joyce Tucker Book Signing
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Library will welcome local author Joyce Tucker for a book signing at 2 p.m. Tucker won her first award for writing at the Arkansas Writers Conference in 2008 and is now a novelist and a motivational speaker. Loyalty is Everything: Boss Up is the story of Robert, who struggles to maintain his bad-boy reputation, that is, until he meets Autumn, who makes him question his notion that love is a distraction. All library events are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482 or email nancy@fcl.org.
Ongoing
Fall 2018 ATU Campus Tours
RUSSELLVILLE — The Arkansas Tech University Office of Admissions has announced the campus-tours schedule for prospective students and their families during the fall 2018 semester. Tours of the ATU campus in Russellville will be offered at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, and group tours will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, as well as at 2 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Private, one-on-one campus tours will be available at 3 p.m. weekdays. For online registration for all campus tours and visit days, visit www.atu.edu/admissions/personaltours.php. For more information, call (479) 968-0343 or (800) 582-6953.
Adult Fall Softball League Registration
RUSSELLVILLE — Registration for the Russellville Recreation and Parks Department’s fall softball league is open and will end at 5 p.m. Friday. Teams may register at the Hughes Community Center, 1000 E. Parkway Drive, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Forms are available in the Russellville Recreation and Parks Department office and at www.russellvillearkansas.org. For more information, call the Hughes Center at (479) 968-1272.
Half-Price Pool Passes
RUSSELLVILLE — Pool passes for the Hughes Community Center are being sold for half price. For more information, call the Hughes Center at (479) 968-1272.
Kids Summer Art Camp
RUSSELLVILLE — Registration is open for art/drawing/painting classes for kids at the River Valley Arts Center. Lisa Jones will teach a class from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. The fee is $65 for center members or $100 for nonmembers. Jessica Simpson will teach a class from 9 a.m. to noon July 23-27. The fee is $65/$100. Miranda Townsend will teach a class from 2-5 p.m. July 23-27. The fee is $55/$90. For more information or to register, call the center at (479) 968-2452.
Farmers Market
FAIRFIELD BAY — The Thursday-morning Fairfield Bay Farmers Market is open from 9 to noon at the Village Mall Gazebo. Fresh produce and canned items are available. Anyone with a bumper crop of backyard tomatoes or a garden plot of greens is welcome to set up a booth. No preregistration is required.
Junior Park Ranger Tours
FAIRFIELD BAY — Junior Park Ranger tours at the Fairfield Bay Heritage Center take place from 1-4 p.m. Mondays. Bring kids to the museum, and they will get a name badge and an activity book from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. For more information, call (501) 884-4440.
Art Classes
FAIRFIELD BAY — The Fairfield Bay Community Education Center offers its Paint With Jim class from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays; Barbara Cornett’s fused-glass class from 2-4 p.m. Wednesdays; and Fran’s Jeweled Spider class from 1-2:30 p.m Thursdays. For class fees and more information or to RSVP, call the center at (501) 884-4440. Information is also available on the center’s Facebook page.
Neighbor’s Table
RUSSELLVILLE — Neighbor’s Table is a free meal from noon to 1 p.m. every Saturday at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 501 S Phoenix Ave. The doors open at 11:30 a.m. with free coffee. All are welcome to attend this no-pressure, no-questions-asked free lunch. Neighbor’s Table, which is celebrating its sixth year of service, now sends home sack lunches to guests who come for lunch. All Saints’ has a Loaves and Fishes ministry, which accepts Sunday-morning offerings at the altar of necessities such as cereal, peanut butter, shelf-stable milk, toilet paper, toiletries, hand soap and detergent. These items will be distributed to guests on Saturdays at Neighbor’s Table. For more information on the program or how to help, call the church office at (479) 968-3622.
Fun in the Sun! Art Exhibit
CLINTON — The art exhibit Fun in the Sun! is on display at Ozark Health Medical Center on U.S. 65 in south Clinton. The collection, which will hang through Aug. 6, features 46 original paintings by various local artists. Art is located in the hallways near the cafeteria on the upper level and in the outpatient wing on the lower level. The paintings are for sale for $15 to $350. Proceeds will benefit Hospital Auxiliary projects. For more information, call Joyce Hartmann at (501) 745-6615.
Community Teaching Garden
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Master Gardeners will have a community teaching garden in front of Freyaldenhoven’s nursery, at the corner of Siebenmorgen Road and Bob Courtway Drive. The group meets there at 9 a.m. the first and third Saturdays of each month through September. All are invited to attend and learn to grow their own food.
Friday Night Kruzn
CONWAY — Friday Night Kruzn, a free event, will take place from 6-8 p.m. the third Friday of each month through Oct. 19 at The Village at Hendrix. Cars will be on display, and a donation will be made to the Arkansas Food Bank. For more information, contact Don Searls at (501) 269-1817.
Humane Society Benefit Bingo
GREENBRIER — Bingo, sponsored by the Humane Society of Faulkner County, is played every third Friday at the Melton Cotton City Event Center, 5 Lois Lane. Pregames start at 5:30 p.m., and full games begin at 6:30. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Sloan-Swindel Spay and Neuter Memorial Fund. For more information, email rescuethestrays@yahoo.com.
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.
Yoga Class at the Library
CONWAY — Danny Mize, a registered yoga instructor, teaches a yoga class at 7 p.m. Thursdays at the Faulkner County Library. Yoga practitioners of all skill levels are welcome to attend. All library programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482 or email nancy@fcl.org.
Faulkner County Coin Club Meetings
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Coin Club meets the second Tuesday of each month at the Ola & John Hawks Senior Wellness & Activity Center, 705 E. Siebenmorgen Road. The 5 p.m. dinner is optional, and a $6 donation is suggested for those 60 and younger. A fellowship time will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. with educational speakers, show-and-tell, news and door prizes. For more information, call (501) 514-0785.
VFW Tuesday Night Bingo
QUITMAN — Tuesday Night Bingo takes place each week at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 1295 Bee Branch 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.
American Legion 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. For more information, call (501) 362-9979.
Faulkner County Tea Party Luncheon
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Tea Party has a luncheon at noon every Thursday at Larry’s Pizza, 1068 Markham St. Guest speakers and the members’ “soap box” are featured each week. All who are interested in governmental and business affairs on the county, state or national level are invited to attend.
Upcoming
Palestine Baptist Church Homecoming
PEARSON — Palestine Baptist Church, 389 Edgemont Road (Arkansas 16) in the Pearson community, will celebrate 157 years of existence with a homecoming on July 22. Brother Matthew Corkran will preach at 11 a.m., followed by a potluck lunch in the Fellowship Hall. Linda Morgan, a Southern gospel vocalist, will perform after lunch. All are asked to bring a dish to share.
Art Gallery 25th Anniversary Celebration
FAIRFIELD BAY — The public is invited to the 25th-Silver-Anniversary Celebration of the North Central Arkansas Art Gallery in the Fairfield Bay Conference Center from 6-8 p.m. July 24. The gallery has been the venue for the display of artwork by area residents for a quarter of a century. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the center at (501) 884-4202.
QuickBooks Desktop Workshop
RUSSELLVILLE — The Arkansas Tech Small Business and Technology Development Center will present QuickBooks Desktop from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 24 at Arkansas Tech University. This interactive workshop is designed for business owners and their employees who have little or no experience using QuickBooks desktop software (Pro, Premier and Enterprise). Topics include company setup, transactions, working with lists, reconciling accounts, invoices, payments, bills, inventory, reports and more. The cost to attend is $130 and includes a take-home workbook and the use of a computer. Registration is required by July 23 by calling (479) 356-2067 or visiting asbtdc.org/training/russellville-events.
Meet the Masters
CONWAY — The Faulkner County Master Gardeners invite the public to Meet the Masters at 6:30 p.m. July 26 at the Faulkner County Extension Office, 844 Locust St. There is no charge for admission or parking, and refreshments will be served.
3C’s Train-the-Trainer Program
CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas will offer the 3C’s Train-the-Trainer Program from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 26 and 27 at UCA’s Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center, 201 Donaghey Ave. Based on the book Civility, Compassion and Courage in Schools Today: Strategies for Implementing in K-12 Classrooms, this course will focus on becoming civility-competent and compassionate, as well as provide an in-depth reflection on how one’s personality impacts authentic program delivery. Register at uca.edu/outreach/types/business/pd or call (501) 450-3118.
Guys and Dolls Event
GREENBRIER — Absolute Care Management Corp.’s Guys and Dolls, a therapy program for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, will have an event at 2 p.m. July 27 at Greenbrier Health and Rehab. Donations are needed of new or gently used baby dolls, clothes and blankets, small quilted blankets, fidget items and sewing items. Crafters are needed to help make fidget blankets. For more information or to donate items, money or time, call Tammy or Jennifer at (501) 504-2555 or email tammysmith@absolutecaremanagement.com or jhudspeth@absolutecaremanagement.com.
Quitman High School Reunion
QUITMAN — The annual Quitman High School Reunion for all graduates and former students who attended Quitman schools will take place from 2-5 p.m. July 28 at the Quitman Bulldog Complex on the east side of the school campus. The theme is All Things ’60s. Attendees are encouraged to bring memorabilia relating to their 1960s Quitman school experience. Light refreshments will be served. The QHS Class of 1968 will host the reunion as part of its 50th-anniversary celebration and will present a short program. No reservations are required. For more information, contact Gayla Barger Chapman at (501) 269-5255 or chapman7@windstream.net.
World Championship Cardboard Boat Races
HEBER SPRINGS — The 32nd annual World Championship Cardboard Boat Races will take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 28 at Sandy Beach. Along with the boat races, additional activities will include a treasure dig, a watermelon-eating contest and a volleyball tournament. For more information, call (870) 834-1437.
Old Soldiers Reunion Parade
HEBER SPRINGS — American Legion Post 64 will host the annual Old Soldiers Reunion Parade at 6 p.m. Aug. 2. The parade will start at Harps Grocery and end at Spring Park. Lineup will be at 5:30. Prizes will awarded for floats: first place, $500; second place, $350; and third place, $250. The theme is “United We Stand,” and there is no entry fee. The parade will be followed by a carnival in Spring Park and other activities Aug. 3 and 4, including a beauty pageant. For more information, call the Post 64 at (501) 362-9979 or Gabe Cothron at (501) 206-9571.
Pewter Casting Class
FAIRFIELD BAY — The Fairfield Bay Community Education Center will offer a one-day Pewter Casting class from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 4. Participants will learn the skill of carving and casting jewelry or tokens from master caster Fred Zeiler. Preregistration is required, and students will have a pre-class assignment. The cost of the class is $50, with materials provided. For more information or to register, call the center at (501) 884-4440 or visit its Facebook page.
Cheeseburger in Paradise
FAIRFIELD BAY — Cheeseburger in Paradise, the annual Fairfield Bay Community Education Center fundraiser, will take place Aug. 25 and include dance music by the Sean Sikes Band, smoked chicken plates by cook-off winner Greg Calaway, fireball cupcakes, a silent auction, games of beer or champagne pong and a pay-as-you-go bar. Tickets are $20 for the dance and $10 for food plates at the Conference Center or the Education Center; from committee members Cindy Wellenberger, Kay Otis, Sharon Luxon and Linda Duncan; or at the dance. The Education Center is in the Village Mall, next to the mayor’s office. For more information, call the center at (501) 884-4440.
Human Library
CONWAY — COHO (City of Hope Outreach) and the Faulkner County Library are partnering to bring the Human Library to the Faulkner County Library from 1-4 p.m. Aug. 25. The Human Library is a library of human beings — individuals, or “books” — each representing a group in the community that is somehow exposed to stigma, prejudice and/or discrimination. The program was developed to challenge societal prejudices and help people form a better understanding of those with whom they share their communities. There will be an organizational meeting for “books” at 2 p.m. Aug. 18 at the library. For more information or to participate as a “book,” contact Nancy at the library at (501) 327-7482 or nancy@fcl.org, or Tristan Norman at normantristanhendrix@gmai.l.com.
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. The deadline for calendar-item submissions is noon Tuesday.