Get up and go
Church to sponsor inspirational lunch
First Baptist Church of Evans will host Time Out, a monthly "inspiration and lunch" gathering at 11:50 a.m. on Thursday, May 16.
The cost is $5. Reservations should be made by noon, Wednesday, May 15 by calling the church office at 863-1228 or e-mail fbcevans@mindspring.com.
The church is at Washington and Belair roads in Evans.
Music festival set for May 11
The fourth annual Garden City Music Festival will be held Saturday, May 11 at Augusta's Downtown Riverwalk. The festival offers an eclectic blend of music, arts and crafts, a free children's area and diverse food.
The event will have three stages featuring 23 regional bands.
Gates open at 11 a.m. Music starts at noon. The festival ends at 10 p.m.
Tickets are available in advance for $6 at the Greater Augusta Arts Council at Sacred Heart Cultural Center and for $7 at the gate. Children 10 and under will be admitted free.
For more information, call Leslie Fletcher at 826-4702.
Group is accepting grant applications
Columbia County Arts Inc. is accepting grant applications until June 15.
The grants are restricted to charitable arts groups which are members of CCA and located in Columbia County.
Grants are made to enable arts groups to create opportunities for avocation of the arts by the general public, support musical, dance and drama presentations, visual and graphic arts exhibits, and educational programs for schools.
For more information and application forms contact Granting Committee, Columbia County Arts Inc., P.O. Box 212214, Martinez, GA 30917-2214.
Puppet show scheduled
The Augusta Museum of History's May Family History Series will feature a historical puppet show on Saturday, May 18.
Ben and Keeter's Puppets will tell Civil War stories. Shows will begin at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.
The program is free to museum members. Non-members must pay regular museum admission fees.
Dinner Theatre
The Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre will be putting on "Over the River and Though the Woods" on May 9, 10 & 11. The show features comedian Joe DiPietro. Dinner starts at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30. For more information call 793-8552.
Christian wrestling scheduled
Christian wrestlers from the Christian Wrestling Alliances will appear Saturday, May 18 at 1 p.m. at Family Christian Stores of Augusta, 204 Robert C. Daniel Jr. Parkway.
Also appearing will be Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber from the video series, "Veggie Tales."
There will also be free face painting for children from noon to 2 p.m.
Memorial Day celebration
Columbia County will present the second annual Red, White and Blue Veterans Celebration on Saturday, May 25 at Doctors Hospital Field behind the Evans Kroger from 6 to 9 p.m.
Activities will include military displays, K-9 demonstrations, flag retirement ceremony, highway dedication, 9-11 memorial, music by the Signal Corps Band, children's activities and fireworks.
For more information or to make a donation, call 868-3458.
Homestead exemption deadline approaches
The deadline for filing applications for homestead exemption is June 1.
Applications are being accepted in the Appling office of the Columbia County Tax Commissioner's Office. It is located at 1959 Appling-Harlem Highway from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office will be closed Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day.
Girls camp planned
Registration is now being accepted for summer camp for girls currently in K-5 through high school.
Camp will include swimming, skating, bowling, a trip to Funsville Amusement Park and other sites.
The program is sponsored by Girls Incorporated of CSRA.
The nine-week camp will cost $350 plus an annual registration fee of $35.
Lunch, two snacks, a T-shirt and all field trips are included in the cost. Swim lessons will be available at an additional cost.
For more information, call 733-2512.
Women of Excellence
Gail Graham, president of the LPGA, will be the guest speaker during the Women of Excellence 2002 reunion.
The reunion will be hosted by the CSRA Council of the Girl Scouts at the Augusta Country Club at 7 p.m. May 16.
Graham will be in the area to play in the Asahi Ryokuken Golf Tournament.
Seniors to participate
Brandon Wilde will be the local host site for the ninth annual National Senior Health and Fitness Day on Wednesday, May 29.
Beginning at 8:30 a.m., participants will join an estimated 150,000 seniors at 1,500 sites across the nation as they walk, dance, play and learn their way to better fitness and health.
For more information, call Michele Nobles at 854-3515.
Medical Conference
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the MS Society of Canada have joined to present the 2002 North American Education Conference "Reaching for New Frontiers in MS Research" on May 14.
The public is invited to attend the conference which will be offered at the Medical College of Georgia at 7 p.m. There is no cost to attend. For more information contact Sally Layton at 800-822-3379 or visit www.nationalmsssociety.org
Water Safety
Red Cross of Augusta will be offering Water Safety Instructor training at the Family Y on Wheeler Road. Participants must be at least 17 years of age and pass a swimming test. There class will be offered at seven different times. The cost for the class is $80. For class times call 724-8483.
Mini Theatre
Tickets for the Augusta Mini Theatre's annual drama and piano recital are now available. The performances, which feature 60 students, will take place on May 3 and 4 at 8 p.m. at the Jack B. Patrick Technology Center at Augusta Technical College. Tickets are $7 and may be purchased at the Theatre at 430 8th Street in Augusta. For more information call 722-0598.
House numbers encouraged
The Columbia County Planning and Development office is encouraging residents to ensure that their homes have their street address numbers plainly visible from the street so that emergency personnel can find the correct address.
House numbers should be at least 3 inches tall, mounted on a mailbox, be visible from both directions of the road and should not be hidden by weeds or flowers.
For more information, call the Columbia County Planning and Development office at 868-3400.
Mental Health Advocates set meeting
The Coalition for Mental Health Advocates will meet with local legislators at 6:30 p.m. May 7 at the Augusta Country Club. For reservations or information, call 736-4339.
Miss Georgia Forestry Pageant set
The 63rd Miss Georgia Forestry State Scholarship Pageant will be held June 14-15 in Tifton.
The pageant is open to any young woman in Georgia and accepts one contestant per county and one contestant from each college in each age division.
The pageant is a non-profit scholarship program that offers educational opportunities while promoting forestry in Georgia. It gives over $60,000 in cash and scholarships to the queens and runner-ups.
The age divisions are Tiny Miss ages 3 to 6; Junior Miss ages 7 to 12; Teen Miss ages 13 to 16; and Miss age 17 to 23.
Registration
Trinity Baptist Preschool on Columbia Road, is accepting registration for the 2002-03 school year. The program is open to ages 2-4. For more information, please call Shannon Story at 541-2066 or 863-1222.
School opens registration
Columbia County Christian Academy's registration for MDO, pre-k, kindergarten and first through sixth grades is now open.
The school is located at 4004 Prescott Drive, Martinez.
For more information, call 863-0535 or 650-8610
Georgia forestry advice
The Georgia Forestry Commission is advising residents whether their homes are in the potential line of fire. The service is particularly aimed at rural residents. For more information, call Chief Ranger Steve Abbott at 556-3962.
Pre-registration
The Harlem United Methodist Preschool is pre-registering for the 2002-2003 school year. For more information, call Margie Bennett or Paula Green at 556-6885.
Parents day out
The Harlem United Methodist Parents' Day Out Program has openings for the two-year-old program. For more information, call Valarie Wingate or Andrea Rockefeller at 556-6885.
Grant applications
The CSRA Community Foundation is accepting applications for 2002 Unrestricted Funding for area 501(c) (3) organizations for Columbia, Burke, Richmond and McDuffie Counties in Georgia, and Aiken and Edgefield Counties in South Carolina. Information, grant guidelines and grant applications may be obtained by sending an email to info@csracf.com or by calling the foundation at 724-1314.
Head Start
CSRA EOA, Inc. Head Start has openings for children who will be four years old by December 31, 2002. Head Start is a comprehensive child development program that provides quality services for the whole family. All services are provided in an educational environment and are free to qualified applicants. Applications can be obtained at Columbia County Head Start, 120 East Trippe Street, Harlem, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
For more information call 556-0085
Neighborhood Action Team
Neighborhood Action Team, Inc. - a McDuffie County non-profit organization - is seeking new members. For more information, call 706-595-4914 and membership cost is $10.
Club members sought
The Harlem Woman's Club is accepting new members. The club supports local communities and Columbia County's schools. It is a sponsor of the Star Student Award, the Citizen of the Year Award and the arts program. Meetings are at 4 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Woman's Club in Harlem. For more information, call Brenda Starling at 556-6811.
Free tutoring
Tutors are now available to work one-on-one with adults who want to improve their minimal reading skills. There is no charge for tutorial services and workbook materials. Tutoring sessions are arranged at times convenient to both student and tutor. For more information, please call Nancy Lightsey, program coordinator, at Gibbs Library, 863-1946.
Prayer site offered
First Baptist Church of Evans is offering its sanctuary as a place for prayer and meditation from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Thursdays. For more information, call 863-1228. The church is located on the corner of Washington and Belair roads.
Volunteers sought
United Hospice of Augusta is looking for volunteers to help the area's terminally ill patients. Training will be conducted to fit volunteers' schedules. Office volunteers also are needed. For more information, call Kathy Gerstein at 481-9930.
Senior programs offered
The CSRA Agency on Aging offers several programs for seniors throughout the Augusta area, including those detailing adult day care, home modifications, personal care aids, care in the home and others. For more information, call 210-2018 or toll free at (888) 922-4464.
Vehicle donation
The National Kidney Foundation of Georgia's is seeking donations of old vehicles to be sold as a fund-raiser.
The program offers free vehicle pickup. Cars, trucks, boats or motor homes donated might be tax deductible. To receive an informational packet to fill out and return, call (800) 488-CARS.
Help offered
The Columbia County Chapter of The Compassionate Friends offers grief support for families suffering the loss of a child. They meet every second Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at Philadelphia United Methodist Church, 780 Old Louisville Road, Harlem.
For more information, call (706) 556-6966 or (706) 855-7906.
Volunteers needed
The Court Appointed Special Advocate Program is looking for volunteers age 21 and older to help advocate for abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system.
Volunteers work alongside the Department of Family and Children Services and other agencies to protect children who have been placed in foster care. Volunteers need no experience and will be provided specialized training. For more information, call 737-4631.
Fencing classes offered
The Augusta Fencers Club is now offering two new classes in beginning foil. The first - a youth class for those 11 to 14 - meets from 6-7 p.m. Fridays. The second - an adult class - meets 6-7 p.m. Thursdays. All competitive equipment is provided for both classes, and the cost is $40 each. For more information or to register, call 722-8878.
Historical donations needed
The City of Grovetown Museum Board of Directors is seeking donations of military memorabilia with ties to Fort (Camp) Gordon for a special display depicting the historical relationship between the fort and Grovetown.
Photographs, documents, uniforms, personal military equipment, medals and copies of news article are needed. Donated items will be displayed in two glass cases which were purchased through a grant from the Fort Gordon Officers Wives Club. For more information or to donate, call Rosa Lee Owens at 863-1867 or Charles Lord at 863-3138.
Free mulch offered
The City of Thomson is offering free mulch to all interested farmers, businesses and residents. The city grinds all of its yard trimmings and collects the mulch on a quarterly basis. Loading assistance will be provided at a mulch pickup site on request. For more information, call (706) 595-1781.
Gold prospector's meeting
The Augusta Chapter of the Gold Prospector's Association of America will be having its monthly meetings at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the studio of Tim Conway Photography on Kings Way. For more information, call 729-9900 or 284-6705.
Children's story time
A story time for all ages is offered at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Euchee Creek Library.
Newcomers meeting
The Augusta Newcomers Club of the CSRA meets on the third Thursday of each month. For more information, call Debbie Negua at 860-6752.
Foster parents needed
The Columbia County Department of Family and Children Services is looking for potential foster parents. All those interested in becoming foster parents or with questions are asked to call Cindy Taylor at 541-1640.