UGA tickets
A limited number of tickets to the Sept. 15 University of Georgia football game are available from the Columbia County Extension Service. For information, call (706) 541-4011.
Blood drives
Shepeard Community Blood Center is holding a blood drive 3-7 p.m. today at Harlem United Methodist Church, 115 Milledgeville Road. For information, go to www.shepeardblood.org.
Fair pageant
Applications are being accepted for the Miss Columbia County Fair Scholarship Pageant, to be held Oct. 20 at Greenbrier High School. Participants ages 17-23 will be judged in interview, swimsuit and evening gown. The winner will represent Columbia County at the state competition in Atlanta.
For applications, call Pat Becton at (706) 863-7645, email pbecton@knology.net, or go to www.columbia
countyfair.net.
Party caucus
The Columbia County Democratic Party will hold a caucus at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the conference room of the Columbia County Government Center, Building A, 630 Ronald Reagan Drive, Evans, to elect members to the Democratic Committee. Executive committee members will face election at the same time and location on Sept. 10.
Boat-in movie
The Lorax will be featured at the boat-in movie at 7 p.m. Saturday at Wildwood Park in Appling. Viewing is free by water and $3 per car. For information, call (706) 541-0568.
Catholic classes
St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, 4921 Columbia Road, will hold an 11-week Awakening Faith program for inactive or marginally active Catholics. The series will be held 7:30-9 p.m. each Wednesday starting Sept. 5 at the home of Joe and Mary Soparas. For information, go to www.st-teresa.com, call (706) 364-9289, or email mary.soparas@gmail.com.
Senior activities
Washington Commons, on Washington Road across from Club Car, will hold free seminars and activities for seniors in September. For information, call (706) 860-0402.
Appling Opry
The Pinehill Ramblers, from Orangeburg, S.C., will perform at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Appling Opry, 5701 Whiteoak Road at Ray Owens Road. Admission is free, and a jam session follows the performance. For information, go to www.reverbnation.com/venue/applingopry, or call (706) 541-9721.
Car show
The annual Cruisin’ for Christ Car Show will be held 1:30-6 p.m. Sept. 9 at First Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 6269 Cobbham Road, Appling. To register or for more information, call Alvin Frails at (706) 556-9689.
Junior Board
Teens from Columbia County and surrounding areas are being sought to serve on the junior board of the Watson-Brown Foundation. The application deadline is Sept. 14. For information, call Michelle Zupan at (706) 595-7777, or email
mzupan@hickory-hill.org, or go to www.watson-brown.org.
Law Academy
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office will hold a Citizens Law Enforcement Academy for residents 18-older from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursdays for 10 weeks starting Sept. 13. For information, call (706) 541-2856, or go to www.columbiacountyso.org.
Burn survivors
The Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation Burn Survivors Support Group meets at 2 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the foundation office, 3614 J. Dewey Gray Circle, Building C., Augusta. For information, call 1 (800) 650-BURN, or go to www.sfbf.net.
Calculator class
Evans Christian Academy will hold a Ti-Nspire graphing calculator workshop from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 15 at 213 South Old Belair Road. Cost is $20, or free to ECA students. Call (706) 364-3565.
Miss Augusta
The Miss Augusta Scholarship Pageant will be held at 2 p.m. Sept. 16 at Greenbrier High School. For applications, email Lynn Huff at maysee@bellsouth.net.
Zumba
Evans Christian Academy, 213 South Old Belair Road, holds Zumba classes from 6:15-7:16 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Call (706) 354-3565.
Thrift sale
Helping Hands Thrift Store, 6347 Columbia Road, Appling, is holding a back-to-school sale through Sept. 27. The store is open 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month..
Vets to D.C.
The Vets to Washington Project is conducting a tour of World War II and other memorials in Washington, D.C., for World War II veterans Sept. 14-16. For information, contact Doug Hastings at (706) 832-6483, or submit an application through www.vetstowashington.com.
Writers meet
CSRA Writers will meet at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at Georgia Military College, 115 Davis Road, Martinez. For information, call Steve Fox at (706) 836-7315.
Third Saturday
Mosaic United Methodist Church and Christ the King Lutheran Church, on Industrial Park Drive at Evans-to-Locks Road, offer free services including food, medical screening, free haircuts, GED sign-ups and job resources to community residents in need on third Saturdays each month. For information, call (706) 650-9187.
Church concert
The LeFevres will perform at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at Trinity Baptist Church, 4594 Columbia Road, Martinez. Admission is free with an offering taken. For information, call (706) 829-6618.
Preschools
• Marvin Methodist Preschool, 4400 Wheeler Road, Martinez offers preschool for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds. For information, call Ginger Gruba at (706) 868-8877.
• Trinity Baptist Preschool, 4594 Columbia Road, Martinez, offers preschool for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds. For information, call Shannon Story at (706) 799-0637.
• Spaces are available at Grace Baptist Preschool, 4945 Hardy McManus Road, Evans, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. For information, call Lisa Wamack at (706) 868-9729.
• Warren Baptist Church holds weekday preschool and mother’s day out classes for ages 1 through pre-K 4. For information, call (706) 860-6878 or go to www.warrenbaptist.org.
Turkey shoot
The Grovetown Lions Club will hold a summer turkey shoot on the second weekend of each month through September at 1200 Old Louisville Road. For information, email garyrausch57@yahoo.com.
Vendors wanted
Vendors are being sought for the second annual Christmas Craft Market at West Acres Baptist Church, Nov. 2-3. For information, email Cathie Rich at cammie252@gmail.com.
Hospice
Alliance Hospice is seeking volunteers. Training is provided. For information, call Rick Boland at (706) 447-2461, or email roboland@alliancehospice.com.
Overeaters
Overeaters Anonymous meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 3551 Wheeler Road, Augusta, and 1:30 p.m. Saturdays at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 3131 Walton Way, Augusta. Call (706) 541-0580, or email info@oa.org.
Thrift sale
Helping Hands Thrift Store, operated by the Columbia County Foundation for Children at 6347 Columbia Road, Appling, is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on first Saturdays.
Singers sought
The Garden City Chorus is recruiting male singers for a 110-man show in September. Rehearsals are held each Tuesday at the Church of Christ, 600 W. Martintown Road, North Augusta. Call (803) 279-4198.
Weight seminar
Georgia Health Sciences holds a free weight loss surgery seminar at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Columbia County Library in Evans. For information, go to www.georgiahealth.org/weightloss, or call (706) 721-2609.
TOPS groups
Take Off Pounds Sensibly, a nonprofit weight-loss support group, meets on the following dates:
• Harlem Baptist Church, 8:45 a.m. Thursdays; (706) 556-3309.
• Grovetown United Methodist Church, 206 E. Robinson Ave., 6 p.m. Thursdays; (706) 863-0726.
• Pine View Baptist Church, 119 Pleasant Home Road, 4:45 p.m. each Tuesday; (706) 863-6525.
Genealogy
The East Georgia Genealogical Society, which encompasses an area that includes Columbia County, meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the L.D.S. Church, 36 Sims Road, Winder, Ga. For information, go to www.eastgagenealogy.com.
Charity cookbook
MOMS Club of Evans is selling cookbooks for $15, with all proceeds supporting Ronald McDonald House of Augusta. For information, email annualpreschoolfair@gmail.com.
Cell phones
Best Western Evans Hotel, 452 Park West Drive, off Dyess Parkway, is a donation site for Cell Phones for Soldiers. For more information, go to www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com.
Concerts
The Columbia County Civic Orchestra will begin its 2012-13 concert season Sept. 22 at the Jabez Sanford Hardin Performing Arts Center in Evans, with performances Oct. 27, Jan. 26, March 16, April 20 and May 3. For information, go to www.columbiacco.org.
Meeting space
Three rooms of meeting space are available to community groups at no charge at Mosaic United Methodist Church, 478 Columbia Industrial Blvd., Evans. For information, email gerilyn@mosaicumc.org, or call (706) 650-9187.
Veterans sought
The organization Vets to Washington is seeking World War II vets for three-day, expenses-paid trips to Washington, D.C., to tour the World War II memorial and others in the area. For information or to donate to help provide the trips, call (706) 832-6483, or go to www.vetstowashington.com.
Books wanted
Columbia County Library in Evans needs donations of used books to sell in the Friends of the Library store. Drop off donations at the library, or call Barbara Williams at (706) 863-8760.
Clothes closet
The clothes closet at Marvin United Methodist Church, 4400 Wheeler Road at South Belair Road, is open Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for donations. Clothes are available for those in need. For information, call (706) 863-0510.
Friends group
Friends Stepping Up, a nonprofit organization for mildly challenged teens and young adults, meets once a month for activities. For information, parents or guardians should call (706) 771-0087.
Dance club
USA Dance Chapter 6074 holds monthly dances at the Elks Lodge in Martinez. For information, call (803) 270-5470 or go to www.augustadancing.org.
Help group
Celebrate Recovery meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday evenings at The Sanctuary Church, 302 Byrd Road, Evans. For information, call (706) 421-0089.
Leah museum
The Leah High School and Community Museum, located at the Martinez-Columbia Fire Rescue station at 3653 Ray Owens Road, in Appling, is now open from 10 a.m. to noon on the first Tuesday of each month and on Saturdays by appointment. Donations of archival and historical material still are being sought. For information, (706) 541-0043.
Choral Society
The Columbia County Choral Society is open to all singers in the area. Rehearsals are held at First Baptist Church of Evans. For information and a rehearsal schedule, call (706)650-2311 or go to www.ccchoralsociety.org.
Elks dance
The Augusta Elks Club, off Furys Ferry Road in Martinez, holds a dance with a live band each Friday at 8 p.m. Cost is $10 per person. For information, call (706) 564-1642.
Seat inspection
Safe Kids East Central Georgia conducts free child safety child safety seat inspections on the second Wednesday of each month at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Substation, 650 Ronald Reagan Drive, Evans. For an appointment, call (706) 541-3970 or go to www.mcghealth.org.
Hope Soap
Hope Soap, a private, nonprofit agency that collects toiletries and packages and distributes them to area shelters, has collection sites in the community. Donations, particularly of personal-sized items from hotels, may be brought to The Columbia County News-Times, in the Publix shopping center on Washington Road, Evans, and Wild Birds Unlimited, West Town Shopping Center, Martinez.
Addiction help
Mosaic United Methodist Church’s Celebrate Recovery program holds weekly group sessions at 7 p.m. each Friday at the church at 678 Columbia Industrial Blvd., Evans. For information, call (706) 877-6468, or go to www.mosaicumc.org.
Cancer group
The MCG Breast Cancer Support Group meets on the second Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the first-floor community room at the MCGHealth Cancer Center, 1411 Laney-Walker Blvd. For information, call (706) 721-4109 or go to www.mcghealth.org.
Orchestras
The Columbia County Civic Orchestra holds weekly rehearsals 7:15-9:15 p.m. Mondays in the music suite at West Acres Baptist Church, 555 Gibbs Road, Evans. Returning and new musicians are welcome. The Youth Orchestra holds rehearsals 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays in the Augusta Christian band room, 313 Baston Road. For information, call Rob Nordan at (706) 860-6573, ext. 114, or go to www.columbiacco.org.
Christian singles
Augusta Christian Singles meets at the Ballroom Dance Center, 525 Grand Slam Drive, off Evans-to-Locks Road, from 7-11 p.m. each Saturday. Cost is $8 for members, $10 for guests. For information, call Barbara Nash at (803) 640-2075.
Marine League
The Marine Corps League Riverfront Marines Detachment 1132, meets the second Thursday of each month at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1002 Carolina Ave., North Augusta, with dinner at 6 p.m. and the meeting at 7 p.m. For information, contact Paul Brewer at (706) 306-6667 or usmc1008@bellsouth.net.
Ostomy group
An ostomy support group will meets at 6 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at Barney’s Pharmacy on Peach Orchard Road in Augusta. Call (706) 798-5645.
Survivors
Fort Gordon’s Survivor Outreach Services, for families of deceased soldiers, is available at (706) 787-4767 or at myarmyonesource.com.
Hearing loss
The Hearing Loss Association of Augusta meets at 5:30 p.m. on the third Monday each month at Room 100 of the Adult Building of First Baptist Church of Augusta. For information, call Debbie Rish at (706) 650-2496, or email hlaag.rish@yahoo.com.
Alzheimer’s groups
Three Alzheimer’s caregiver support groups meet in Columbia County.
• Lewis Memorial United Methodist Church, 5555 Hereford Farm Road: 7 p.m., second Tuesday each month. For information, call (706) 541-0085 or (706) 541-0185.
• Morningside of Evans, 353 N. Belair Road: 11 a.m., second Saturday each month. For information, call (706) 228-4709.
• Brandon Wilde, 4275 Owens Road: 7 p.m., third Tuesday each month. For information, call (706) 854-3519.
Clothes closet
The clothes closet in the family life center at Marvin United Methodist Church, Belair at Wheeler Road, is open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Clothing is free, but donations are welcome.
Women vets
The Women’s Veterans Club meets at 11 a.m. the first Saturday of each month. Dues cost $24 per year. For information, call April Starks at (706) 868-5601.
Eyeglass help
The Grovetown Lions Club offers financial assistance for qualifying Grovetown individuals in the purchase of eyeglasses. For information, write to Grovetown Lions Club Eyeglass Program, P.O. Box 248, Grovetown, GA 30813.
Volunteers sought
• The Grovetown Senior Center is seeking volunteer, licensed drivers with their own vehicles to deliver meals to shut-ins in the Grovetown area. For information, call (706) 210-8699.
• Regency Hospice is seeking volunteers. Training is provided. For information, call Nancy Browning at (706) 868-4422.
• Golden Harvest Food Bank is seeking volunteers to help sort donations in the warehouse. For information, call (706) 736-1199.
• Safe Kids East Central Georgia is seeking volunteers to help with events, such as car seat and bicycle checks, and to lead ongoing programs that teach safety to children and teens. Training is provided. For information, call (706) 721-7606.
• Volunteer opportunities are available at the Columbia County Library in Evans. For information, call Jessica Thompson at (706) 863-1946, or email jthompson@columbiacountyga.gov.
• The American Cancer Society’s Augusta chapter is seeking volunteer drivers for its Road to Recovery program, which provides transportation to cancer patients. For information, call (706) 731-9900.
• Hospice Care of America is seeking volunteers. For information, call Rick Boland at (706) 447-2626.
Hospital classes
Doctors Hospital offers a variety of classes each month. For information on all classes, call (706) 651-2450, or go to www.doctors-hospital.net.
Fire information
The Georgia Forestry Commission, Columbia County Unit, offers advice to all Columbia County residents on whether their home is in line of fire from brush or wild land fires. For information, call (706) 556-3962.
